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women always say that,” she murmured to the empty doorway.

Chapter 4
    A nthony leaned one hip against the pianoforte, studying Viola’s expression in the candlelight as she stared into space and tapped out a soft melody on the keys. He did not fail to observe the half smile that curved her lips. “You look quite pleased with herself,” he said, “and whenever you look like that, I begin to worry. What are you thinking about?”
    â€œVenus,” she answered, and looked up at the man standing beside her.
    His eyebrows rose at such an oblique answer. “The goddess of love? What makes you think of Venus?”
    â€œDid she ever arrange marriages between mortals?”
    His eyes narrowed with suspicion. “Are youplanning to fight my marriage to Lady Sarah and arrange for me a better one? Pray desist, Viola, for you know my feelings on this.”
    â€œNo, no.” Viola stopped playing long enough to wave one hand carelessly in his direction, then resumed her music. “You have made your choice, and I know when it is futile to attempt to change your mind. I suppose,” she added with a sigh, “that when one looks at it in a prudential light, it is the best decision for you. You are the Duke of Tremore, after all, and should marry high for duty’s sake, even if your choice is without love and affection. No, I have moved on to arranging a possible match for someone else, a match that provides me a far better chance of success. Daphne’s.”
    â€œDaphne?” He frowned. “I do not recall—”
    â€œMiss Wade.”
    He stared at Viola as a vague vision came to his mind of brown hair raked back in a bun, spectacles, dreary dresses covered by heavy work aprons, and an inability to speak without stammering.
    â€œYou intend to arrange a marriage for Miss Wade?” he asked, astonished.
    â€œIf I can persuade her to go to Enderby with me, I shall introduce her to some eligible young men, and we shall see what happens.”
    â€œYou will do no such thing.”
    The vehemence of his tone rather startled Viola. She stopped playing again and looked at him, wide-eyed. “Why, Anthony, you sound quite heated. I had no idea you would mind so much.”
    â€œI do mind. Miss Wade has work to do here, vital, important work. I won’t have her go off gallivanting about Chiswick and London with you. What happens to my museum and my excavation?”
    â€œThat excavation is all you think about these days. There are some things in this world that are more important than your Roman villa.”
    â€œNothing can be more important than uncovering history.” He could hear the passion he felt for the excavation in his own voice as he spoke. “Viola, this site is one of immense historical significance. It is the best site of Roman ruins ever uncovered in Britain, and it is on my estate. We are learning things about life in Roman Britain that we never knew before. The artifacts we uncover here will be of tremendous benefit to scholars and historians, and the museum in London will allow all British people to learn about their heritage. This is a piece of our history.”
    â€œI am not concerned with history, dear brother,” Viola said, with no understanding at all of what he was attempting to achieve. “I am concerned with the life of a young lady of good family who has been forced by circumstance to seek employment, is allowed no life of her own, and has had no amusements or society in her entire life. Why, she does not even know how to dance. It is appalling how neglectful her father was of her comfort and care.”
    Viola paused for a quick breath, but before Anthony could point out that history and serious antiquarian study were far more important than dancing, she went on, “And now, Daphne is forcedto earn her living. A young lady working herself to exhaustion scrubbing mosaics and piecing clay pots back together like a servant.