My Sister's Intended

by Rachael Anderson

  “But you do have a choice,” insisted Prudence, more than a little bothered that her sister felt that way. “We all have a choice.”

  Sophia gave her sister a look that suggested Prudence had no idea what she was talking about. “Would you have me defy Mama and look elsewhere for a suitor, Pru? Would you have me spurn the most sought-after man in Oxfordshire with the hope that I will find someone more to my liking? And if I ever did find such a man, what are the odds that he would take a second look in my direction? Lord Knave is courting me only because I am heiress to our family’s estate, not because he wishes to make me his wife.”

  Prudence glared at her sister, tired of hearing Sophia demean herself. “You must stop speaking like that, Sophia. You make it sound as though you are hideous when you are nothing of the sort. You have red hair and a few freckles, that is all. You are not disfigured or repulsive. And I am not suggesting that you spurn Lord Knave. He is a good and honorable man who will make you a fine husband. But you must stop withholding your true self from him and allow him to see you as you are.”

  As soon as Prudence had spoken the words, she knew she shouldn’t have said them—at least not all of them. Curse her quick temper and unruly tongue. It had gotten her into trouble on more than one occasion, and from the looks Abby and Sophia directed at her, she was in trouble again. No one knew about her friendship with Lord Knave, and she didn’t intend for them to know either. Like her stories, she had planned to hide that knowledge away where no one but her and Lord Knave would ever know of it.

  “I thought you did not care for Lord Knave,” said Sophia carefully.

  Goodness, how was Prudence to explain her way out of this one? The only known encounters she’d had with the man had been their brief meeting at the dance and their exchange on the roadside. Could she claim a change of heart from those two instances?

  “I only think that I may have misjudged him,” she hedged.

  “What makes you say that?” asked Abby.

  Prudence drew her lower lip into her mouth while two pairs of eyes stared at her, waiting for a believable answer. If there was ever a time that she wished for an interruption from her mother or father, now was that time. She would even be grateful for an impromptu visit from Mr. Winston.

  In that moment, Lord Knave’s words entered her mind. Perhaps you and I are both guilty of giving your sister less credit than she deserves. Why not make her your confidant?

  She glanced at her sister, weighing out her possible reaction. How much easier it was to give advice than to take it. Did she dare tell Sophia that she had encountered Lord Knave in the woods? Would she think Prudence deceitful and improper and conniving?

  Prudence swallowed and forced the words out. “Scamp and I happened upon Lord Knave a time or two during our walks in the woods, and I have been able to get to know him a little better.” Sophia didn’t need to know about the tree incident. Or the kiss. Or the fact that Lord Knave thought Prudence beautiful. Nor did she need to know that only their first encounter had been by chance.

  The word “confidant” didn’t necessarily mean that one must confide everything, did it?

  Prudence had to push aside her guilt before continuing. “He was walking Mrs. Harper’s mastiff, you see, hoping to calm the unruly beast. Brute can be intimidating when he wishes to be and caused me quite a fright at first.” Goodness, why had she said that? She was rambling and fidgeting and behaving like a ninnyhammer.

  She breathed in deeply and closed her eyes for a moment, trying to calm herself. She couldn’t undo what she had done, but that did not mean she couldn’t continue to encourage a match between Lord Knave and her sister. In fact, that was precisely what she should do. It was the right thing, the honorable thing.

  She opened her eyes and searched her sister’s face. “He asked about you, Soph. He wished to know how he could come to know you better. Please don’t despise me, but I was the one who suggested he take you riding. Only you didn’t remove your bonnet, and—”

  “You told him about that?” Sophia gasped, her humiliation obvious.

  “How could I not? It is part of who you are, Soph, and believe it or not, Lord Knave wasn’t the least bit appalled. In fact, he thought it charming and genuinely looked forward to seeing that side of you. Only you didn’t show it to him, did you?”

  Sophia looked away, her expression troubled and conflicted.

  Prudence sighed and softened her tone. “He doesn’t have a condemning nature, nor will he think less of you if you remove your bonnet and let your hair come loose. Like you, he is a good person who is trying to do the right thing by his family.”

  Silence fell upon the room like a heavy quilt, stifling Prudence and making her believe she had been wrong to confide in her sister. She should have come up with another excuse or fibbed or pled a headache, not that anyone would have believed that. Instead, she had listened to Lord Knave’s voice in her head, allowing him to sway her into revealing a portion of her carefully guarded secrets. It had been a mistake.

  Abby was the first to speak. She clasped her hands to her chest and pasted on a smile. “I suddenly find myself quite parched. Would it be unforgivable of me to request that we send for some tea?”

  “Oh dear, I neglected to do that, didn’t I?” Sophia handed the puppy back to Abby and jumped up to ring the bell. A moment later, the butler agreed to send a maid for a tray directly.

  “I had planned to ring for it when Abby first arrived, but we decided to wait for you, Pru. I’m afraid your arrival drove it from my mind. I’m sorry, Abby.”

  “I don’t mind in the least,” said Abby good-naturedly.

  Sophia settled back on the sofa, and Prudence watched her closely, looking for signs of distress or frustration. Her sister had every right to be upset with her, but she didn’t look anxious or happy or anything else. She appeared the way she usually did—composed and unruffled.

  “Soph, if I said anything out of turn, I apologize. I meant you no harm. I only wish to see you happy.”

  Sophia’s expression softened. “I know you didn’t, Pru. That thought never even crossed my mind.”

  “You’re not upset with me then?”

  “How could I be? Only the dearest of sisters would look out for me in such a way. If I am troubled by anything, it is the concern that I won’t be able to get over my reticence with Lord Knave. But I shall make a renewed effort to try, beginning with tomorrow at dinner. Which reminds me. I have had a talk with Mother, and she has agreed to let you accompany us.”

  Prudence attempted to appear pleased by the news even though it caused her stomach to twist and turn. “Indeed?”

  “I pointed out that the invitation was addressed to our entire family, and it would reflect poorly on us to leave my sister behind.” Sophia leaned forward. “Do say you will come, Pru. I need you to come.”

  Prudence glanced at Abby before blurting, “It would be better if I didn’t. My presence will upset the balance and make the numbers uneven. And you do not need me, Soph. What you need to do is learn to converse with Lord Knave on your own. Once you are married, it will only be the two of you. I will not be removing to Radbourne Abbey as you well know. That would be absurd.” And horrible, she added to herself, cringing inwardly at the thought of seeing Lord Knave every day, the husband of her sister.

  “Yes, I understand that,” said Sophia, “and I will try to be myself from this point forward. Just promise you will come with us tomorrow. That is all I ask of you.”

  Prudence couldn’t promise anything of the sort. Her presence would only get in the way, and she had no desire to observe Lord Knave attempt to woo her sister. But she couldn’t bring herself to say no either, not with Sophia imploring her in such a way.

  “Very well,” Prudence managed.

  “Thank you.” The warmth in her sister’s gaze only worsened the guilt pulling on her insides. Prudence may have agreed to go to the dinner, but come tomorrow afternoon, she had every intention of feigning a stomach ailm
ent. As wrong as it was to go back on her word, she finally understood her mother’s concerns about Sophia and even agreed with them.

  It would be far better for Sophia if Prudence remained behind.

  “WOULD YOU CARE to go for a stroll with me in the gardens, Miss Gifford?” Brand asked, not sure whether or not he wanted her to accept. She’d spoken hardly a word during dinner. The only reason it had not been an awkward affair was because both sets of parents had a great deal to say to one another. It was made very clear that they were good friends and Lord Knave and Miss Gifford were not.

  When Sophia did not answer right away, Mrs. Gifford took it upon herself to speak for her daughter. “She would love to take a stroll with you, my lord. It is a beautiful evening, dearest, and I know how you love walking through the gardens at Talford.”

  She nodded graciously and rose to retrieve her wrap, but she looked panicked, as though he had asked her to perform on stage in front of a large gathering. Was he that frightening? Her younger sister didn’t seem to think so.

  Brand turned back to the others. “Would anyone care to join us?”

  His mother waved him away. “Perhaps another time, dearest. The four of us monopolized the conversation quite rudely during dinner, and I’m certain you would like an opportunity to converse with Miss Gifford on your own for a time.”

  “Yes,” he agreed. “I have heard she has an affinity for animals, so I thought I would introduce her to Brute. He can serve as our chaperone.”

  His mother’s eyes widened, and she gave him a look that said, Please tell me you are joking. “Oh, I’m sure Miss Gifford has no wish to meet that unruly beast, Hildebrand. Why not simply enjoy the beautiful evening?”

  “Actually, Lady Bradden,” said Sophia, “I would love to meet—Brute, is it? I enjoy all animals, unruly or not. In fact, the unrulier the better.”

  This comment garnered the surprise of everyone in the room, including Brand.

  “Is that a fact?” asked Lord Bradden.

  “Indeed,” she insisted. “I cannot boast many talents, but I have always loved animals no matter their temperaments.”

  Brand couldn’t have been more pleased by Miss Gifford’s show of pluck. He never would have thought her capable of speaking her mind so directly if he hadn’t observed it himself. He hoped she would continue.

  Perhaps Miss Prudence had been right in suggesting a stroll with Brute after all. If she were here now, he would undoubtedly see a gleam of triumph in those dark brown eyes.

  Brand shook his head to clear his mind of her and held an arm out for Miss Gifford. “Let us fetch Brute, shall we?”

  “With pleasure,” she said.

  It didn’t take long for Brand to see that Miss Gifford’s claims were not unfounded. The moment Brute bounded out of the stables, barking as he barreled towards them, Miss Gifford’s smile became more genuine than he had ever seen. In fact, she appeared quite stunning.

  She crouched down to meet the dog at eye level, showing no sign of fear, and gave his head a hearty rub, laughing when the animal turned to lick her face.

  “He doesn’t seem the least bit unruly to me,” she said. “He’s quite sweet.”

  “Yes, well he isn’t normally this friendly with strangers—or anyone really. Only the other day, when we encountered a stranger during our walk, he growled and barked something fierce.”

  She gave Brute one last rub and stood. “I don’t believe it.”

  “I can hardly believe it myself anymore, but ’tis true. After Stephen’s passing, Brute stopped minding Catherine completely and became something of a beast. She couldn’t manage him and even contemplated finding him a new home. I knew it would be difficult for her to lose one more thing, so I talked her into letting me have a go at retraining him.”

  Miss Gifford nodded. “It makes sense. Dogs probably do not understand loss the way we do. For him, Mr. Harper was here one day and gone the next. Brute doesn’t know where he went or why he has not returned, which is likely the reason his behavior changed.”

  Brand had never thought about that before, but it did, indeed, make sense. “He has improved upon coming here, although I have never seen him quite this friendly. It gives me hope that I will be able to return him to Catherine soon. If we keep him too much longer, my mother will likely give him to the next peddler who comes along.”

  Miss Gifford did not laugh or smile as he’d expected. Instead, she appeared worried. Brand could only wonder at what she might be thinking.

  “What is it?” he asked.

  She was quick to rid the concern from her face. “Nothing at all, my lord.”

  Brand refused to allow her to shrink back into her shell when they had been making such progress, so he pressed her. “Do you think my mother unkind for wanting Brute out of our stables? He is a large dog and has been the cause of much destruction in her gardens, you know.”

  Something akin to alarm appeared in Miss Gifford’s eyes, and she quickly shook her head. “Not at all, my lord. I would never presume to think ill of your mother. She has been nothing but kind to me.”

  “Then what are you not saying?”

  She dropped her gaze to the ground, looking decidedly uncomfortable, but Brand refused to retract his question. He wanted her to answer it. He wanted her to feel comfortable speaking her thoughts and opinions. He wanted her to cease being so blasted reticent.

  When she spoke at last, her voice was so quiet he had to lean in close to make out her words. “I only worry that Brute is behaving better because he has found a replacement for Mr. Harper in you. If that is the case, the moment he is returned to Mrs. Harper will be the moment he begins to misbehave again. Only it could be worse as he will be made to suffer yet another loss.”

  Brand had never considered such an outcome before, but now that Miss Gifford brought it to his attention he realized it was a valid concern—one he should not dismiss, not if he really wished to help Catherine.

  “In other words,” he said slowly. “I may have only worsened matters by trying to help.”

  She shook her head again. “That is not what I meant, sir. You have definitely not worsened matters. Only look at how content Brute is here. I simply wonder if you could make the transition easier on him by asking Mrs. Harper to visit on a regular basis and spend time with her dog. She could take him on a walk about the grounds or play fetch with him—whatever it takes for Brute to feel comfortable in her presence. Perhaps then he will be more inclined to return without further incident.”

  Brand nodded, thinking her advice sound. Miss Prudence had been right about her sister’s knack with animals after all. She had also been correct in thinking that a stroll with Miss Gifford and Brute would be just the thing. Miss Gifford had never spoken so openly or candidly with him, never smiled in quite that way, and he was certain he had never heard her laugh before. He rather liked her this way.

  But would this version of Miss Gifford stay even when Brute was no longer around, or would she duck back into hiding, afraid to speak openly once again?

  The fear prodded Brand into asking, “If I can convince Catherine to do as you suggest, would you be willing to join us and show her how to go about earning Brute’s trust?”

  The invitation didn’t seem to delight her in the least. “Surely someone who knows more than I would be of more use to you, my lord. I am by no means an expert on animals.”

  Brand wanted to groan in frustration. He had finally landed on a plan that could help Miss Gifford feel more at ease with him, yet she hesitated. Why? It had been her idea. Did she honestly think she wouldn’t be of help, or was she simply uncomfortable with the thought of spending more time with Brand?

  Regardless of her reasons, he couldn’t let this opportunity pass. If there ever was a chance for them to bridge the distance between them, this was it.

  “I think you are mistaken, Miss Gifford,” he said. “It is obvious that you know more than you think you do, and I would very much appreciate any assistance you can of
fer. Would you be willing to at least give it a go?”

  She finally peeked up at him with fearful eyes. “What if I am wrong?”

  “What if you are right?” he returned.

  She bit down on her lower lip, and her fingers began fidgeting together. He had never seen her look more uncomfortable, but he did not back down.

  At long last, she nodded. “I suppose I could try.”

  Brand felt as though he’d at last made some headway in a long-fought battle. He could not yet claim a victory by any means, but it was a step in the right direction. “Would Monday be too soon for you? If Catherine is willing, I can send my carriage for you at two o’clock.”

  “There is no need to send a carriage for me, my lord. I will come.”

  Brand cautiously took her gloved fingers in his, prodding her to lift her gaze to his. When she did so, he peered into eyes that looked a trifle lovelier than they had before. “Thank you, Miss Gifford.”

  She nodded, then blushed and ducked her head once more. But she didn’t pull her hand away immediately, and Brand counted that as progress.

  “Did my sister tell you I had an affinity for animals?” she asked quietly.

  The question caught Brand off guard, and he wasn’t sure how to answer. Did Miss Gifford know he had met her sister in the woods? Did she know what they’d discussed? Did she know Miss Prudence was attempting to help them? Why else would she ask such a thing unless she knew something?

  Miss Gifford’s gaze followed Brute as he sniffed about the garden, and a small smile touched her lips. “Pru told me that she has been… coaching you on how to further your acquaintance with me.”

  Was that all she’d said? “Yes, she has told me about some of your interests and suggested that I take you on a ride. She also thought you could be of assistance with Brute, and she was correct. Does her interference bother you?”

  She shook her head. “I confess to feeling a little handled when I was first made aware of her schemes, but now I see things differently. You would think that I, the elder sister, would be wiser, but sometimes I think Prudence knows a good deal more—or at least sees more. I was so angry with her for feigning an ailment only moments before we were to come tonight, but… well, I suppose that I now understand why she did.”