L ucy’s stomach churned with anxiety. As nervous as she was, she knew Chastity’s agitation was greater. Jessica and Olivia sat near Lucy in the drawing room, but her eldest sister stared out the window at Gledstone’s stone-flagged terrace, gleaming golden in the soft morning light. Beyond that, a broad expanse of emerald-green lawn slanted down to the sparking River Ness.

“Are you as nervous as I, Chastity?” Lucy asked.

Chastity turned her gaze to Lucy. “Me? You are the one about to be pawned off on a man you don’t know—by another man we don’t know.”

“Yes, I must admit that is a bit nerve-racking.” Lucy flicked at her sleeve. She’d anticipated the upcoming season, dancing with men who would consider her for a wife. But the thought of marriage within the month…of being in a man’s bed, was thrilling and frightening at the same time. Lucy returned her attention to Chastity, who once again stared out the window. “You are about to meet the man you will marry, Chastity.”

“I refuse to go along with this ridiculous scheme,” Jessica said. She resisted an urge to scratch her nose. Lord, the powder her maid had applied to her face made her itch. She leaned back in the chair nearest Chastity. “Papa has gone mad.”

“I don’t see how you can get out of it,” Olivia said.

Jessica looked at her in surprise. “Are you saying you want to marry whoever this Sir Stirling chooses for you?”

“I would like children one day,” she said. “Children require a father.”

Jessica shuddered. “Children are a nuisance. Can you imagine how they will trample our garden? They might even try to catch the fish in our ponds.”

“As you did when you were a child?” Lucy said. Jessica shot her a mutinous glare and Lucy laughed. “They would fill Gledstone with laughter—just a we did when we were children.” She covered Olivia’s hand with hers. “You will be a wonderful mother.”

“Do you really think so?” Olivia asked.

“I really do. Don’t you agree, Chastity?” Lucy asked.

Chastity smiled at Olivia. “Of course—and any gentleman would be the luckiest of men to have you.”

The shadow that too often appeared in Olivia’s eyes vanished. “I would do my best to make him and his children happy.”

“They will be your children, too, Liv,” Chastity said.

Olivia smiled gently. “Oh, I know. I hope whoever Sir Stirling chooses for me will allow me to teach them history and mathematics. Do you think that will be possible?”

Chastity seated herself in the chair near Jessica. “I think it must be a prerequisite.”

Olivia’s brow furrowed. “Maybe Sir Stirling won’t be able to marry us off.”

“Why wouldn’t he be able to? You are all desirable women,” Chastity said, though she knew there was much more to marriage than being a desirable woman. The women of the demi monde made careers of being desirable. A wife was a commodity, and bluestockings like her sister were not in demand.

“We haven’t married thus far,” Olivia said, and Chastity’s heart tightened. Her sister understood too well that she was not what Society deemed a perfect wife.

“That is only because there has been no one suitable,” Lucy said.

Olivia flushed and everyone knew she was thinking of young Lord Gregory who she had fallen in love with a year earlier. He would one day be the Earl of Tinsdale and, while he clearly held a tenderness for Olivia, he was determined to marry someone like Chastity, a woman with a title. Olivia had been heartbroken.

The door opened and their father entered, accompanied by a tall, dark-haired, well-dressed man. He looked at them with eyes that seemed to take them all in at a glance. The duke began the introductions, beginning with Chastity. Sir Stirling’s attention lingered on her for no more than the instant her father said her name, then his attention shifted to Olivia, then Jessica as each was introduced.

"You have very dark eyes," Jessica said.

"So I have been told," Sir Stirling murmured with a Scottish burr that told Chastity he wasn’t one of the English newcomers drawn to Inverness in the decades since Culloden.

Jessica looked him up and down. “He isn’t old like Lord Hathaway, Chastity. His shoulders are much broader, and his stomach isn’t nearly as large.”

“Jessica,” Olivia and Lucy gasped in unison.

Embarrassment warmed Chastity’s cheeks when Sir Stirling looked at her, a strange glint in his eyes.

“You shouldn’t say such things, Jessica,” Lucy said. “It’s very impolite.”

“Yes, yes, I know,” Jessica replied impatiently. “But it is true, and Chastity should be glad for at least that much.”

The glint in Sir Stirling’s eyes grew wicked. “Are you glad for at least that much, my lady?” he asked.

“Your broad shoulders and trim stomach are of no consequence to me,” Chastity said.

“In time, I hope you will change your mind,” he said.

The duke cleared his throat. “Sir Stirling, this is my youngest daughter, Lucy."

Lucy angled her head at him. “Sir.”

"You're very pretty," he said.

"How rude," Jessica interjected.

His gaze shifted back to her. "Why do ye say that?"

"You said nothing about anyone else being pretty, not even Chastity, who you are supposed to woo.”

He lifted a brow and looked at Chastity. "Is that what you would call this, Lady Chastity? Wooing?”

Her mouth thinned. "I would call this extortion."

"Really?” A corner of his mouth twitched in obvious humor and Lucy lifted a hand to hide a smile. Oh dear, the man was a rogue, and Chastity had no patience for such men. “Your father told me this arrangement was your idea," he said.

"Only after he threatened her," Jessica said.

“Jessica, really.” Lucy shook her head.

Sir Stirling’s brows rose in polite inquiry. "Did he?"

Jessica nodded. "He said if she didn't marry he would wed her to Lord Hathaway. Lord Hathaway is very old.”

"Ah…” Sir Stirling nodded. “That is why you mentioned Lord Hathaway earlier. I see. You are right, he is old.”

"Then you agree it is unfair?" Jessica asked.

"What? That your father should want to see his daughters safely wed?”

Jessica shrugged. "We don’t need husbands to care for us. Chastity watches after us.”

"Perhaps Chastity would like to have a husband of her own," he said.

Jessica wrinkled her nose. "That's what Lucy said, but we all know Chastity doesn’t want to marry.”

His gaze returned to Chastity, amusement clear in his eyes. "That is a shame."

"Don’t make fun of her," Olivia said with more heat than was typical of her.

Jessica snorted. "He only says it’s a shame because he plans to marry her, come what may."

"That is enough, Jessica," the duke warned.

Sir Stirling shook his head. "Nae, do not chasten the lass for speaking the truth."

Their father shot Jessica a thin-lipped scowl. "A young lady should learn when to be quiet.”

Sir Stirling laughed. "You are too late to administer that lesson, Your Grace. But never mind. It is best I see your daughters for who they are. That will aid me in choosing their husbands."

"How can you possibly choose husbands for us?" Lucy asked. "Papa says you have already chosen a man for me. You don’t know me or my sisters.”

“What must I know about you to find you a husband?”

Lucy blinked. “I do not know.”

“You are clearly an intelligent woman,” he said.

“Well, of course—we all are,” she said. “I suppose that is an important point.”

He smiled. “Because not all women are intelligent?”

“Spoken like a man,” Chastity said under her breath.

He looked at her. “How do I respond to that, my lady? Are all women truly intelligent? Am I at fault for recognizing that you four are well educated?”

Chastity snorted. “You would dare say nothing to the contrary, for you want us to go along with your matchmaking.”

“So, it isn’t possible that I can recognize your intellect?”

“It is more likely you have the cunning to try and charm us.”

“Is it working?” He smiled.

Before Chastity could reply, Jessica returned his smile. “I like you well enough. But that doesn’t mean I want to get married.”

“You should only wed if the man is right for you,” Sir Stirling replied.

“Chastity has already refused a dozen offers,” Olivia murmured.

He flashed white teeth. "Chastity need not worry, as she will marry me."

"Only if you find suitable husbands for us by the end of the month," Olivia pointed out.

“You are quite right,” he said, and to Chastity’s horror, Olivia blushed.

"I intend to be very unpleasant,” Jessica said.

"Of course you do," Sir Stirling said. "I would expect nothing less. What of you, Lady Olivia, do you intend to be troublesome, as well?"

Olivia’s blush deepened.

"You are being unkind," Chastity snapped. "Olivia is not contrary. She is simply shy."

"There is nothing wrong with that," he said, unruffled.

"Men don't like a woman who is smarter than they are," Jessica said.

His eyes lit. "Are you smarter than most men?"

She shook her head. "Of course not. I am referring to Olivia. She understands mathematics and wishes to study engineering. Papa says such pursuits are not womanly."

"Quite right," the duke interjected.

Sir Stirling studied Olivia. "You don't want a family, Lady Olivia?"

"Course she does," Jessica said. "She said so just this morning. Not me. I like to walk in the woods and play with the animals. There’s a den of—”

"Do be quiet, Jessica," Lucy said.

"No," Chastity said. “Sir Stirling said he wanted to see us as we truly are.” She locked gazes with him. “Jessica is her own good self. She is plainspoken. That is a quality men care for even less than they care for women who follow the masculine pursuit of engineering.”

He smiled gently at Jessica. "You do not care for the idea of marriage, Lady Jessica." It wasn't a question.

She shook her head. “I don't need another man ordering me around."

He laughed. The deep, rich sound filled the room—to Chastity’s irritation. "What about you ordering him around?"

Jessica paused and considered, then shook her head again. "Too much trouble."

Sir Stirling threw his head back and laughed heartily, and Chastity felt the first real fingers of fear creeping up her spine.