“Sarah Ponsonby? One of the Ladies of Llangollen?” The surprise of my sister’s correspondent temporarily overtook my own news. When we were very young, the Ladies of Llangollen were still one of the biggest scandals in society—two ladies of quality who had run away together to live in Wales. Time, however, had taken them from scandal to oddity, and their singular arrangement was now more or less accepted by the bon ton. “I did not know you wrote to Miss Ponsonby.”

“You do not know everything about me,” Julia said.

I refrained from answering. We used to share everything, but lately something had changed, creating a greater distance between us. Perhaps it was the advent of Mr. Kent. Or maybe it was our disagreement about the best treatment for the tumor in her breast. She firmly claimed faith in her doctor and her God. Whereas I had faith in neither.

“Miss Ponsonby and I have been writing—on and off—since the year of the French truce,” Julia added. “We met at that dinner Lord and Lady Davenport hosted at their estate. Do you remember? The two little ladies in the somber gowns with white ruff collars?”

I did not. It was, after all, ten years ago, and I had not been gifted with the same phenomenal memory as my twin.

“Anyway,” Julia continued, “since Miss Ponsonby and Lady Butler have gone against all convention and the wishes of their families to live together as close companions, I thought maybe she would have some wisdom to share in regard to Lady Hester and Miss Grant.”

“Good God, Julia, you did not tell Miss Ponsonby about Lady Hester, did you?” I asked. “All of society visits them in Wales on their way north. They know everyone. If they mention us and Lady Hester in the same breath, it will get back to Lord Deele. I wish you had consulted me before you did such a thing.”

“Of course I did not tell her. I am not a fool,” Julia said, frowning over the top of the letter. “You are not the only one in this house who can think strategically.”

“Well, what did you write, then?” I asked, somewhat ungraciously.

“I described, in only the vaguest terms, two ladies of our acquaintance who wished to set up a home together against the wishes of their families. Miss Ponsonby’s reply is quite touching, Gus. She says that it will be hard for the ladies to withstand the coaxing and coercion of family and friends, not to mention the scorn of society, but if it is truly what they wish, then to stand firm. I can only imagine what she and Lady Butler went through to find their happiness.”

At least Julia’s letter seemed vague enough not to have raised any singular interest. And we had never been socially linked to Lady Hester before she had been incarcerated. Perhaps no harm had been done, after all.