Passionately Yours (Hellions of High Street 3)

Brushing away a tear, Caro quirked a watery smile. “I’ve missed you both so very much.”

“And we you,” answered Anna. “But don’t think you’ll wiggle out of explanations by sweetening us up. Forget about how we came to be here. It’s simple enough—by a serendipitous twist of luck, your letter happened to reach me just as Davenport received a note from the Foreign Office asking him to return early from our visit. So a fast naval sloop was waiting to whisk us back to England.”

“And Wrexham and I had just arrived back at Wrexham Manor when Anna’s warning arrived by special courier,” chimed in Olivia. “Naturally, we set out immediately to meet up in Bath.”

“So now it’s your turn,” said Anna. “Isobel has told us some of the details of what has been going on, but we expect a full recount.” She grinned. “I know a good story when I hear it.”

“Oh, very well,” conceded Caro. “I’m not nearly as skilled at this as Sir Sharpe Quill, but I shall do my best.” She slid back onto the coverlet and drew her knees up to her chest. “It was a dark and stormy night—really, it was!” she added quickly, seeing Anna roll her eyes. “Isobel and I were attacked on a country lane just outside of Bath, and that is how the whole adventure started.”

“A dramatic beginning,” mused Anna. “I couldn’t have written it any better myself.”

“Shhhh. Stop interrupting, or we’ll never get to the end,” warned Olivia.

“Sorry.”

“Do go on, Caro.”

And so she did, with a bit of stumbling at times, and with a bit of glossing over the exact details of the intimate interludes. Both her sisters exercised considerable restraint, though there were several occasions where they couldn’t refrain from pressing for clarifications.

Crafting a narrative was devilishly difficult, she realized, her admiration for Anna growing even greater. At last, however, she managed to bring her account to an end.

“My, my.” Olivia leaned back in her chair and let out a bemused sigh. “You’ve certainly had an eventful few weeks.”

“What she means is, we’ve known for years that you’ve been yearning to have your own adventure.” Anna tapped her fingertips together. “And now you have.”

“And now I have,” agreed Caro.

“Was it all that you hoped it would be?”

Even if she had wished to, it would have been impossible to hold back a smile. “It was all that I hoped for—and more.”

“Yes, well, the ‘more’ part does tend to happen when a handsome, stalwart, honorable man is involved,” quipped Olivia.

“You forgot sexy,” pointed out Anna. “Speaking of which…”

Ummm. Caro considered pleading sudden fatigue and crawling under the covers.

“Now that we’ve settled a number of questions, I have just one burning one left to ask.” Anna glanced at Olivia and flashed a mischievous wink. “Knowing our impetuous sister all too well, I can’t help but wonder—do you think she did or didn’t?”

Deciding three could play the teasing game—after all, she was no longer the baby sister—she retorted, “Ha—don’t look so smug, you two. Are you trying to say you were perfect paragons of propriety?”

Her sisters exchanged guilty grins, and then began laughing.

“We are, after all, the Hellions of High Street,” said Olivia. “What fun is it to have a slightly shady reputation if you can’t be a little naughty.”

“Despite all the trials and tribulations, we have had fun, haven’t we?” mused Caro.

Silence settled over the room for a long moment, the bond of sisterhood wrapping them in unspoken love.

“And it promises to get even better,” said Anna. “I’m sure our extended family will keep us on our toes.”

At the mention of family, Caro climbed down from the bed. “I’d like to invite Isobel to join us. You will like her very much.”

“We already do,” assured Olivia.

“Andy has found the perfect match,” added Anna fondly. “It’s delightful to have him join the clan—he will make a wonderful brother.”

Isobel was a little shy about joining in, but Caro and her sisters quickly drew her into the spirit of things. A lengthy interlude ensued as the conversation danced through a number of topics—most of them having to do with men and their foibles.