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today and she—”
    â€œOh, well , you should see her at once then, by all means,” Daniel said in a snarl, moving toward the door. “I would not mean to be so rude as to intrude on someone else’s appointment. I shall just wait until you are finished and then speak to you. Unless there’s a stipulation in the will against that, too,” he added dryly as he reached and opened the door. Outside, Whister’s man was just opening the door across the hall.
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    â€œWhat are you doing? Are you mad? You cannot—”
    â€œShut up!” Valoree hissed back. “How am I supposed to hear anything with you caterwauling in my ear? I am trying to—Ouch!” The sudden opening of the door made her stumble several steps backward, her hand on the doorknob the only thing that kept her upright as the wooden door crashed into her head.
    â€œOh, my lady! I am ever so sorry!”
    Valoree recognized the butler’s voice and even managed a smile, though it was more grimace than anything. As she raised a hand to rub at the sore spot on her skull, she suddenly found herself surrounded by people. Meg had moved quickly to her side, her expression more chiding than concerned. The butler was fluttering helplessly before her, horrified guilt written all over his face for braining her, however unintentionally. She also saw that a second man, much younger, and obviously of the nobility, had crossed the hall to join them. Valoree suspected his was the shouting voice she had been trying to eavesdrop on. That being the case, she supposed she should feel chagrin at being caught. Instead, she felt annoyed. If there was one thing Valoree hated, it was feeling foolish, and the obvious amusement in the man’s eyes was making her feel just that.
    â€œI was just coming to inform you that refreshments would not be a moment,” the butler said, drawing hergaze again. He was wringing his hands miserably as he eyed her. “I never meant to—Well, I did not expect you to be—Can I get you anything? A cold compress, perhaps?”
    â€œStop fussing, man,” Valoree snapped. Her head was beginning to pound, and mollycoddling would simply make it worse. “It’s not the first time I’ve been knocked about a bit, you know.”
    The sudden silence that fell gave her the first hint she might have misspoken. With a gulp of dismay, she took in the threesome around her. Meg looked horrified, and the butler and the newcomer looked completely nonplussed.
    Sighing, she closed her eyes. Yes, that had most likely been the wrong thing to say. Most ladies probably didn’t get knocked about. Ever. And if they did, they certainly didn’t admit it. She should have thought before speaking. That was one of the first things she had learned to do as captain of a ship full of pirates. Thinking before speaking could avert all sorts of catastrophes. Why hadn’t she done so now? “I must have got knocked harder than I thought,” she muttered in disgust.
    â€œPerhaps some brandy?” the butler inquired sympathetically, her words seeming to have shocked him out of his stunned silence.
    Valoree shook her head, wincing as pain shot through her skull again. “Never touch the stuff. I’ll take some rum, though, if you have any.”
    â€œOh, dear,” Meg said with a sort of horror, then managed to force a titter of feigned amusement. “Oh, my dear, you are ever the witty one. You must not joke so, however, for not everyone knows what a prankster you are.” Turning to the butler, who relaxed at her words, she added sweetly, “A cold compress will be fine. And a touch of brandy, please.”
    Nodding, the servant hurried to a sideboard to pourthe brandy, then started back toward Valoree with it, only to pause when “Aunt” Meg met him halfway across the room. “I shall fetch a cold compress,” he said as he handed her the snifter, then