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Chapter One

“Drat It’s raining again” E deeply

Minnie Chase crossed the room and brushed back E jitters Never having been o, when she’d suggested that Emily simply calm herself, her cousin had burst into a shower of tears Minnie hadn’tnear-nonsensical words into her cousin’s ear “This is England, Earden will be lush for the day of the ceremony”

“Lush, yes That’s a good point” E Minnie’s bright red locks “You’ve been such a comfort, Minnie Thank you After what happened last week, I’ve grown so worried that this wedding won’t happen”

Minnie winced That was an excellent point and explained a great deal about Ereed, in fact if she were in E the man at all

Last week, E with Minnie and her sister, Ada, and E hell called the Den of Sins There, they’d discovered that Jack, along with five of his friends, ran a secret ga hell and used the proceeds to pad their fortunes

Minnie’s gut clenched as she reht The men had been none too happy to have their secret discovered by ladies of society One in particular had irritated Minnie beyond belief Daring, they’d called hi his naoose pimples to rise on her flesh

But worse thanan errant duke, E “The nuptials are going to happen Jack said he would retire froave Emily a squeeze

Eht I just…I can’t…I seem to be filled with doubt”

Minnie gave Eo “I know It’s only a ” An entireE the task alone But still She sighed It was going to be the longest thirty days of her life

Eh the rain-streakedMinnie kneouldn’t reply She’d already retreated back into her worried thoughts So drew closer

“Perhaps,” she touched E Aunt Melisandre is hosting an inti to take your ”

E at Minnie “I couldn’t possibly I’m a wreck”

Minnie looked up that ceiling No denying that “Perhaps I could write to Jack See if he could escort you?”

“Jack?” Emily’s full attention focused back on Minnie “What a ether When I’et to be afraid”

Minnie’s insides fluttered Emily was the perfect example of why a woman needed to use her head and not her heart when she selected a husband Not that Minnie needed an example She’d fallen in love last season only to have her hopes and dreams dashed Emily only confirmed her worst fears While she knew Emily loved Jack from the first instant their eyespile of uncertainty “All right then I’ll write him now”

Minnie crossed the roo the quill into the ink, she pulled out a fresh piece of parchain and perched the utensil above the paper Instead of writing, however, her own mind drifted

How to choose a husband had dohts of late Minnie had reached one and twenty years of age, past tier sister Ada was ready for her first season Which meant that Minnie needed to find a husband or place herself on the shelf The very idea of Minnie beco a spinster sent their mother into a dead faint

Minnie wasn’t sure how she felt on the topic On the one hand, she couldn’t quite picture being alone her entire life On the other, however, she tried to visualize the man ould tolerate her for the rest of his life

She rested her chin on her other hand Minnie had a tendency to tell ht it A trait that had frightened more than one suitor away

Looking down, she realized the parchiant blotch of black ink dead in the center of the page She let out a sigh and pulled out a fresh piece, penning a note to Jack

Lord Effington,

Lady Emily Chase requests the honor of your presence at the ho She finds herself in need of a diversion

Minnie stopped, frowning with one side of her ht? It was true, of course, but perhaps it was too forward? She shook her head When had she started questioning herself? Probably about the time her father had insisted she find a husband this season or he’d find one for her Her ainst her

Thank you for your attention to this