To Pleasure a Lady (Courtship Wars 1)

“Yet Mrs. Phipps,” Jane said tightly, “began wondering where Martha had gotten to, and so she searched this room and found Sybil’s belongings missing.”

“Yes,” Caroline whispered. Her gaze returned to Arabella. “I am so very sorry I lied, Miss Loring, truly.”

Arabella bit her tongue to keep from lashing out at the girl, but Jane didn’t. “This could ruin us,” she muttered. “Mr. Newstead will be outraged-”

But Arabella didn’t want to discuss the academy’s business before one of their pupils. “Caroline, I wish you to return to the dining room for now. And please don’t say a word to any of the other girls.”

“I won’t, I swear it.”

Jane had had enough of patience, however. “Young ladies do not swear, Miss Trebbs.”

“Yes, Miss Caruthers…ah, no, Miss Caruthers…” With quivering meekness, Caroline gave Jane a wide berth as she crept from the room.

Arabella looked at her two friends in shared dismay, excruciatingly aware of the scandal that threatened them. If they allowed one of their wealthy young pupils to fall into the clutches of a fortune hunter, marriage or not, no parents would ever trust the academy again with their daughters.

Even worse, Sybil could suffer more than a loss of her reputation. By eloping with only a maid for protection, she risked ravishment. No matter how vexing the girl was, she didn’t deserve that fate. And regardless, her entire future was at stake. If she was merely witless enough to let herself be seduced because she fancied herself in love, she was making a grave mistake, since Onslow was not the kind of man to cherish anyone but himself. Sybil was unlikely to relish life as his wife.

Arabella hated to think of any innocent young girl at that bounder’s mercy, even the troublesome minx Sybil. Besides, she thought grimly, Sybil was supposed to be under her protection. It was her responsibility to keep her pupils safe, and it appeared that she might have failed.

“We must stop them somehow,” Tess said, stating what they were all three thinking.

“But how?” Jane asked.

“I will go after them at once,” Arabella replied, putting a hand to her temple as she thought madly. “They have nearly four hours’ head start, but they will likely put up at an inn tonight. I cannot see Sybil suffering the inconvenience of sleeping in a carriage. If I drive through the night, I may be able to catch them.”

“But you will need help,” Tess pointed out. “Would Lord Danvers be willing to accompany you?”

Arabella nodded. “I’m certain he would, but he is in London for the day, and I expect he took his coach since it threatened to rain this morning. I will ask Lady Freemantle to loan me her coach and several stout footmen as well. They should be able to help me convince Mr. Onslow to abandon his designs on Sybil.”

“What if he has already…” Jane broke off, her face turning red.

Arabella understood the question, but Tess spoke first. “Already claimed her virtue?” she supplied. “Sybil would be an utter fool to let him touch her before they were properly married, and she is cunning enough to keep the upper hand until then.”

“He may be dastardly enough to force her,” Arabella observed.

“Perhaps, but I don’t think he will risk it,” Tess said reassuringly, “since Sybil is just stubborn enough to refuse to marry him if he tried to coerce her. No doubt she sees an elopement as an adventure and hasn’t properly considered the full consequences. She thinks her father can be persuaded to accept him for her husband. Onslow may be a rake and a wastrel, but he is considered a gentleman in most circles, and would be a fair catch for a tradesman’s daughter.”

Jane’s mouth twisted in a mournful grimace. “But even if Mr. Newstead eventually accepts the marriage, our academy will never recover from the blow.”

“I know,” Arabella said grimly. Everything they had striven for during the past three years would be ruined.

When she remained silent, Tess searched her face. “Wouldn’t you prefer to wait for his lordship to return?”

She would indeed prefer to wait for Marcus, but she didn’t have time. “I must leave right away, Tess. If we hope to keep the elopement quiet, I will have to bring Sybil back before anyone discovers she is missing.”

“Perhaps I should come with you,” Tess offered.

“I think it best if I go alone,” Arabella responded. “My absence from the school won’t be remarkable, but if both of us are gone, it will be noted. Roslyn and Lily should remain here also and attend church tomorrow a

s usual to keep up appearances.”

“So how do we explain Sybil’s absence?” Jane asked.

Tess answered that question. “We can say she became ill, and that Arabella took her to London to see Lady Freemantle’s personal physician.”

“That should suffice,” Jane said. “Assuming you can find Sybil and prevent the marriage.”

“Oh, I will find her,” Arabella said with determination. She had no intention of letting the exasperating little chit ruin herself or the academy. “And I will keep them from marrying, even if I have to order Winifred’s footmen to overpower Onslow so I can drag Sybil home by her hair.”