Page 76 of His Wife, the Spy
As the eldest, Annabel had been in this position many times before. Mother never wanted to be the one who said no, at least not on her own. Usually, her requests were small.
This one wasn’t. Given Rebecca’s rising color, she was ready for a fight. And now Annabel knew men like Yarwood. He didn’t like her, but he had always been loyal to Jasper.
“I don’t, Mother. Yes, some military men can be rogues and scoundrels, but not all of them are. Just like all young men in Society aren’t gentlemen.” Annabel nodded to her sister. “I’m glad you weren’t bored, Rebecca.”
“We saw Colonel Spencer at several events,” Rachel said. “He cuts quite a dashing figure.”
Nothing like his younger brother, then. “Sir Reginald spoke often of him and his successes. The family is quite proud of him.”
Annabel always though Sir Reginald sounded a bit like Rebecca when she thought Rachel got a prettier hat.
The clock in the hallway chimed, signaling the hour. “I must be going. Jasper will be home soon, and I need to prepare for the Bainbridges’ ball.” Father would be home soon as well.
“I’m so looking forward to it.” Rachel’s smile glittered. “Isn’t it romantic?”
“Oh yes.” Rebecca’s sharp stare fastened on to Annabel. “Romantic.”
A familiar irritation simmered under her skin. It didn’t matter that she shared Rebecca’s opinion about the evening. Neither of them should ruin Rachel’s excitement. Annabel stood and kissed her mother’s cheek. “I do wish you’d change your mind and attend.”
“London parties can be trying.” Mother blinked, and the clouds in her eyes cleared. “Besides, I danced quite enough in Bath.” She squeezed Annabel’s fingers. “Enjoy the evening, dear. Give my best to Lord Ramsbury.”
Annabel was in the hallway securing her hat when the reflection in the mirror distracted her. “What is it, Rebecca?”
“Why did you send us to Bath rather than the Alfords’ house party?” The words were hard, but Rebecca knew better than to yell. A loud argument would do nothing but upset Mother and Rachel.
Annabel pulled her sister into the dining room and closed the door. “You have to ask that?”
“So you catch a marquess at a house party, and Rachel chooses between barons and earls in Bath?”
“Rachelgetsto choose,” Annabel snapped. “As do you.”
“I certainly do.” Rebecca sounded anything but grateful—or happy.
“What do you want, Rebecca?” Annabel’s fists struck her hips. “Bad tea and no art or silver in the house? Nights listening to other families’ carriages rock by on their way to parties we weren’t invited to attend? A lifetime of being in the shadows?”
“When you left us at the first of the year, you claimed you would rather be in the shadows than trapped in Papa’s schemes.” Rebecca mirrored her pose, putting them nose to nose. “And you changed your mind.”
Burning words climbed Annabel’s throat. “I gave you and Rachel a chance for life you would have never—”
“You told us you were going to prove to Father that his scheming was worthless and that you could care for yourself. Instead you did exactly what he’d planned in the first place.” Rebecca’s eyes glittered. “And don’t say it was for us, to give us what we wanted, because you never asked.”
Taken aback by the unshed tears, Annabel drew a deep breath and straightened. “Then tell me.”
Rebecca blinked.
“Would you have preferred to go the house party?” Annabel worked to banish the sarcasm of her question. She thought she could guess the answer, but this was about more than being right.
“Rachel was disappointed, I think, but we didn’t have much time to talk about it. She was busy packing while I was hiding anything Father could sell while we were gone.”
Which was why the painting had been cleaned. “Smart girl.”
“Good of you to notice.” Rebecca snorted a laugh. “I wanted to go to the country to be out in the air, but Bath was almost as good. Plus there were lectures on all sorts of topics. A botanist spent an entire afternoon discussing and displaying the orchids he’d gathered from the jungle.”
“You always did like flowers.” Annabel walked away from the door and propped her hip against the table, much like Jasper did when they were talking. She was grateful when her sister followed.
“Plants, Annie. I like plants.”
“And I despiseAnnie.”
