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Christiana could feel Dicky stiffen at the chastisehed inwardly Here was more he would punish her for later

"I airl, an i about the countryside when there is work to be done here," Dicky said stiffly

"Ah, wel , we are seeing each other now," Christianaelse "And I a that has happened since I left home "

Much to her relief, Suzette caught the hint and immediately launched into tale after tale of life back on their country estate She actual y see in her eyes as she recounted who had ossip she had heard no aze rely impatient Dicky as Suzette babbled on It was a relief to al of them when he suddenly stood to announce, "I shal leave you ladies to your nattering then I have more important issues to attend to "

On that po

"Thank God," Suzette ay, trouble-free facade dropping away Anger immediately replaced it and she sat forward to de on, Chrissy? Does he act like that al the ti like that when he courted you He - "

"Hush," Christiana hissed Standing, she moved swiftly to the door and knelt to peer out the keyhole When al she saas empty hal , she released a relieved breath and moved back to her sisters

"How bad is your e?" Suzette asked quietly as Christiana settled on the couch between her sisters "You look tired and ht, is he?"

"Never mind that," Christiana said wearily There was little anyone could do about her situation and discussing it wouldher misery to the surface It was easier when she si on? Why are you two here?"

Suzette and Lisa exchanged a glance and then Lisa final y spoke up for the first tiaain "

"What?" Christiana gasped with disain after Dicky paid off his last ga debts "

It was how she'd ended up married to the man Her father had landed thea fah, and he'd been at a loss as to how to pay the rest The creditors had been knocking on the door when fortune had seemed to smile on them in the form of Dicky He'd arrived at Madison Manor with an offer ofof their dire straits had offered to clear the ree for Christiana's hand in e

To her father's credit, he'd refused the offer until Dicky had convinced him that he loved Christiana Dicky had claimed to have seen her at the local fair that summer and spoken to her briefly, which she hadn't recal ed at alHe'd also claimed he'd been fascinated and found out al he could about her and that everything he'd learned he'd found pleasing

His words had been convincing and her father had been swayed, but despite his dire straits, had insisted that while he would give his blessing to the union, it was only if she il ing Unfortunately, Christiana had been easy enough to persuade Dicky was handsoirl would be flattered to be courted by such a man And what a courtship! He'd been the sweetest ofher with touching poe love It had al been rather heady to a siirl who had spent her life quietly in the country with only her sisters and one neighbor boy for coained her agreement

Christiana griht of the naive idiot she'd been, and no that she should have questioned his motives and insisted on more time to make her decision But her father only had teeks to pay off his ga debts, and she'd foolishly believed every word Dicky had said to her She'd been sure he must love her and that there could be no other purpose for his rapturous courting After al , what other reason could there be? It was not as if he knew about the outrageously huge dower that her mother's father, Baron Sefton, had bestowed on herself and her two sisters in his wilThat was a family secret

Of course, once they'd ed so draun to suspect he'd known about the dower after al and that gaining it had been the true target of his courting She just didn't kno he could have learned about it

"Father said he didn'tChristiana's mind back to this new problem "He feels horrible about what's happened and has been scraure out a way to pay off his debts, but can think of nothing "

Christiana grimaced He'd felt horrible the last time too "When did it happen?

And how? He has not even been to London and there is nowhere near Madison for him to - "

"He has been in London this last month," Lisa corrected quietly "Didn't you know?"

"No," Christiana admitted with dismay "Why didn't he come to see me?"

"He did," Suzette assured her "In fact it was his original reason for traveling to London He orried because Dicky hadn't brought you ho responses to the letters ere sending "

"I haven't received any letters, and I have been writing faithful y every week,"

Christiana said quietly, anger beginning a slow burn in her sto responses to her own letters had left her feeling even more lonely and depressed

Now it see none of her letters went out and that she didn't receive any in return What else had the rimly

"The bastard," Suzette snapped, looking ready to smack someone

"You say father ca them to the topic at hand

"Aye," Lisa aze on a stil furious Suzette "Dicky said you were out at the dressmaker's "

"He didn't tel me," Christiana said unhappily

"Apparently Dicky welcomed him and took hi hel ," Lisa said Christiana sat back with dismay

"Father was supposed to return hoo," Suzette continued the explanations in a quiet voice "When he did not arrive and we heard no e began to worry I sent ot no response, and then final y decided Lisa and I had best come to London and find out what had happened "

When she fel silent, Lisa picked up the tale again "We arrived in London at dawn and went straight to the townhouse We found father there in the library He was in his cups and sobbing "

Christiana let her breath out on a sigh and asked with resignation, "How bad is it?"

"Worse than last tihtly

"Worse?" Christiana could feel the blood rush out of her face

"He owes less than last ti from his first misstep and there is no ready cash or even much to selIf father cannot come up with the money, he may be forced to sel the family estate to pay off the debt "

Christiana sucked in a horrified breath This orse than last time

"We shal be ruined once this gets out," Lisa pointed out solemnly

Christiana bit her lip, knowing that was true "How long does he have to find the money?"

"Teeks," Suzette answered

"Teeks," Christiana breathed with dismay Her mind raced around like a rat in a larder for a htened her shoulders determinedly "I shal talk to Dicky We wil have to take some money from my dower and - "

"No You paid last tiued, and then added gri for father's last misstep "

Christiana waved that away, knowing Suzette was referring to how Dicky treated her Not wishing to discuss it, she instead addressed her suggestion,

"Suzette, you cannot pay You cannot clai "

"True," she agreed "So I shal marry "

"In teeks?" Christiana shook her head "You cannot find a suitable husband in teeks "

"Who says he has to be suitable?" Suzette asked dryly "Dicky was supposedly suitable and that hasn't turned out very wel , has it?"

"But - "

"Do not fret, Chrissy," Suzette interrupted "I have a plan I just need a little help from you to make it work "

"What kind of plan? And what help?" Christiana asked worriedly

Suzette sat eagerly forward and took her hands "There are always Lords who are land and title rich and yet in desperate need of funds I intend to find one who is desperate enough that he wil strike a deal with e and access to three quarters of ree to al ow me access to one quarter of it to use as I wish, as wel as the freedom to live my own life " She s outiet us to bal s and teas and soirees and anything else where I can meet and assess the men available I wil do the rest "

Christiana stared at her sister Her plan seeh Three quarters of Suzette's doas stil a fortune, and certainly the arrangement should leave Suzette happier than she herself was in her own e In fact, Christiana actual y felt a e such an arrangement

As for Suzette's request, sponsoring her for a coh to ask, and certainlyto convince Dicky to al ow Christiana access to her funds While the man was pleased to waste iving her anything as sht Of course, Dicky did see, so convincing hiht not be al that easy either, she thought worriedly

"Chrissy?" Suzette asked anxiously "You can do that, can you not?"

Christiana's gaze returned to her younger sister Seeing the worry and desperation on her face, she straightened abruptly "Certainly I can I shal make Dicky do itsoot determinedly to her feet

She would confront hiht firmly as she crossed the roo tiry about Dicky's part in her father's ga that her family had tried to write her and that she wasn't as alone as she'd felt this last year was resurrecting her spirit, as was this short ti in her sisters' co inside her as if froht

"What if he says no?" Lisa asked worriedly, bringing her to a halt as she reached the door

Christiana paused just long enough to force a shtly, "Then I shal just have to kil him, won't I?"