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going to give up, so it’s best we try to appease them once in a while.”
    Phoebe and Katherine were relentless when it came to their social mores. As members of such an influential family, they felt it was part of their duty to parade about town and involve themselves in Society. Michael and Andrew had received the “duty” speech more times than they could count, and could recite it verbatim, but they knew their sisters’ concerns went far beyond obligation. They wanted the boys to marry, and soon.
    And not for any conventional reasons like connections or heirs. Oh, no! They wanted another sister. Another goose to add to their gaggle to provide them even more topics of gossip and frivolous conversation.
    When Andrew had announced he was to marry Lady Elizabeth the women were nearly beside themselves with joy. Lady Elizabeth was just their sort. Lively and pretty and smart. She would certainly be a fine addition to their little club.
    Elizabeth would be a fine addition to any gathering.
    “Besides,” Michael continued, shaking away his wayward thoughts, “six o’clock is hardly the fashionable hour.”
    “It’s fashionable enough,” Andrew rejoined. “And I have appeased them, remember? I’ve already found a wife, so why in hell am I required to come on these rides with you?”
    “You’re not,” Michael retorted, suddenly annoyed with his brother. “It’s your betrothed you should be riding with, anyhow.”
    Andrew fell silent and Michael looked over at him, but before his eyes could fall on his brother’s brooding countenance, someone caught his eye in the distance.
    Lady Elizabeth.
    Walking alone with Lord Edgmond , damn her.
    The pair disappeared around a bend, and Michael pondered the situation. Was it true that Edgmond was after his brother’s fiancée? He’d assumed, as Andrew had, that it was merely idle gossip. But perhaps they’d been wrong.
    His eyes scanned the bank of the Serpentine as they approached and he saw that Elizabeth’s cousin sat there, her foot tapping anxiously.
    “Look.” Michael pointed toward the woman and Andrew followed his gaze.
    “That’s Mrs. Hawthorne,” he remarked. “But what is she doing in the park alone? And at such a late hour? It’s almost six o’clock now.”
    “I’m not sure, but perhaps you should go and find out.”
    Michael hoped his brother would take the bait so he might follow to where Elizabeth and Edgmond had gone. Andrew didn’t need to know of her indiscretion, if there was in fact an indiscretion. But Michael couldn’t allow Elizabeth to dally with other men while she was engaged to his brother. It just wouldn’t do.
    “Where are you going?” Andrew asked , his gaze still fixed on the little widow.
    “I’m just going to give Thor here a hard ride up Rotten Row.” And then he rode off, without an ounce of guilt over lying to his brother.
    ***
    “We meet again, Mrs. Hawthorne.”
    Chloe looked up to find Lord Andrew climbing down from his thoroughbred. She hadn’t noticed how dark it had become until he arrived. The air was turning heavy with fog and the smell was quite offensive. She'd heard stories about the awful fog in London. If they didn't leave soon, it might be impossible to find their way home. Where on earth was Lizzie?
    “Lord Andrew,” she said, standing to her feet and faltering a little. She felt suddenly awkward and unsure of herself.
    “This is the second time today I find you out and about alone. It isn't safe, you know?”
    “I wasn't alone this morning, my lord. Daisy can be far more ferocious than any maid. And even now, I'm not...” alone , she was about to say, but stopped herself. She was indeed alone, and the reason was because her cousin— his betrothed—was off somewhere with another man.
    Oh, dear. She had not signed on to lie for her cousin. She looked up at Lord Andrew. Blast Lizzie and her blasted Lord Edgmond .
    “Mrs. Hawthorne?”
    “Yes, sorry!” she exclaimed all of a sudden. Lord Andrew