What a Reckless Rogue Needs (The Sinful Scoundrels, #2)(87)

“Mama will not be there?”

“I am unsure. We will ask her later. For now, I think we should let her be happy about our new nephew. Do you agree?”

“Yes, I think that is for the best.”

“Your come-out may not be exactly how we envisioned, but it will be wonderful. You will have pretty new gowns, bonnets, slippers, and gloves. You will enjoy shopping with the marchioness and the twins. You know how much fun they are.” She would not be there to share this exciting experience with her sister, and she knew it would hurt. It already did.

“I know you didn’t do anything wrong, Angie. Brentmoor was a bad man. I could tell by his eyes. There was meanness in them.”

Angeline drew in a long breath and let it out slowly. “Always rely on your instincts about people. I ignored mine and kept thinking that I was imagining things. Promise me, Penny.”

“I promise,” Penny said.

Angeline hugged her sister. She’d always thought she would be by her sister’s side to protect her from the cynics and the rakes in the ton. She’d always imagined helping her sister step into her first ball gown. She’d always dreamed of watching Penny dancing with a young man for the first time, but it was unlikely she would see any of it.

She could withstand the disdainful stares, the whispers, and yes, even the suggestive invitations from so-called gentlemen, but missing her sister’s debut ball would be very hard.

Penny wrapped her arms around her shins. “Colin has nice eyes.”

“I think he’s too old for you, Penny.”

Penny laughed. “No, silly, I said it all wrong. I meant he has kind eyes.”

“I think he has laughing eyes much of the time,” Angeline said.

“It is kind laughter,” Penny said. “The twins said he is a genuine rake, but I believe he is honorable.”

“You approve of Colin?” she said.

“Yes, anyone who likes animals is usually a good person,” Penny said.

“Next spring, you will send me a letter every day describing the dances, the gowns, and the music. Will you promise to do that, Penny?”

When her sister nodded, Angeline hugged her and wished for a miracle, but Penny would have a magical season and that was all that mattered. It was easy to say, but when the time came, Angeline knew it would leave an ache in her chest. It already had, but she knew what she must do.



Tonight she must put an end to the engagement with Colin. It would probably be far too easy to end, but she told herself that it was for the best. She would not hold his feet to the fire, especially for an engagement born of desperation on both their parts.

She loved him dearly, and the thought of leaving him behind hurt far more than she’d expected. In a fairy-tale world, he would sweep her off her feet and carry her over the threshold at Sommerall House. But she had decided that she wanted more than a marriage of convenience.

She wanted what she deserved—a husband who loved her and couldn’t live without her. Tonight, she would tell him the truth. Then she would request the help of her mother, Margaret, and Charlotte to help her turn the tide and refute the ugly claims Brentmoor had made. She did not know if it was possible, but she figured she had nothing to lose. She was the daughter of a duke, and as long as she had breath, she would never let anyone besmirch her good name or that of her family ever again. After all, she was an elder sister, and it was her duty to set a good example for Penny.



At one forty-five in the morning, Angeline slid off the bed. She’d left a candle burning on the side table near her. Then she donned her wrapper and claimed the candle. When she reached the door, Penny’s voice sounded. “Angie, where are you going?”

She winced and debated whether to just leave Colin waiting or tell Penny the truth. The one thing she did not want to do was lie to her sister. “Penny, I want you to listen carefully and trust me. I am meeting Colin in the library.”

Penny sat up. “No, Angie. You know that is forbidden.”

“There are important matters we have to discuss, and we need privacy. The problem is there are always people around us, and we cannot talk in front of them.”

“You should not be speaking of things to him that you wouldn’t say around others.”

Angeline wet her lips. “Penny, you said he is honorable, and he is.”

“Angie, this is not honorable, not at all.”

She sighed and sat on the edge of the mattress. “He offered to marry me.”

Penny gasped.

“Listen. I cannot accept him. We were both ready to make a marriage of convenience to solve our mutual problems.”

Penny gaped at her. “Have you gone mad?”

When I’m with him, yes. “Shhh. If I married him, I could be respectable again—at least to some extent. I’m unsure how much to be honest.”

Penny frowned. “You meant to marry him so that you could come to my debut?”

“Partly, yes. But you see, he has a problem, too.”

“I think you both fell down and cracked your heads,” Penny said.

“I decided I cannot marry him, and I must tell him tonight, because, well, we had a secret engagement, but please do not tell anyone.”

Penny frowned. “Angie, that sounds like one of the twins’ witless ideas.”

“I suppose it does, but I really do need to talk to him privately. We had a row, and before I leave here, I want to reconcile with him. He deserves that much. Now go back to sleep. I’ll not be gone long.”