Page 27 of Dare to Risk it All

Aisling made a choked sound, dropping her hands from her eyes to cover her mouth. Silently, Greer turned the bit of paper for Aisling to read herself. Leaning in, Aisling looked at the dare, her flushed cheeks turning chalk white as she read aloud.

“Swim by moonlight, naked—n-naked!” she shrieked, pressing a hand to her heart.

Greer worried she might swoon.

“Shhh!” Greer hushed her, dropping the dare and pressing her hand over Aisling’s mouth.

The poor girl looked terrified. She shook her head, mumbling behind Greer’s palm until Greer released her.

“I-I-I,” she stammered, shaking her head.

“Oh, it’s all right, Aisling,” Greer soothed her. “We can arrange it so that we help you. With us all standing guard, so no one sees. It will be fun.”

“Fun?” Aisling repeated, her voice faint and her eyes taking on a distant, haunted look.

Greer smiled, remembering just how shy the girl was. Strange, when her mother was such a bundle of mischief, but then Elspeth was far more serious than Greer and Alana, who both took after their mother.

“It’s fate,” she whispered, as if talking to herself.

Greer frowned, not understanding. “Fate? Why do you say that? You mean like mine and Mama’s dare?”

Aisling shook her head, refusing to answer, and gave a despondent sigh. “I’ll catch pneumonia.”

Greer snorted. “Oh, love. You don’t need to do it at once. I really don’t think dying for your dare is the object. It can wait until the weather is warmer.”

Aisling nodded, staring down at the innocuous bit of paper like it might bite her. “Yes. I can wait. Until doomsday.”

“Until the summer,” Greer amended.

Aisling tugged nervously at her plait and pulled a face. “I suppose I might have calmed down by then.”

Greer gave a muffled snort of laughter.

“It’s all right for you,” Aisling said crossly. “You’re far braver than I am.”

“Then that’s why you have the dare,” Greer replied with a grin. “You said the hat was magic, didn’t you? So, it’s giving you what you need. A dare to make you bolder.”

“Hmph,” Aisling said with a scowl, not looking the least bit mollified.

Chapter 8

Dearest Evie,

Yes, I am coming to Beverwyck for Christmas! I thought Papa would never agree to it, for he likes us all to be together for the holidays. Mama persuaded him, though, bless her. She’s such a darling. Though I shall miss them both terribly, I won’t miss my brothers—the beasts. They’re forever underfoot, the great lummoxes. Oh, I am so excited to get away from Scotland and have some fun!

―Excerpt of a letter from Lady Georgina Anderson (daughter of Gordon and Ruth Anderson, Earl and Countess of Morven) to Miss Evie Knight (daughter of Lady Helena and Mr Gabriel Knight).

13th December 1840, Rowsley Hall, Derbyshire.

The next day, the excited occupants infused the Hall with the fever of anticipation as everyone prepared for Lady Bainbridge’s grand ball. Greer looked up as Alana burst into her room, her cheeks flushed pink.

“Do you have any ribbon?” she demanded.

Greer studied her little sister with suspicion. “What for?”

A stubborn expression settled over Alana’s pretty face, and she folded her arms. “I need some ribbon, that’s all. Do you have any?”

“Perhaps,” Greer replied, knowing her sister too well to be fobbed off. The girl was sick with jealousy at not being allowed to go to the ball, but if she wasn’t going, she couldn’t need ribbons for her hair. Both she and Ollie had been suspiciously quiet the past few days, and Greer wondered what they had been up to. “But what do you want them for?”