Epilogue
No one would have found Eliza’s first waltz at Almack’s as memorable as Cassandra’s.
Then again people were already starting to forget the incident. Although some people claimed there had been some sort of kerfuffle involving Harbury and his wife, the duke and duchess had retreated to their principal estate and the ton had long since found other scandals to occupy their time.
Much more interesting were the new marquess and his bride.
“I’m the luckiest,” Eliza said as her husband twirled her past the paired pilasters between the windows of the grand ballroom.
“Humm, the luckiest of what? Ladies? Wives? Sisters?”
“Of your former concubines,” she whispered into his ear.
Adrian so smoothly covered for his missed step, only the most observant in the crowd even suspected he’d stumbled. The rest of the onlookers noticed not at all, too transfixed by the sight of young Lady Redver’s face, shining with love and smiling scandalously wide.
That was the kind of scandal the Patronesses encouraged.
Meanwhile, across Mayfair, the rest of the Wainwright sisters gathered in their new room at D’Acre house.
Together, they were poring over a packet of yellowed letters. When they finished, they sat back and stared at each other.
“Hardly a ringing endorsement of marriage,” Millie said.
“It didn’t stop Cassie and Eliza from finding husbands,” Nettie pointed out. “And Eliza is the happiest I’ve ever seen her.”
Millie glanced heavenward. “The most deluded, more like.” She sniffed. “And Cassie merely did as she was bid.”
“I don’t believe you,” Nettie put in. “I’ve seen how she moons after the duke when she thinks no one is looking.”
“Well,” Millie replied, “I’ve seen how Harbury moons after Lady Pennington. I wouldn’t trade places with Cassie for anything in the world.”
Nettie lifted her chin. “Cassie will prevail.” She nudged Lenora. “Don’t you agree?”
“Oh, I know she will,” Lenora replied. “Even if she swears she and the duke have settled between them only to be friends.”
“Friends?” Millie’s eyes sparkled. “Because of him we were all branded scandals.”
“Not anymore,” Nettie pointed out.
Lenora looked uneasy. “Just because we have been promised vouchers to Almack’s doesn’t mean the ton gossips won’t be watching us for any misstep.”
“She’s right,” Millie agreed. “We will always be those Willful Wainwrights. So, I say we do everything in our power to live up to the name.”
“You want us to court scandal?”
“Not public ones. I, however, intend to embrace the title willful.” She placed her hand in the middle of the bed. “Who is with me?”
Lenora smiled. “I am. Asquith will never notice me otherwise.”
Nettie hesitated, then, she joined in. “Very well. At least I know the two of you will always be there to support me.”
“Always,” Millie replied. “To the Willful Wainwrights.”
“Huzzah,” Lenora and Nettie replied in unison.
THE END