“And that means you get to know them rather well. People like to have that kind of validation. Especially men. They like it when they find a woman who will properly listen to them.
“I rather suspect that it’s because they spend so much time talking over each other that most of what they want in a spouse is someone who will support them. Someone who they know is on their side and won’t try to one-up them, so to speak.
“But in any case, you’re a good listener. You never try to insult anybody.”
“You cannot be serious. You’ve heard my big mouth.”
“Yes, but you aren’t trying to be rude. People can tell. You go an alarming shade of pink afterwards and they realize straightaway that you didn’t mean it.”
“That doesn’t help me when it comes to society. They’re quite willing to not forgive my faux pas.”
“Yes, but I’m sure a man would be willing to forgive those more easily than Natalie’s flirting,” Cora pointed out. “Anyone who talks about you probably knows that underneath it all, you’re a sweet girl. Not even underneath it all. Just in general.”
Regina felt herself blushing and quickly ducked her head down. “Thank you,” she said.
That was another thing that she was learning how to do: accept compliments. She was still inclined to believe that they weren’t true but Harrison and Cora… all right, Harrison especially, was determined to rid her of the habit.
Cora reached over and gently took Regina’s chin in her hands, lifting it up. “Now, Natalie, on the other hand, plays with men. She uses them to boost herself up. To make herself feel better.
“Men can sense that. You would be a loving wife. A devoted wife. You would validate them. That’s all that we want. Someone who validates us and sees us for who we truly are. Natalie uses men for herself instead of truly learning about who they are.
“And because of that, no man will truly want to be interested in her. Not until she learns to actually care about them. Only then will they actually care about her.”
Regina thought about that. “When I am playing cards,” she said slowly, “In order to distract people, should I act like Natalie?”
“If you want them to know that you’re only flirting and nothing more, yes,” Cora replied. “Now, was that what was bothering you? Your family? How is Bridget?”
Cora was always especially concerned for Bridget. That made sense to Regina. Bridget had been Cora’s childhood friend, not the others.
“Bridget seems to be holding up well. She has yet to choose a husband herself. I believe she is busy worrying over Natalie’s state.”
Regina failed to add that Bridget wouldn’t get to choose a husband. Her husband had already been chosen for her. Regina wondered if she would ever stop feeling guilty over that.
“Then what troubles you? If it isn’t that?”
Regina sighed. “I fear that shall sound like a child.”
“Nonsense.” Cora let out a huff. “I do not understand why you continue to see yourself as so young. I blame Harrison.”
“He sees me as a child?” Regina asked.
“No, not exactly,” Cora replied. “It is only that he is very protective of you and I think that you want to be taken seriously by him. Is that so?”
Regina nodded. She couldn’t deny it when it was so blatantly the truth.
“Well, when we are with someone with whom we feel a little in awe, and we want to impress them, it’s natural that we should always feel a bit childish. Especially if there is an age gap.”
“I suppose,” Regina replied. This was a nice side turn into the thing that had been preoccupying her. “I am a little in awe of him, I admit. I know that he is eight years older and that he has many experiences that I do not.
“But he also irks me. He treats me as a child at times and it frustrates me. He tells me on the one hand that I am intelligent and capable. Then, with the other hand, he handles me as though I am made of glass.”
Cora gave a soft laugh. “It is because he cares for you.”
“I know that I am as a sister to him—”
Cora had just reached for her cup of tea to take a sip. Right as Regina had said that, Cora had sipped, and upon hearing Regina’s words she choked on her tea.
She coughed and spluttered in a most unladylike manner, before laughing again, harder this time. “You think that he thinks of you as a sister? After all—”
Regina could not take it anymore. “Cora, we are not together in that way. We never have been. We simply went along with the lie to hide the real reason for our acquaintance.”
Cora stared at her. “And what is the real reason?”
Regina partially regretted her hasty words but it was too late to take them back now. She couldn’t think of another lie that would suffice. And she was so tired of Cora’s comments and her thinking that Regina was breaking even more of society’s rules than she already was.
“You know of the unfortunate position that my sisters and I have been put into.”
Cora nodded.
“Well, coming up soon Lord and Lady Morrison are hosting a masquerade ball. They have it every year. People like to take advantage of the crowd and the masks to do things that they otherwise can’t or shouldn’t.”
“Yes,” Cora said, her lips twitching upwards. “I am well aware of the indulgences of the masquerade ball.”
Regina took a deep breath. “Well, there are always card games there. And where there are card games, there is Lord Pettifer. I could not get away with it at any other time, but with my mask… I could play with the men. They do not know who I am. Everyone else is bending the rules.”
“You mean to win your fortune back from him,” Cora breathed out, her voice a mixture of shock and awe.
Regina nodded. “Yes. That is the plan. That is why I took the bold chance and wrote to Lord Harrison.”
“That’s why he’s so obsessed with training you at cards.” Cora made a scathing noise. “I am such a fool. To think that he was only training you for his own amusement. I should have known that there was a larger game afoot.”
“We took care that nobody should know,” Regina replied. “You are the only person who knows the truth now. Aside from Harrison and myself, of course.”
“And you were willing to let all of us think you a fallen woman rather than reveal the truth to us?” Cora seemed aghast.
“What else was I to do?” Regina replied. “If you and the others knew, then you might somehow let it slip to someone else. Then that someone else would let it slip, and so on. I could not dare risk Lord Pettifer finding out the truth.”
“You risked everything of yourself, did you know that, Regina?” Cora said. “You could—if one of us had slipped up or someone else—there are so many ways that this could have gotten out. I mean, the wrong truth, the lie, could have gotten out.”
“But that would have only ruined me!” Regina protested. “Don’t you see? I would have been ruined. Me. Only me. If the truth of what I was doing got out, then Lord Pettifer would never play me. I would have no chance to save my family.”