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peevish anger overtook her. She tried glaring the other woman down, but the creature was not to be intimidated.
    â€œThey are like family to you, are they not?”
    Sighing, Valoree swallowed and glanced back at the door. “They are. The only family I have.”
    â€œAnd you fear you will fail them,” Meg guessed, then rushed on when Valoree started to protest once more. “There is no reason to fear that. I’ve heard of your difficulties. It matters little if your behavior is not exactly that of a lady. They cannot refuse you your inheritance for that. Besides, you shall see it is not that difficult to play at being a lady. You merely need to say as little as possible and follow my lead.”
    Before Valoree could comment, the door before them swung open to reveal a solemn-faced servant.
    â€œLady Valoree Ainsley and her aunt to see Master Whister.” Meg made the announcement imperiously, striding uninvited into the entry as if she had every right. Gesturing for Valoree to follow, she turned to the servant to add, “We have an appointment.”
    â€œOf course, my lady.” Bowing, the servant nodded at Valoree as she entered, then closed the door. “Master Whister is with another client, but he should be only a moment. If you would wait in here?” Turning to a door on his left, he opened it for them, then bowed again as “Aunt” Meg led Valoree past him into the room.
    â€œI shall see to some refreshments for you ladies while you wait,” he continued. “If you would care to—” A sudden shout from the room across the hall made him pause and glance toward it nervously, a frown sliding across his face. The expression quickly disappeared, however, and he gave them a sickly sweet smile. “I shall be back directly with those refreshments.”
    Valoree nodded solemnly to the man, barely waiting for him to withdraw and pull the door closed before hurrying forward. Resting her hand on the doorknob, she leaned her ear to the wood in an effort to listen to the shouting coming from across the hall. Unfortunately, she could hear nothing but Meg’s hissing reprimand as the older woman flew across the room to pull her away.
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    â€œPlease calm down, Lord Thurborne. ’Tis not as bad as all that,” Whister soothed.
    â€œNot as bad as all that?” Daniel glared at the man seated across from him. “You tell me that to claim my inheritance from my grandmother—money the Thurborne estates need quite desperately, by the way—I have to…to…What the hell did you say?” He broke off irritably, reaching across the desk to snatch up the scroll the man had been reading from before he’d interrupted. “‘To give up my dissolute ways, find a bride of noble blood, and beget an heir from her,’” Daniel read grimly, then slammed the parchment down.
    â€œLady Thurborne, your grandmother, was concerned that you were not taking your title and position seriously. She wished to see you settled and happy.”
    â€œSettled and miserable, you mean,” Daniel said with a snarl, then stood to pace the smallish room. “I cannot believe she did this. I cannot believe she could even come up with this on her own. Someone must have—” He stilled, anger filling him as he saw the way the other man was suddenly nervously straightening his desk and avoiding looking at him. “ You! ”
    Whister jumped slightly in his seat, his gaze guiltily meeting that of the younger man. “Me?”
    Daniel’s eyes narrowed grimly. “You gave her this idea, didn’t you?”
    â€œI-I may have mentioned that a client of mine had made just such a stipulation in his will toward his daughter’s inheritance,” he admitted unhappily, then looked up with a meek smile. “In fact, the daughter in question is probably awaiting me out in the salon right now, Lord Thurborne. I was not expecting you