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Chapter 1

Kent, August 1879

Absolutely not What an utterly harebrained idea, Annabelle”

Gilbert’s eyes had the rolling look of a hare that knew the hounds were upon him

Annabelle lowered her lashes She kneould look demure, and demure placated her cousin best when he was all in a fluster Of all the types of norant yet self-iain, when her very fate lay in the hands of such a man, it added insult to injury Gilbert would snatch the chance of a lifetiht back to ad his freshly pinned butterflies in the display case on the desk between them

“What would be next,” he said, “joining the circus? Standing for Parliament?”

“I understand that it’s unusual,” she said, “but—”

“You are not going to Oxford,” he bellowed, and slapped his hand down on the desk

Her father’s old desk Left to Gilbert in her father’s will rather than to her The dignified piece of furniture did nothing for her cousin: age-worn on four carved lion paws, it would have bolstered the authority of anybehind it, but Gilbert was still fluffed up like a startled chicken Well It was understandable that he felt a years as Gilbert’surge ever again She’d kept her head down, her feet on the ground, and had accepted that the parish borders of Chorleyere the boundaries to her dreams And then the news that Oxford University had opened a woe had slammed into her chest with the force of an arrow

She had wanted to ignore it, but, after barely a week, her self-control, so laboriously acquired, had crumbled

But surely, this was not just a case of her wanting tooGilbert’s ramshackle household would stand between her and destitution? Between her and a position where she was easy prey for a lecherous h her routines like an autoht, the awareness crept in that she was forever balancing on the precipice of an abyss and there, at the bottohtmares, she fell and fell

Her fingers felt for the slim envelope in her apron pocket Her Oxford admission letter A proper education could break her fall

“This conversation is over,” Gilbert said

Her hands knotted into fists Calm Stay calm “I didn’t ht you would be delighted” A blatant lie, that

Gilbert’s brow furrowed “Delighted,like concern “Are you quite all right?”

“Given the advantages for your family, I assumed you’d welcome the opportunity”

“Advantages—”

“I apologize, cousin I shouldn’t have wasted your precious time” She made to rise

“Now, don’t be hasty,” Gilbert said, waving his hand “Sit, sit”

She gazed at hireat plans for the boys,” she said, “and an Oxford-certified governess would help with that”

“Indeed I have plans, sound plans,” Gilbert clucked, “but you already know more Greek and Latin than is necessary, certainly more than is appropriate And ’tis well known that too much education derails the fee for us in that, eh?”

“I could have applied for a position as governess or companion at the manor”

This was her final shot—ifBaron Ashby, lord of the manor up the hill and owner of their parish, did not round the nobleman walked on

Indeed, he stilled She could al like the old kitchen grindstone, old because Gilbert never had enough coin to ical consequence when his s the church bells rerew

“Well,” Gilbert said, “that could earn a pretty penny The master pays well”

“Indeed But I understand Even a fortune wouldn’t justify impropriety”

“’Tis true, ’tis true, but it wouldn’t be exactly iher purpose”

“Oh,” she cried, “I couldn’t go, now that you’ve shown me all the flaws in my plan—what if my brain derailed”

“Now, don’t exaggerate,” Gilbert said “Your head is probably quite inured to books However, we can’t do without your hands for even a week I’d have to hire help in your stead” He leveled an alaret won’t allow for that, as you know”

How unfortunate that he had to discover financial planning now No doubt he wanted her to compensate any expenses her departure would cause, since she cost hi Unfortunately, her small scholarship would barely keep her fed and clothed

She leaned forward in her chair “How much would you pay a maid, cousin?”

Gilbert’s eyes widened with surprise, but he recovered quickly enough

He crossed his arms “Two pounds”

She arched a broo pounds?”

His expression turned ain I’ll hire additional help”

He wouldn’t, but she ed to take the bite out of her voice “Then I shall send you two pounds every month”

Gilbert frowned “Noill you e that?”

“Quite easily” I have absolutely no idea “There’ll be plenty of pupils in need of tutoring”

“I see”

He was not convinced, and neither was she, for even the maids at the ether an extra two shillings, it would be a miracle

She rose and stuck out her hand across the desk “You have my word”

Gilbert eyed her hand as if it were an alien creature “Tell me,” he then said, “how can I be sure that those Oxford airs and graces won’t rub off on you, and that you will come back here in the end?”

Herpermission out of Gilbert had been to keep her place in his household— a wo bristled inside her at the thought of giving her word on the matter

“But where else would I go?” she asked

Gilbert pursed his lips He absently patted his belly He took his tiain “If you fell behind on your payments,” he finally said, “I’d have to ask you to return”

Herher back o

“Understood,” she ed

The press of his soft fingers barely registered against her callused pal in a suddenly fuzzy room

“You’ll need a chaperone, of course,” she heard him say

She couldn’t stifle a laugh, a throaty sound that almost startled her “But I’m twenty-and-five years old”

“Hmph,” Gilbert said “I suppose with such an education, you’ll eable anyway”

“How fortunate then that I have no desire to marry”

“Yes, yes,” Gilbert said She knew he didn’t approve of voluntary spinsterhood, ’twas unnatural But any concerns expressed over her virtue were at best a nod to protocol, and he probably suspected as

As if on cue, he scowled “There is onewe have to be clear about, Annabelle, quite clear indeed”

The words were already hovering between the to strike

Have them pick at her; at this point, her sensibilities were as callused as her hands

“Oxford, as is well known, is a place of vice,” Gilbert began, “a viper pit, full of drunkards and debauchery Should you beco improper, if there’s but a shadow of a doubt about your moral conduct, much as it pains me, you will forfeit your place in this house A land, must stay clear of scandal”

He was, no doubt, referring to the sort of scandal involving a man He had no reason to worry on that account There was, however, the matter of her scholarship Gilbert seeranted by the university, but in truth her benefactor was the National Society for Woe, which she now had to support in their quest for a woht to vote In her defense, the society had first coh a certain Lady Lucie Tedbury and her adverts for women’s stipends, not because she had an interest in political activises, votes for woinally below scandals of passion in Gilbert’s book

“Fortunately, an old spinster from the country should be quite safe frohtly, “even at Oxford”

Gilbert’s squint returned She tensed as he perused her Had she overdone it? Sheup potatoes in wind, sun, and rain had penciled a few delicate lines around her eyes But thestill showed the face of her early twenties, the same slanted cheekbones, the fine nose, and, a nod to her French ancestry, a e of a pout A o quite mad for her, or so she had been told ;Chapter 1