Not only had she laughed at Harrison’s offer to bring her into his household, but she flatly refused to be acknowledged as his sister. Her father had given her nothing but her existence, so why should she think herself in any way connected to the Basset family? She was no fine lady and had no desire to become one. She had been a maid at Tehidy, and that was as close to any Basset as she cared to be.

Considering Lord de Dunstaville of Tehidy was a distant cousin, and certainly the most renowned member of the vast Basset family, Harrison found that to be ironic.

It had taken some time and persuasion, but Emblyn had softened her position just enough to allow Harrison to be her brother and to occasionally attend quiet dinners he hosted at Trevadden Park. She would not sit as mistress of the house, nor would she come to any balls he or his friends would host, but she was not resisting being called his sister and being part of his life.

More than that, she would not budge on.

He had been exhausting himself in the attempt ever since her concessions, but Emblyn was a particularly stubborn Cornwall lass. It would take a miracle from heaven to move her, and even then, the Almighty would have to convince her, which would take even His most considerable efforts.

Maddening as it was, Harrison was delighted to have Emblyn about. She had finally begun coming to Trevadden unannounced and actually behaving like a member of the family, rather than staying belowstairs with the servants. She would never ask any of the servants to do anything for her, nor would she accept being addressed as anything other than Miss Moyle by any in his employ. Unless they would call her Emblyn, but the servants would not dare tread so far, and she knew it well.

Harrison still hoped to convince her to leave her cottage and move into Trevadden, but she insisted that the cottage had been her mother’s home and her home, and she was not about to leave it for some grand estate to which she did not belong.

Some battles, Harrison was learning, were best left unfought. When all was said and done, he had a sister, and she was not doing anything for which he was ashamed or embarrassed, which was more than he could have said for his brother.

Emblyn might wish herself far away from anything remotely involving any Basset if she knew the truth about Richard. She knew he existed and that he was in London, but that was all. It was safer that way.

If one looked at his siblings on paper or by reputation, they would have been black marks against the family. Harrison, by comparison, was pristine. Firstborn, titled, wealthy, and free of tarnish or speculation. A perfect candidate for even the most conniving of matchmaking mamas.