“It is the fault of her parents,” Mrs. van Stork exclaimed. “All this fuss is clearly the result of the girl not being informed. I never understood their decision, never,” she said. “Why marry your daughter when there will be no grandson?”

“The settlement,” Mr. van Stork replied. “You send her a note, miss,” he said to Chloe. “You’ll have to cry off; you can use any excuse you want.”

“Poor girl,” Mrs. van Stork said with a sigh. “It’s not the only excuse she’ll get in the next few days.”

Chloe was tremendously relieved when the footman returned with her note still in hand, saying that Sheffield House was closed up and only a skeleton staff left in residence. Perhaps Charlotte didn’t even know about this terrible article. Chloe had finally managed to coax the paper from her mama, who felt that she shouldn’t read those kind of details. But Katryn van Stork had reminded herself that Chloe was grown-up now, engaged to be married, and it might not be bad to read about wedding nights. After all, if Lord Holland kept his word, Chloe herself would be married by next year. So Chloe read, horrified.

Yet to her mind the article didn’t make much sense. Her beloved Charlotte had had an argument with her new husband; that was clear. Someone had thrown a jar of cream against the wall. The family had abruptly changed their plans, not gone to Italy, and Alex had made Charlotte ride in the servants’ carriage.

“Why?” she asked her mama. But Mrs. van Stork didn’t know.

“I can only suppose that the poor girl was not told,” Mrs. van Stork said heavily, “that the earl cannot have any children.”

“But they are so happy together!” Chloe objected. “You have not seen them together since they were married, Mama. She loves him.”

“I assume the countess came to terms with her husband’s disability—as is appropriate,” her mother said. “But her behavior now is most improper. She should not be associating herself with the earl’s brother. The author of this article says that she entertained Patrick Foakes in her house. If she were a true lady, she would not welcome a man into the house when her husband is not in the country. And it doesn’t matter if the man is her brother-in-law,” Mrs. van Stork said, in answer to Chloe’s unspoken challenge. “She is in a most delicate position, given her husband’s incapability. Her behavior must be above reproach.”

“It’s not fair,” Chloe protested. “I’m sure Charlotte has done nothing untoward with her husband’s brother. She is not that sort of person!”