“And so it seems our cousin is to call on us very soon.”

Jacintha looked up sharply as Harmonia sighed, aware of the letter she held in her hand.

“He wrote to you?”

Harmonia nodded, a rather pained expression on her face. “Yes, he did. This is, in fact, the second letter he has sent me.”

Jacintha frowned, growing a little frustrated with her cousin. “I thought you made things very clear to him, Harmonia.”

She lifted one shoulder and shook her head. “I thought I did. But, apparently, our cousin is very persistent.”

“Used to getting what he wants, most likely,” Jacintha replied with a grimace. “You cannot entertain him alone, Harmonia. Fill up your dance card the moment you enter a room, tell him that you are quite caught up in conversation with whichever gentleman it is you are talking to.”

“I cannot be rude,” Harmonia replied, gently. “Besides, I have never found him as repulsive as the rest of you.”

“I do not find him repulsive,” Jacintha stated, firmly. “Rather that he is altogether inappropriate for you, Harmonia. Even though I am to seek a marriage of convenience, that does not mean that I will give up hope for an altogether suitable husband. Whether you seek love or not, Luke is not the right kind of husband for you.”

Harmonia sighed and rolled her eyes, showing a little more frustration than she had ever really done before. “I am well aware of this, having been told the same by each of my sisters,” she declared, looking rather ruffled. “Anyone would think I could not make up my mind on such things myself!”

“I did not mean to upset you,” Jacintha said, soothingly. “I just mean to look out for you.”

Getting to her feet, Harmonia tried to smile but could not quite hide her irritation. “I appreciate that, Jacintha, but I am quite able to look after myself. Do excuse me. I think I need some time alone.”

She made to quit the room, only for the door to open just as she reached it, making her almost bump into the butler who immediately held up his hands in apology.

“Sorry,” Harmonia muttered, stepping back. “Has someone come to call?”

“A Lord Slate, my lady,” the butler replied, handing her his card. Jacintha got up at once, her stomach swirling with a sudden excitement.

“Lord Slate?” Harmonia repeated, looking over at Jacintha who saw a sudden understanding dawn on her sister’s face. “Oh, of course. Do send him in. And a fresh tea tray, if you please.”

The butler bowed. “At once.”

Jacintha smiled as Harmonia came to sit by her. “Thank you,” she murmured, appreciating Harmonia’s willingness to stay. “I know you wanted some time on your own.”

Harmonia waved a hand, apparently forgetting all about what had been said about Luke. “Think nothing of it.”

Jacintha sat up straight as Lord Slate entered, rising carefully and curtsying delicately.

“Lord Slate, how good of you to call,” she smiled, as Harmonia murmured a word of welcome.

He bowed and smiled back at her, ever the gentleman. “Lady Harmonia, Lady Jacintha. I know I was not expected so I do hope you do not mind my company for a few minutes.”

“No, of course not,” Harmonia replied, before Jacintha could say a word. “Did you enjoy the ball last evening?”

“Very much,” he said at once, his eyes turning back to Jacintha. “Mostly because I made some new acquaintances.”

Jacintha felt her cheeks warm at his compliment, aware of how Harmonia was smiling. It was as though her sister was more than aware that Jacintha was, at this very moment, feeling butterflies flutter around in her stomach.

“I come with another invitation to yet another ball,” Lord Slate continued, interrupted only by the arrival of the tea tray. “I am quite sure that you will be flooded with invitations but I came with a small hope regardless.”

Jacintha leaned forward and began to pour the tea, surprised that her hands trembled just a little. You want a marriage of convenience, remember? she told herself, sternly. Having feelings for the gentleman will only complicate matters.

Handing him his cup, she lifted one eyebrow and smiled. “What is the invitation for, my lord?”

“Oh, goodness, I quite forgot to give it to you!” he exclaimed, putting down his tea cup on the table and pulling a small envelope out of his breast pocket. “Do forgive me. One of my distant cousins is throwing a ball in a few days’ time and I come with an invitation to it.”

Jacintha took it from him at once, jumping slightly as their fingers brushed. “Thank you, my lord,” she murmured, turning the invitation over and reading it quickly. “I do not think that we have any other engagements that evening.”

The delight that jumped into his eyes made her blush all the more, aware of just how pleased he was that she would be able to attend.

“How wonderful,” he said at once, as Jacintha held out the invitation for Harmonia to peruse. “I do hope that I shall be able to have you both for at least one dance.”

Jacintha smiled back at him. “I shall make sure to have my dance card as empty as possible when we first meet,” she replied, as Harmonia cleared her throat. “You are very kind to invite us, Lord Slate.”

“It is for much my own benefit as yours,” he replied, with a slightly self-conscious smile. “Thank you.”

They talked for a short while longer before he rose to take his leave, having stayed for the expected length of time. Jacintha bid him farewell but could not help but let her eyes linger on him as he walked away, finding him to be a well-mannered and quite good-natured gentleman. In fact, just the kind of gentleman her father would approve of.

“I would say that Lord Slate has something of an affection for you, Jacintha,” Harmonia murmured, as the door closed. “More tea?”

Rolling her eyes, Jacintha gave her sister a wry smile and shoved her tea cup towards her. “Yes, please. And I would not say that. After all, we have only met once before.”

“And yet he has seen fit to call this very afternoon,” Harmonia murmured, adding a splash of milk to her cup. “And we now have an invitation to a ball, one that we – or you – were specifically invited to.”

“He is merely being friendly,” Jacintha replied, not wishing to make too great a point of it. “Now, would you be willing to accompany me into town?”

Harmonia laughed aloud, her eyes sparkling. “To get a new gown, mayhap?”

“Not a new gown, no,” Jacintha replied, joining in with Harmonia’s laughter. “But, mayhap, something like a new ribbon or gloves?”

“Or perhaps a new gown, if something catches your eye,” Harmonia continued, with one raised eyebrow. “So that you might catch somebody else’s eye.”

Jacintha shook her head and got to her feet, trying to ignore the rush of heat in her core. “Do you want to come with me, or not?”

“No, I thank you,” Harmonia replied, sitting back in her chair. “I think I shall have that time alone now.”

Jacintha did not mind that Harmonia had chosen not to join her, for she had her maid for company. Wandering through the streets of London, she looked in almost every shop window, smiling to herself at the thought of the ball. Harmonia had been right to suggest that she was considering an entirely new gown for the occasion, but now that her sister had come to such a conclusion, Jacintha knew she could not do it. It would only make her interest in Lord Slate a little too obvious. However, a ribbon or a new pair of gloves would do quite nicely and she did have a few days to consider what gown she might wear to the occasion.

“Lady Jacintha!”

Stumbling just a little, Jacintha felt herself caught by strong hands who righted her almost at once, allow her to steady herself before letting her go.

“I knew our meeting would be an interesting one, but I did not expect you to fall at my feet!”

Jacintha looked up to see none other than Henry Musgrove looking down at her, the charming smile she knew so well plastered across his face.

“Henry,” she murmured, brushing her skirts down even though she had not exactly fallen. “How nice to see you.”

The smile began to fade from his expression. “I should have made your acquaintance sooner, Jacintha. I do apologize for that. It was rude of me.”

“Yes, it was,” Jacintha replied, ignoring the fact that she had not particularly wished to speak to him again. “Especially when you chose to greet my sister and not me.”

“That was not what I had planned to do,” he stammered, his face going almost crimson with embarrassment. “I did wish to greet you but you had a great many admirers. I did not want to interrupt the many conversations you were having. That would have been the height of rudeness.”

Jacintha only just managed not to roll her eyes, finding his excuses less than tangible.

“I see,” she murmured, looking past him. “Well, it is good to finally have the opportunity to see you again, Henry. I hear you are soon to be engaged. May I wish you every happiness when that event occurs.”

He spluttered for a moment, his eyes widening as he stared at her. Jacintha held his gaze steadily, not in the least bit put out. Even if Claudia had been exaggerating, that did not mean that there was not an attachment between Henry and whoever the lady in question was.

“I can assure you there is no such thing between myself and any lady of the ton,” he cried, making others in the street look around at him. “My sister is, of course, attempting to force me into an engagement I do not wish and is doing her utmost to spread the rumor about so that I might do exactly as she wishes.”

“Maybe she is trying to protect your family in the only way she knows how,” Jacintha replied, calmly, not holding back from telling Henry exactly what she thought of him. “And from what I saw at the ball last evening, I can quite understand why she is doing so. You are not the man I once knew, are you, Henry?” Ignoring Henry’s look of astonishment, she cleared her throat and looked all about her. “Now, do excuse me Henry, I am late already and Harmonia will be wondering where I am. Good day. I do not think we shall have much need to converse again.”

She strode away from him, her heart beating so wildly that she could hardly contain herself. Making sure her back was as straight as it could be, she walked quickly away from him, praying he did not come after her. She had been rather surprised to see Henry again, the memory of their last meeting flooding her mind the moment she had looked up at him. He, of course, had been his charming self and she had recalled everything Claudia had said about him. It was best that she make it clear that there could be no deep acquaintance between them, no friendship like there had once been. She did not want to even be associated with him, the disappointment she felt over his change in character cutting deeply into her heart.

As she walked, Jacintha knew she had to forget him and all they had shared. There could be no shared fondness, no secret smiles and private conversations. Her Henry was gone and would remain only as a shadow of her past, never to come into the light again.