Page 7 of Dare to Risk it All

“Yes,” Greer retorted, bristling out of habit, before admitting. “No, actually, I was woolgathering. Sorry. Where do you want me to come?”

“Tomorrow morning we’re going out to collect greenery to decorate for Christmas.”

“Oh, of course I’ll come.” Greer brightened at once. She loved Christmas and all the traditions that went with it.

“Oh, and Aisling can make a kissing bough,” Elspeth said, grinning at the girl. “She’s ever so clever with her hands.”

Aisling gave a shy smile of pleasure. “Of course. If you would like me to.”

“We should like it above all things,” Mr Sylvester Coote replied, a tone to his voice which implied kissing Aisling would be what he’d like above all things. Well, he was about to be disappointed, Greer thought, for Aisling had a tendre for Ashton Anson, which had endured since they were children.

“I should be glad to help with the decorations,” Aisling said, ignoring Sylvester and addressing her comment to Elspeth.

“Are you coming tomorrow, Master Oliver?” Alana asked, her eagerness for the boy’s company obvious.

Oliver’s eyes widened at being sought out. “Oh, I’m not sure. That is… I should think… I mean… Yes.”

“Jolly good.” Alana beamed at him, and Oliver’s ears turned red.

“Well, that’s all settled, then,” Elspeth said with satisfaction. “May the festivities begin.”

Chapter 3

Monsieur le Comte,

Please, please, please, may we go?

―Excerpt of a letter from Miss Agatha Smith to Louis César de Montluc, Comte de Villen.

2nd December 1840, Rowsley Hall, Derbyshire.

“I’ve had the most beautiful gown made for Arabella’s ball next week,” Elspeth said the following morning, as they walked through the gardens at Rowsley and on towards the woodland.

“Oh, so have I. What colour is yours?” Greer asked with interest, linking arms with her twin.

“A yellow gold. It shimmers in the light. I’m so pleased with it.”

“My gown is a sort of blue Almost violet, but not quite,” Greer mused, wondering how to describe the colour that had caught her eye and wondering at the quirk of fate that had made it the same shade as Lord de Ligne’s eyes.

She had never seen a colour like it before and it was hard to be certain, but his eyes were an unusual shade of blue that had looked almost but not quite violet in the glimmering candlelight of the dining room. It was the reason she had stared at him so hard. Liar. Well, one of the reasons. She watched him now, walking ahead of them with his brothers and Dare. He was tall and athletic with long, strong limbs and broad shoulders, and the desire to run after him and demand to know why he was ignoring her gnawed at her patience.

“No.”

Greer looked around to find Elspeth studying her with a frown.

“No, what?”

“You know exactly what,” Elspeth said with a touch of impatience. “He’s turned over a new leaf, I grant you, and he’s worked very hard these past few months, but he’s still a man and one with a dreadful reputation for womanising. You are not to encourage his interest, Greer. I warned Mama it was a risk bringing you here. You know I only agreed because you promised to behave. You must not pursue him.”

Greer scowled at her sister, irritated. “Don’t tell me what to do just because you’re married now. You’re still only five minutes older than me. I don’t take orders from you.”

“Well, it’s not like Mama will stop you,” Elspeth retorted. “Someone has to make you see sense, and getting involved with a man like that is a recipe for disaster.”

Greer withdrew her arm from her sister’s. “And, if it is, it’s my disaster to make, not yours.”

Elspeth rolled her eyes, which only annoyed Greer further. “Oh, for heaven’s sake. I’m trying to look out for you. I don’t want you to get hurt, that’s all. He’s not the kind who marries and settles down.”

“How do you know? People would have said the same thing about Dare, and he trapped you into marriage!”