She laughed. “Oh dear, and do you sneeze?”
“Invariably.” They’d reached her back gate, and he held it open for her. “So, my dear Alice, will you agree to leave the arrangements to me?”
“I suppose I must.” She hesitated. “Do you know, er, when . . . ?”
“I’ll let you know.”
* * *
* * *
Lucy, having gone to sleep with her windows open, was woken early by the twittering of the birds outside. She lay there a few moments, snuggling dreamily in the warmth and comfort of her bed, contemplating the day ahead, when suddenly she remembered.
And sat straight up.
The announcement would be in the papers this morning. She was—officially, if not actually—betrothed. To Gerald, Lord Thornton. A proper lord!
Across London, people would be seeing the announcement about herself, plain Lucy Bamber, and Lord Thornton. It was a strange thought. With any luck, Papa would be one of them, reading the newspaper announcement at this very minute—well, soon; he was not an early riser—and come around here to give Alice back her letters.
When would Alice see it? It was her habit to drink a cup of chocolate and glance through the newspapers before dressing and coming down to breakfast.
Hasty footsteps sounded in the hallway outside. Alice. She knocked on the door and entered, waving her copy of the Morning Post. “Lucy, the strangest thing! Someone has put a notice in the paper announcing a betrothal between you and my nephew, Gerald. I don’t know how it happened. It’s clearly a mistake and—”
“It’s not a mistake.”
“We’ll have to get it withdraw— What did you say?”
“I said, it’s not a mistake.”
Alice blinked. “It’s not?”
“No. Gerald put the notice in yesterday.”
“You’re engaged to my nephew, Gerald?”
Lucy nodded.
Alice flew across the room and embraced Lucy. “Oh, my dear girl, that’s marvelous. I’m so happy for you.” She sat down on Lucy’s bed, tossing the newspaper aside. “Now, tell me all about it. How did this happen? When did it happen? I must confess you’ve completely taken me by surprise. I thought you two were at daggers drawn.” Beaming expectantly at Lucy, Alice folded her hands and waited for the details of the romance to be revealed.
Lucy shrugged uncomfortably. Alice had every right to feel put out at not being informed. Both of Lucy’s other suitors had asked Alice’s permission before proposing, and here, she and Gerald had gone ahead and announced it in the papers without informing anyone. Of course they were of age and had the right to make their own plans, but still, Alice had to feel a little hurt. And yet here she was, smiling so kindly at the girl who was deceiving her. And who was preparing to deceive her even further.
Lucy desperately wanted to let Alice in on the plot, but Gerald was right. Alice was a hopeless liar.
“It was at the Peplowe ball,” she began. “Gerald took over the spots where I’d arranged to sit out the waltzes—is that right, by the way? I can’t waltz anywhere until I have been approved to waltz at Almack’s?”
“Oh, who cares about that? He took over your spots?”
“Yes, he told Mr. Frinton and Mr. Grimswade that, as acting head of your family, he had the right to commandeer them.”
Alice gasped and then laughed. “Head of my family indeed! What nonsense! But how wonderfully masterful and romantic.”
“How arrogant, you mean. I was furious.”
Alice chuckled, clearly not believing her. “What happened next?”
“He took me out into the courtyard and we talked.” Having no wish to be questioned on the subject of their conversation, she hastily went on. “And later he did it again during the second waltz, only then he invited me to dance, out in the courtyard—it’s all right, we were quite alone and nobody saw us. But about that Almack’s question—”
“Ohhhh! A secret waltz in the moonlight. I would never have guessed Gerald had such romance in him. No wonder you were bowled over.”
Lucy smiled weakly. It might sound romantic, and in her secret heart she had to admit that she had found it romantic, but really, it was just a plan to trap her father.
Alice blanched on a sudden thought. “Oh heavens! Does Almeria—Lady Charlton, Gerald’s mother—know?”
Lucy shook her head. “No, we wanted it to be a surprise.”
“Well, it’s certainly that. Oh dear. Almeria will be around here any moment then, because of course she won’t be happy—and that’s an understatement if ever I’ve made one. She’ll be furious and blame me for it, even though I knew nothing about it.” She slipped off the bed. “Get dressed quickly. We’d better get ready.”
“Man the battlements? Start boiling the oil?” Lucy climbed out of bed.
Alice gave a huff of laughter. “You may joke, but you don’t know what she’s like.” At the door, she paused. “On second thought, you stay here. I’ll deal with her.”
“You? But you didn’t know anything about it. Why should you have to deal with her?”
“Because I’ve been dealing with Almeria for the last twenty years. Better still, why don’t you get dressed and go out into the garden as usual. I’ll be able to tell her then that you’re not in the house.”
Alice was planning to protect her, Lucy realized. Preparing to stand up to Gerald’s mother on her behalf. She couldn’t remember the last time anyone besides Alice had stood up for her. She was very touched.
She crossed the floor and gave Alice a quick hug. “Alice, you are a darling, but I am not going to run off and leave you to the dragon lady. Almeria doesn’t worry me. Besides, I watched how you handled her once. It taught me a lot.”
Alice looked at her curiously. “Really? What did it teach you?”
“Not to lose my temper or rise to her barbs. You were quite splendid.” Lucy shook out her dress and laid it on her bed. “Now, off you go. I’ll be downstairs shortly. And don’t worry—I’m not afraid of that woman.”
“Maybe not, but Lucy, she’s going to be your mother-in-law. For the rest of your life.”
Lucy shrugged. Almeria would never be her mother-in-law. “She’s been your sister-in-law for half your life. Has your careful politeness ever made any difference?”
Alice grimaced, then nodded. “I suppose you’re right. Begin as you mean to go on. With any luck, we’ll have time for breakfast before Almeria descends on us.”