Page 72 of Last Night with the Duke
“We’re not.”
“But you just indicated to Miss Waldegrave that you didn’t read them and yet…” Esmeralda’s voice trailed off as Lady Sara smiled.
“It was shameful of me to do it, I suppose, but I wasn’t going to confess to such outrageous behavior just because she was foolish enough to do so. I mean, I shouldn’t have, right?”
“Of course, you were right, Sara,” Lady Vera said. “We’ve been reading them for years, Miss Swift. Our maid hides them for us in our wardrobe so we can read them when we’re alone.”
“Vera, you shouldn’t have told her how we get them.”
“Don’t be silly. Miss Swift will not tell Auntie Eve, Griffin, or anyone else. We’ve never been caught with them.” Lady Vera’s gaze looked pointedly at Esmeralda. “You won’t tell, right?”
“It is not my place to get involved in what you read, my ladies. However, I am pleased that you are aware there is such disturbing talk concerning you out there.” She paused. “And I’m even more pleased that you’re not upset about it. I have to admit I thought you would be.”
“We have been the topic of discussion as long as we can remember.”
“Don’t you think you should tell your brother you know about this? He thought knowing someone might want to ruin your Season would upset you.”
“You can tell him we know, if you like. He might take it easier coming from you. He still thinks we’re children.”
Because you sometimes quarrel like children,she wanted to say out loud, but knew better.
“But you mustn’t tell him how we know or we’ll be in trouble from Auntie Eve as well,” Lady Sara added.
“You heard about it at the tea party this afternoon,” Esmeralda said, “and that’s the truth, is it not?”
“Yes, thank you, it is,” Lady Sara said with a satisfied smile.
“Tell me truthfully,” Esmeralda continued, “has any of the gossip ever bothered you at all?”
The twins smiled at each other, and then Lady Vera said, “Not at all. We rather like being the center of attention.”
That was easy to believe.
“It’s been that way all our lives.”
Esmeralda could understand why. It was rare that both twins lived to be adults. “Tell me, have either of you had any misgivings from any of the gentlemen who have shown you attention? Have you sensed any of them being disingenuous?”
“Not in the least. We’ve never thought they would.”
“I know Griffin doesn’t like Mr. Lambert,” Lady Sara said wistfully, “but he’s such a dear man.”
“And handsome and kind,” Lady Vera added.
“You are only saying that because you want me more interested in him than in Lord Henry because you know Lord Henry favors me.”
“I know no such thing because it isn’t true,” Lady Vera exclaimed
“Wait, my ladies,” Esmeralda said, holding up her hand to silence them. “May we please get back to what we were talking about in the first place?”
They looked at her and then each other before nodding.
“Good. So neither of you have felt any kind of threat from any of the gentlemen who have shown interest in you?”
“No, and we never expected any,” Lady Vera said. “We’ve always thought the gossip was started to ruin Griffin’s Season, not ours. In fact, I think one of the scandal sheets said it would be a good punishment for the duke to have to worry about his sisters. So we think this was to worry him, not to harm us.”
Lady Vera’s words whirled through Esmeralda’s mind. “Yes, I do remember something about that.”
Esmeralda leaned heavily into the back of the cushion. She needed to talk to Griffin.
