“Love can come after marriage,” Giles said.

“Perhaps,” Lydia said wearily. “At least Lord Pettigrew is an honorable man. He won’t flaunt his mistress in my face.”

“Did you know he trained as a barrister?” Giles asked, remembering Yasmin’s account of Pettigrew. “So many gentlemen do nothing at all, Lydia. I understand that he practices occasionally, defending the indigent.”

“Yes, he’s marvelously virtuous.” Lydia took a deep breath. “Luckily, I like dogs since that is his primary subject of conversation.”

Giles’s brows knit.

“No, it’s quite all right. I need someone like him. He steadies me. When I am in the grip of an excess of sensibility, I mean. And in case you’re wondering, I won’t play him false, as Mother did.”

“All right,” Giles said. But it wasn’t all right. He had neglected his sister, never realizing that she was in such pain. He had never known how to cope with her moods, so he had avoided them, which meant avoiding her.

“Why didn’t you want a chaperone, Lydia?” he asked.

“It wasn’t because I intended to kiss men in dark corners.” She gave him a faint smile. “I wanted to be with you, Giles. You’re the only family I have, the only person who is truly related to me by blood. When I marry and move away, I’ll rarely see you, will I? Perhaps at Christmas, or for a fleeting visit when Parliament isn’t in session. I wanted to be with you.”

Remorse slugged Giles so hard that he might as well have taken a blow. “I’m sorry, Lydia.”

“Why should you want to be with me?” she said, shrugging. “I am so much younger, and prone to crying. I’m not as intelligent as you. I tried reading The Times so we could discuss it at breakfast, but I could never think of anything to say.”

“I feel like a beast. A terrible brother.”

“I didn’t mean that!” Her eyes met his. “The world is so much more interesting than I am. By refusing a chaperone, I ensured that you had to spend time with me. If I hadn’t insisted on your company, you never would have met Lady Yasmin, so I am paid back for my selfishness.”

Giles found his voice. “Yasmin is not a terrible woman.”

“Neither was our mother. They are both selfish, lustful, and reckless.” She got up and left the room before Giles could protest.

Chapter Fifteen

Yasmin lay sleepless for most of the night, her body alternately raging with heat at certain memories and chilled with disgust at others. In the morning, she chose her clothing very carefully. She didn’t want to give Giles the slightest impression that she was interested in repeating that hurly-burly behavior.

She chose a promenade gown with a tight band under the breasts. Unlike her favorite evening gowns, the bodice had a ruff that left just enough space for a circlet of pearls around her neck. The matching spencer was crimson colored, fashioned in a military style, with fringed epaulets on the shoulders. The sleeves came to points on the backs of her hands, and the trim of her gown featured the same jagged points.