The Scoundrel and the Debutante (The Cabot Sisters #3)

Prudence blinked. “I didn’t want to alarm anyone,” she said. “I didn’t want Mercy to hear of it—”

“I think that you should not fret over it, Pru,” he said firmly. “I will take care of it.”

“But how—”

“Leave that to me. But if that is the reason you have accepted Stanhope’s offer and let the American go, I suggest you rethink your decision.” He turned toward the door as if he meant to leave.

Prudence suddenly darted across the room and caught his arm. Startled, Merryton turned back to her. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. “Thank you, my lord. Thank you so much.”

He stiffened with the physical contact and carefully put her back. “You’re welcome, love.” He went out.

Prudence stared at the place he’d been standing, her mind whirling, her heart beating so quickly it pained her.





CHAPTER TWENTY

New York Two months later

MR. GUNDERSON WAS not waiting patiently for Aurora’s return, and even had he been so inclined, he lost all patience with her when she thought it prudent to explain to him that the reason she’d been delayed was because she’d very nearly married a Frenchman.

To say that Mr. Gunderson’s hackles rose was an understatement. He was livid. Not that it mattered, really because in the time Roan had gone to fetch his sister and bring her home, Mr. Gunderson and Miss Pratt had begun an unlikely courtship, born of common ground, and now, they were to be married.

Which meant that Matheson Lumber had been ejected from the triumvirate Roan’s father had carefully constructed. “I ought to send you to your aunt in Boston,” he’d angrily shouted at Aurora.

Roan thought it was perhaps the first time he’d heard his father raise his voice to Aurora.

Naturally, Aurora apologized to her family for it. If there was one thing on which they could all depend, it was that Aurora always apologized for whatever she’d done.

“Why did you tell him you meant to elope?” Beck had demanded of her. “He was already cross with you. Now he despises you and all of us!”

“Well, I didn’t think I should lie,” Aurora had argued. “I wanted to explain that it was only a moment of infatuation, but now that I am home I realize how foolish I was and I very much wish to repair it. He didn’t give me the chance.”

It was far too late for Aurora, but Roan had gone to Susannah to offer his apology to her and her father. It was Susannah, however, who had apologized to Roan. “I’m sorry,” she’d said, peering up at him with her small eyes. “But I never thought you really held much esteem for me.”

He’d looked at the dark-haired woman. She was short and squat, and her brow set in a permanent frown of worry. He thought of Prudence, of her sparkling eyes, her irrepressible smile.

“I, ah...I can’t say that I knew you well at all, to be perfectly frank,” he’d admitted.

Susannah had nothing to say to that. She had merely nodded. Roan wondered if that meant she agreed with him. Or did she merely understand him? Prudence never had any reluctance to speak her mind. God, how he missed her.

“Please forgive me, Susannah,” Roan had said.

She’d nodded and had shown him out, her thoughts kept to herself.

Roan reported to his brother and sister what Susannah had said that afternoon when they went riding. Aurora took great exception. “Of all the things to say! Of course you held her in some esteem! Now it makes me cross that I ever defended her to Miss Cabot.”

That brought Roan’s head up. “What?”

“Hmm?” Aurora asked. Roan caught the bridle of her horse and reined them both to a stop. “Roan! What are you doing?”

“What did you say, Aurora? On what occasion did you defend Susannah Pratt to Prudence?”

Aurora blinked guiltily. “I thought I was doing the right thing!” she said quickly. “I’d made such a mess of things, and I didn’t want us both to have gone back on our word—”

“What are you talking about?” he roared.

“Roan,” Beck said sternly, but Roan would not let go of Aurora’s bridle.

“Just...just that on the night we arrived, I might have explained to Miss Cabot that you were committed and held Miss Pratt in high regard—”

“A lie!” Roan said.

“Well, how was I to know?” Aurora stammered. “I thought surely you must hold her in some regard as you’d agreed to propose to her. I was thinking of our family, and I thought Miss Cabot needed a bit of a nudge to let you go.”