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shops and hold their purchases. He’d be running back to Scotland soon enough.
    “My brother promised to let me buy a new bonnet every time he swears,” she leaned close to confide. “And he swears a lot.”
    Lizzie closed her eyes. Of course he did.

Chapter 4

    Dinner went remarkably better than Lizzie could have hoped. While still a bit shy, Catriona had perfect table manners and a likeable, demure air about her. Lady Amberly was still in her tailspin trip down memory lane and after a few glasses of wine, mostly dominated the conversation with stories about what a wild girl her sister had been. It got a little bit uncomfortable near dessert when she told the story of how she’d ended up running off with a drunken Scot to spite their father. Lady Amberly didn’t seem to recall the same drunken Scot who featured in her story was Catriona’s father. Even then, Catriona had just nodded and smiled, though a bit tremulously. After dinner, Lizzie pointed out how tired Catriona looked and she latched onto the suggestion, agreeing with an exaggerated yawn.
    “Then you must go to sleep child, especially as Miss Burnet has arranged for you to visit the dressmaker first thing.”
    When asked if she would be joining them, Lady Amberly fanned herself and shook her head, looking as if the thought of stepping out onto the London streets might kill her instantly. Lizzie didn’t know how she would handle their first party. The nervous woman hadn’t left the house since she arrived, and sadly hadn’t even had one visitor. She’d been holed up in the country so long, no one remembered her.
    Lizzie walked with Catriona to her bedroom and showed her how to ring for a maid. She said goodnight and was about to leave, but the dejected look on Catriona’s face made her pause and ask if there was anything else she could do for her.
    Her previous charges had all been on their home turf, and had been so built up by their doting mothers, they never would have considered doubting themselves. Catriona was alone in a strange new environment, and had been raised by two roughneck brothers and an elderly aunt.
    “Was it difficult hearing stories about your mother and father?” she asked, hoping she didn’t cause offense.
    “I didna mind the stories,” she said. “In truth I dinna remember either, and I’m glad to find out what my ma was truly like. Lachlan and Quinn speak of her like she was a misused angel, but ye know how it can be when a loved one is gone? Ye never really hear the truth.” She sighed and shrugged, a wry smile making her look older than her years. “Except of course with my da it is the complete opposite. I never hear anything good about him.”
    “Everyone has a bit of good in them. Your mother saw it,” Lizzie said, feeling well out of her depth. “My parents died when I was very small,” she continued, not sure why she felt the desire to share, perhaps orphan solidarity. “In a … carriage accident. My grandmother raised me all on her own.”
    Catriona gave her a look of understanding. “I dinna know whether to say it’s a shame ye didna have brothers, or if ye were lucky.”
    Lizzie laughed. “You’re definitely the lucky one, Catriona.” To her surprise, the girl threw her arms around her and gave her a quick hug, retreating before she could think to return it.
    “Ye must remember ye said that when ye meet him tomorrow,” she said, her eyes brighter than when they’d first come up.
    Lizzie was glad she’d stayed a few minutes to make sure she was all right, and made her way to her room with a warm feeling that almost blocked out the dread of meeting the brother the next day.

    ***

    They were in the sitting room the next morning, waiting for the carriage to be brought around for their trip to the dressmaker, when Quinn Ferguson was finally announced. Catriona breathed a gusty sigh of relief and bounced out of her seat when she caught a glimpse of him following Franklin through the door.
    Lizzie