“You are no doubt aware that your brother is here tonight too,” she added, leading us farther into the room. “We are very glad to welcome him. Perhaps he will also become a regular.” She peered around until her gaze fell upon a very familiar set of shoulders and head of thick chestnut hair: Duffy, his back to us, standing near the fireplace. “Ah, there he is, with Mr. Brummell.”

Good God, what was Duffy doing here?

I glanced at Julia: I will not talk to him.

Julia tilted her chin: You cannot ignore him.

“Ah yes,” Julia said to Mary. “We shall make our presence known to him now.”

Mary nodded her approval and bustled off to greet more new arrivals.

“I am not going to make my presence known to him,” I said under my breath. “I do not want to see him and I am sure he does not wish to see me.”

“We must at least greet him, or it will look odd,” Julia said just as softly and vehemently. She took my hand. “Please, Gus. Let us get it over and done with and then you can avoid him all night. Please. For me.”

I could not deny my twin. With a nod I allowed her to pull me along to where our brother and Mr. Brummell stood in conversation by the fireplace.

George, who was facing us, noted our approach and immediately made an elegant bow. “Lady Augusta, Lady Julia, good evening.”

Duffy stiffened at our names, which, to my shame, gave me some satisfaction: I was not the only one appalled by this encounter. He turned to face us.

“Mr. Brummell, good evening,” Julia said. “And, Duffy, how lovely to see you.”

We both curtsied to Duffy’s brusque bow.

“Sisters, I had not expected to see you at such a gathering,” he said.

“I cannot conceive why,” I said, as brusque as his bow. “Surely you are aware we come here often?”

He glared at me. “I was not.”

“Is Harriet here too?” Julia asked brightly. “I would so much like to hear about your wedding trip.”

“Of course not. She would not presume to attend such a gathering. Like me, she considers political discussion the purview of men. She does not interest herself in such matters.”

“Yes, it does take a good knowledge of current affairs and a keen mind to keep up,” I said smoothly.

Mr. Brummell, sensing familial discord, sent me a glinting, amused glance and made another bow. “Duffield, if you will excuse me. Lady Augusta, no doubt we will speak later.”

Upon his departure, Duffy leaned closer to me, his face flushed. “I cannot believe you left Duffield House and missed our wedding over the sale of a stupid horse. What kind of welcome into our family did that give Harriet?”