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that. Two, you won’t be going anywhere for anything until you can bend that knee without it hurting.”
    â€œIt’s not fair I can’t see him. I’m hurt and no one cares.” She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted.
    â€œBe that as it may,” Louisa said, rising from the bed. “I am mistress of this house and you will not go below stairs until I say you can.”
    â€œYou wouldn’t be going down anyway, Sybil,” Bonnie told her. “It’s not family night. It’s guest night and we’re not allowed to eat with guests.”
    â€œI know we don’t dine with them, silly goose,” Sybil retorted. “But we can meet the guests.”
    â€œI’m not a silly goose. You are,” Bonnie shot back at her sister, and then stuck out her tongue.
    Louisa turned away from the two arguing girls and said to Gwen, “Is there anything you and I should talk about?”
    Her sister seemed so sincere that for a moment Gwen was tempted to throw herself in Louisa’s arms and tell her about the way the duke had stirred up feelings of holding hands, and warm hugs, and delicious kisses, but in the end she said, “No, no. Everything is fine. I just want to forget this whole incident and I’m sure the duke feels the same way.”
    â€œThat might be difficult for me to do. Your dress is smudged and you have bits of grass in your hair. I’m sure you didn’t look that way when you left the house this morning.”
    Gwen quickly brushed at her dress with one hand and her hair with the other. “It’s very windy out,” she said, deciding that would be enough of an answer. “I should go change. And thank you for inviting Mr. Tweedy to dinner tonight. He’s such a gentleman.”
    She inhaled deeply and gave her sister a forced smile. Gwen started to walk past her, but Louisa stayed her by touching her upper arm. “When Mr. Standish was inappropriate you failed to tell me until long after the incident. If something has happened, I want to know now.”
    Gwen tried not to bristle. Her sister always meant well. “If I need your help, I will call on you. Louisa, please remember that you are my sister, not my mother.”
    â€œI’ve had to be both to you all these years,” Louisa insisted.
    â€œBut I am a grown woman now. It’s time for you to be only my sister. I made it through my first Season—heartbroken at the time but relatively unscathed—and I learned a few things along the way. I think I can make it through Christmastide on my own, too.” She smiled again and this time it wasn’t forced. “Now don’t worry about me.”
    Gwen reached over and gave her sister a hug before rushing away.

Chapter 4
    At the crest of a hill, Crispin sat on top of Spice, holding the small cluster of red, blue, and yellow flowers he’d raided from the pots in his uncle’s heated conservatory. The large manor house of Drakestone was situated in the middle of the valley below. The grounds surrounding it had been rendered barren by the exceptionally cold autumn and first few days of winter.
    He kneed the horse and started down a winding, tree-lined road that led up to the main house, a massive three-story center building with matching wings on either side. The front grounds were outlined with alternating sections of yew and topiary trees, the only greenery that graced the land as far as he could see. Behind the mansion, there was a large carriage house, and two impressive paddocks beyond that.
    From a long conversation with his uncle Crispin had learned some of what had happened during the months he spent away from England. The Duke of Drakestone had married Miss Louisa Prim last spring and in doing so became the guardian of her younger sisters, Miss Gwen Prim being the eldest of the four, who had exited her first Season without making a match.
    Crispin no longer had to wonder why she was so