Becca took the young woman’s hand—a sign of her approval. ‘And that’s our eldest brother, Wick. His real name is Simon, but no one calls him that because his courtesy title is the Marquess of Cheswick—one of our father’s other titles. Our brother Matthew is in London. As is our elder sister Mantheria... What would you like us to call you if you can’t tell us your name?’
Wick had to bite his lower lip to keep himself from saying something caustic. Trust his sisters to take the young runaway into the bosom of the family like a stray animal...
Chapter Five
Louisa opened her mouth stupidly. She didn’t know what to say. Nor could she believe her luck. She had somehow landed in a castle with a handsome marquess and his two little sisters.
She only had her male cousins to compare him with, but this man named Wick was nothing at all like them. His clothing fitted his frame as if it had been sewn onto his skin. Louisa longed to run her hands over the seams of his sleeves and the darts on the back of his coat. The garments showed that Wick was a muscular man. Not at all like Barnabas. Even his knee breeches were snug on his frame, and showed his calves and what was above them to be perfectly toned.
But it was his face that caused her to feel wobbly in the knees. His brown hair was thick and curly and exactly the same shade as his eyes, as if they had been embroidered with the same thread. He had a square jaw, with lips that were not too small, nor too large for his face. She found herself looking at his mouth again, blushing.
‘You’re not Miss Young,’ a voice said from behind her.
Turning, she realised that there were three sisters. The third sister did not at all look like the others, who were brown-haired, sturdy and powerful-looking. This one was a slight young woman with the palest blonde hair Louisa had ever seen. She could tell that even though Lady Becca was younger, she was already taller than this sister.
‘She can’t tell us her name,’ Lady Frederica said, grinning like a cat with a bowl of cream. ‘Isn’t that the most delicious mystery? She could be a lost princess. Or hiding from pirates or vagabonds. And Wick is positively boiling.’
‘There is definitely something nefarious going on,’ said the handsome Marquess named Wick, his lovely kissable lips tightening into a straight line.
Did he think that she had tricked him on purpose? That she was trying to catch his title by compromising him? The very thought made Louisa blush all over. What a scrape she was in.
‘I know what we will call her!’ the youngest sister shouted. ‘We can call her Miss Nemo—becausenemomeansno onein Latin.’
Louisa attempted a smile, her heart beating rapidly. ‘That would be perfect. You must be a very clever young lady to know Latin.’
Lady Becca grinned up at her, looking part little girl and part young woman. On the cusp of changing.
‘Oh, I say we keep Miss Nemo,’ Lady Helen said, taking a seat beside Louisa. ‘I already like her so much better than Miss Young.’
Louisa’s heart and spirits lifted. She would love to stay with such a charming family—even for only a little while.
The Marquess cleared his throat. ‘You can’t just take a young woman in like a stray cat. She must be returned to her home.’
‘Anyone would be preferrable to Miss Young,’ Lady Frederica added, ignoring her brother and picking up her napkin.
Louisa heart fell back down in her chest. It would be too much to hope that these young ladies and their handsome elder brother wouldlikean uneducated and unprepossessing young woman like herself. They would respect her, but only if they knew she was a titled lady with a fortune. Aunt Rockingham had been right.
Lord Cheswick hit his fist on the table. ‘Be that as it may, I have to find your cursed governess. She is my responsibility. I can’t have her toiling alone down the wrong road. Blast! I’ll have to go out again and find her.’
He strode to the door, as if to leave, but the eldest sister said, ‘There’s no need for you to be a hero, Wick. I’m sure the horrendous Miss Young is happily drinking tea at the vicarage now, and telling all sorts of unflattering stories about us to her cousins.’
Lord Cheswick shook his head. ‘The vicarage is south. Becca said that she went north.’
The littlest sister buried her head in Frederica’s shoulder. Obviously not wanting to face her furious brother. ‘I lied.’
The Marquess came towards them both and knelt down by his standing sisters. ‘Becca, my heart, why did you lie to me?’
Lady Becca said something, but it was mumbled. Louisa couldn’t quite hear her.
‘I can’t understand you,’ said the Marquess.
Becca released Lady Frederica and turned to face her brother. Her round face was completely red. ‘Miss Young said I was slow in the head and that she would have more success trying to tutor a cow. I didn’t want you to bring her back, so I told you to go in the wrong direction on purpose. I’m sorry that I lied to you, Wick.’
Louisa thought that she had seen the Marquess angry before, but the expression on his face now was positively murderous. His hands were clenched again into tight fists. She watched him get to his feet, breathing heavily.
‘Frederica, take Miss Nemo up to your rooms and find her a suitable gown. Then have a maid pack Miss Young’s things. A groom will take them to the vicarage this very night. Thatwomanwill never enter our home again, and if she asks for a letter of recommendation I will write such a blistering reply that not even the devil will hire her.’
Lady Becca all but jumped into her brother’s arms.