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Edgecliff, with the numbers perfectly balanced between single
ladies and gentlemen. In addition to the five Lords of Oxford came
Viscount Melville, né George Stansbury, a tall and slender man of
thirty years, and his friend Mr. Gregory Burke, the handsome but
bland second son of Earl Macclesfield. The Duchess invited Lord
Anthony Carmichael, Viscount Torrington, who two years prior at the
age of six and twenty inherited his title, along with the
accumulated debt of the previous Viscount. His easy manners and
natural charm allowed him to remain an affable and respectable
gentleman, a benign sort of fortune hunter. Viscount Torrington
sought and received an invitation for his friend, the Earl of
Dartmouth, whom he knew to be quietly sifting through the
marriageable ladies as he needed a wife, an heir, and help with his
younger sisters. He was known as a bit of a rake, but an honorable
one that left the innocent and the married alone.

    Mr. Daniel Shaw was invited due to his
sister, Miss Harriet, being an especial friend to both Juliet and
Miranda. It did not hurt, in the Duke's eyes, that he was an
extremely wealthy member of the landed gentry with his family
owning a large majority of the county of Lancashire. Two other
friends of the Lords of Oxford, army officers Major William Hughes
and Major Lord Marcus Quinn, brother to Lady Juliet, were scheduled
to join the party late, their attendance to be a surprise to the
Quinn family. Lady Juliet was as yet unaware that her brother had
returned from the continent and would be joining the party.

    While chiefly a party to engage a suitable
suitor for Lady Miranda, propriety called for a respectable number
of singe ladies to also be in attendance. Lady Margaret Stansbury,
sister to Viscount Melville, was included as her brother squired
her to all events he attended. Little was known of the quiet lady,
but she was always observed to be all that was proper and polite.
Miss Harriet Shaw and Miss Elinor Gates, two ladies quite comely in
appearance, were included as members of Miranda's intimate circle
but the Duke had no fear they would overshadow his sister. Two
friends from Miranda's sewing circle were included at her request,
Ladies Temperance Warren and Gertrude Lovelace, in the hopes her
friends might aid in distracting any unwanted suitors from their
prey.

    The presence of the Earl of Dartmouth
regrettably meant the presence of his nearest sister, Lady
Philippa, a lady altogether too fond of her own voice, too
convinced of the superiority of her own opinions, and too enamored
of her own countenance. These unfortunate attributes contributed to
the motivation of her brother to find her a husband sooner rather
than later, hence her invitation to the party. The Duchess of
Dorset and the Marquis and Marchioness Lansdowne would stand as the
highest-ranking chaperones, in addition to the various mothers and
maids accompanying each lady.

    The Duchess of Dorset arranged for a variety
of entertainments over the fortnight, activities both indoor and
outdoor, as determined by the weather. The first day would be spent
without a scheduled pursuit as some guests would still be arriving.
Those already settled were invited to take a turn in the gardens,
enjoy a book or a rest in the library, or indulge in a game of
cards or billiards. The music room was also opened for those
possessed of that talent.

    Instead, Juliet and Miranda spent their
morning ensconced in their rooms readying themselves for their
first scheme. While attired in normal walking dresses, Juliet
carried a small portmanteau that contained two older, threadbare
gowns and aprons, and two bottles of spirits. Miranda carried a
similar valise that held a large number of whortleberries. Taking
the servants' stairs in the rear of the house, the two were able to
sneak out undetected as the staff were occupied welcoming and
settling the newly arrived guests. After achieving some distance
from the house the ladies burst into laughter