isn’t for me, I can’t get married here. It’s too grand, too magnificent.” I had a morbid dread of appearing foolish, something I had achieved more than once in my life, and once the dread arrived I found it hard to shift.

“You will marry me if I have to drag you here.”

The thought of my wedding day made my stomach turn with nerves. I didn’t think I would enjoy the wedding ceremony. I hated to stand out from the crowd. “Everybody will be looking at me.”

I wasn’t aware I’d spoken out loud, but Richard answered me. “So they will. And me too.”

I took my attention away from the great church and looked at him instead. A much more reassuring sight. “Yes.”

“Come, Gervase,” Richard said abruptly. “We have much to do.” Reluctantly, his twin turned away and we went back to the coach.

We went to the fashionable shops and after a great deal of pleasurable discussion, found Lizzie her fan. I bought one too, and then we bought one or two other trinkets, and did Martha’s shopping. We saw a great many people we knew, some of whom we merely bowed to, while with others we stopped to pass the time of day.

Lizzie was in her element. Devonshire society considered her one of its beauties, and she was expected to make an excellent match even before our recent change of fortune. Even now, although she planned to make her come-out in London in the near future, some local swains still held high hopes. They stared at me with curiosity, the overlooked sister of the family, and then at Richard with frank astonishment and admiration. I must be getting used to his magnificence, because I thought he wasn’t particularly grandly dressed today, but as usual everything he wore was of the best quality, and he held himself with elegance and style. His coat was a drab green, his waistcoat cream silk lightly but expertly embroidered. Waistcoats, he had informed me, were the epitome of a fashionable man’s style, and his always reflected that. The only jewels he wore were a ring on his finger and the diamond solitaire pin at his throat. I wore my pearls, unexceptionable for day wear but finer than anything else I had, and another new gown, this time of deep soft pink silk, with a little cloak of a slightly deeper pink over the top.

Lizzie was captured by one of her more persistent swains, Mr. Humphrey Thomas, a short, well-upholstered man, who had paid her court ever since her Exeter come-out. He held her hand while he conversed with her, paying her compliments that became further and further divorced from reality.

A man, his head lowered and seemingly in a great hurry, pushed past Richard, jostling him in the process.

Gervase stared after him. “Good Lord, Was he a pickpocket?”

Richard felt in his pockets. “Nothing’s missing.” He shrugged and let the incident pass.

After we had made our purchases, we returned to the carriage and went to the second house on our list. This appeared much more promising, being on a quiet street in the midst of other, similar houses. It also looked slightly larger than the first.

Richard helped me down, and then turned back to help Lizzie, but she stumbled and fell, crying, “Oh, my ankle!”

Richard immediately lifted her back into the carriage and put her on one of the seats. I climbed up and drew her skirts back a little to see the nature of the injury. The maid followed and sat opposite, waiting for instructions. Lizzie bit her lip and winced when I touched her foot, but I couldn’t see or feel any swelling. “I don’t think there’s any serious hurt.”

“I ought to go home.” To my surprise, she instantly turned to Gervase “Will you take me, sir?”

He opened his mouth, thought better of it, and closed it again, his expression an odd mix of fascination and amusement. Then he tried once more. “I would be honoured, ma’am.”

“We’ll send the carriage back for you when we reach home,” Lizzie promised.

Richard touched my arm. Dazed by the speed of events I stepped back out the carriage with him and watched while the stairs were folded up and the carriage driven away. The whole thing happened so quickly, and I was so concerned to ensure my sister had suffered no serious injury I hadn’t thought to question anything until I saw the vehicle roll away from us.

“Shall we?” said Richard, smiling, and we went up the stairs to the front door.

Richard closed the door behind us. The sound echoed through the empty house. As it faded away, silence fell, a stillness, as if anticipation itself awaited us. The noises of daily activity outside became more muted.

I took a couple of steps, very aware of the sound of my rustling skirts in the quiet. I felt the eeriness of an empty house for the first time. When Richard didn’t follow me, I turned around to see what was wrong.

To my astonishment, I saw him leaning against the front door, helpless with silent laughter. As I turned, he made a small sound, and felt in his coat pocket for his handkerchief, still using the front door for support. He wiped his eyes and looked up to see my reaction.

I was curious to know what had amused him so much and not a little cross. If the vase on the pedestal nearby had been mine, I might have picked it up and threatened him with it.

He dabbed his eyes. “You should really tell your sister to remember which ankle she was supposed to have twisted.” He put his handkerchief away and straightened, watching me, his eyes gleaming with amusement.

I put my hand