Daring Miss Danvers Read Free

to reveal some horrible calamity. In all honesty, his serious expression was starting to alarm her.
    Just as he opened his mouth to speak, the door to Number 3 opened.
    Rathburn appeared far too relieved for her liking. “Hinkley, how good of you to come to Miss Danvers’s rescue,” he said with a quick wink and squeeze of her fingers as he escorted her over the threshold. “And just in time, too.”

 

C HAPTER T WO
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    M erribeth Wakefield stepped into the Weatherstones’ cheery yellow parlor shortly after Emma. She untied the periwinkle ribbon of her bonnet and removed it from her raven tresses. “What a gorgeous day! I’m tempted to suggest we hold our first official needlework circle of the Season in your lovely garden, Penelope,” she said with a smile brightening her cerulean eyes. “But I would hate to freckle before the wedding.”
    Penelope gasped in delight and stepped forward to embrace Merribeth. “Mr. Clairmore proposed! Oh, that is wonderful news.”
    Emma embraced Merribeth, too. “I’m thrilled for you.”
    Her friend had spent the entire Season last year embroidering her wedding dress with the certainty that her childhood sweetheart, William Clairmore, would finally ask her to marry him. It was a common understanding that they’d been unofficially engaged for the past five years. However, Mr. Clairmore’s studies had put their official engagement on hold.
    “I wouldn’t say he actually proposed,” Merribeth said as she glanced away. “It’s more like he proposed that he would be proposing very soon. It will happen any day now, I’m sure. Perhaps even after the Sumpters’ musicale later this week.” She retrieved the large satchel she carried with her, which Emma knew was filled with the wedding gown.
    Emma and Penelope exchanged a look. “I’m sure he will.”
    “Any day now.”
    Merribeth turned to face them and drew in a deep breath. “He’s probably only waited this long to make an entire scene of it. A grand romantic gesture.” For the first time, the ever-present dreamy gleam in her eyes dimmed. “Those take a great deal of planning, after all.”
    Emma took Merribeth’s hands and led her to the settee. “That is exactly what he’s doing. Never fear.”
    “After all, look how long it took Mr. Weatherstone to finally realize he couldn’t live without me.” Penelope smiled, brightening the mood with her usual grace and good nature. While her long-standing affection for Ethan Weatherstone had been no secret to the members of the needlework circle, their sudden wedding over the Christmas holiday had been quite the surprise. But a pleasant one.
    Emma was delighted to see her friend settled, as well as truly and completely in love. In fact, Penelope fairly glowed with happiness. Marriage certainly agreed with her.
    One day, she hoped to find the type of affection and respect the Weatherstones shared. Of course, her own parents had a deep love for each other, even if it had addled their brains over time. Her marriage, she knew, would never cause her to go mad. For, if she were to go off to bedlam, her husband would be the kind of man to bring her back to sanity.
    If only.
    The sound of a commotion in the hall drew their eyes to the parlor doors. Then, with a glance at one another, they all said in unison, “Delaney.”
    They were right, of course. In the next moment, Delaney McFarland swept in, closed the door and leaned against it. Her lids closed over violet eyes. Curling wisps of her sunburst red hair snaked out from beneath her bonnet. “Younger sisters should be raised by grandparents to avoid the risk of being murdered by their older and much wiser siblings.”
    “What has Bree done this time?” Penelope asked. Even though she was the only other one to have a younger sister, they all giggled.
    Her eyes flew open. “It isn’t her—well, not entirely. I mean, it’s always her. But this time, it’s Father as well.” Since she hadn’t bothered to tie her