Page 75 of Lords, Ladies and Love

Minerva ignored the comment. Not a single one of her siblings quite understood her fears. Well, she supposed shedidn’t always either. But none of them had suffered what she had as a child either.

“Bloody hell,” Seth murmured.

“Seth!” their mother scolded.

Well, Seth’s had to be about as bad then. Her rather relaxed brother was seldom shocked by anything.

“Theo?” Angel nodded to the unopened letter in his hand.

His shoulders dropped, and he pulled out a penknife to work open the seal. His lips compressed into a thin line.

“Will no one tell me what theirs say?” Angel asked.

Mama tapped Angel’s hand. “Perhaps you should open yours, dear.”

Angel’s hands shook a little as she opened it, and Minerva held her breath while she watched for her sister’s reaction. Her gaze scanned the letter, and Minerva saw the color drain from her cheeks.

“No.” The word escaped Angel.

“Well, what is your task?” pressed Minerva. “Is it truly awful?”

Angel’s throat worked. “I…I have to get a job.”

A laugh exploded from Seth. “A job?”

Angel scowled at him. “Yes.” She waved the letter. “I have to go be a lady’s companion.” Her scowl deepened when a spluttered laugh escaped Seth. “It’s not funny.” She jerked her head toward Seth’s letter. “What does yours say anyway?”

“I, dear sister, have no sympathy for you at all I am afraid, because I…” He sucked in a breath. “I must be engaged to be married within two months.”

Minerva blinked. Good Lord. Angel’s task did not sound too terrible, though her high-spirited sister would have a hard time working for two months. Seth’s, however, was not a pleasant task at all. Their brother enjoyed the company of women, no doubt, but he was not ready to be married, and after seeingTheo’s miserable arranged marriage, none of them would wish such a thing for Seth. Minerva had always secretly hoped he might meet some wonderful woman who would turn his world upside down and make him fall desperately in love.

“I am sorry, Seth.” Minerva squeezed his hand. “I cannot believe Grandpapa would press such a thing on you.”

“Nor I,” he breathed.

She pressed a finger to her lips. “Perhaps…perhaps there might be a way out of it. I mean…forced into marriage. It can hardly be ethical, can it?” She glanced to Mr. Barton, who lifted his shoulders.

“I may only do what I am instructed by my client. I cannot help in any other legal matters.”

“I know of an excellent private library,” Minerva told Seth. “It is said to have the biggest collection of legal documents in the country. You should apply to visit.”

Seth shook his head. “Less worrying about me, Min, and more worrying about yourself. What do you have to do?”

Cold dread ran its bony fingers down her spine. She’d almost forgotten about her own task. Drawing in a long breath, she swept her gaze across the writing once more.

“I must…” She had to swallow a knot that bunched in her throat. “I must travel to Scotland to collect something that belonged to Grandpapa,” she announced.

“Oh boy,” murmured Angel.

A heavy silence hung about the room. Everyone knew of her fears—how they restricted her life. If she could not even travel to the next county, how was she to travel all the way to Scotland?

Angel leaned over and squeezed her hand. “You have been talking about trying to be braver, Min. Perhaps this is your chance.”

Minerva pressed her teeth into her bottom lip. Yes, she had, but she was thinking something more along the lines ofattending a ball and dancing with a man she did not know. Or perhaps visiting one of the London parks that she had not been to since she was a girl.

Not spending days on end on the road!

“I am surprised my father would put such a task upon you.” Her mother sent her a worried glance. “He knows how awful that time in our life was.”

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