Kissing The Enemy (Scandals and Spies Book 1) Read Free

party.”
    “What party?” Charlie poked her head in from the sitting room door. She left her embroidery in the room.
    Mama beamed. “We’re attending the spring party at Tenwick Abbey.”
    Charlie’s pale blue eyes grew even bigger. She gaped as she glided closer. “We are? But that’s the party of the Season. You have to have a special invite.”
    “We have one.” Mama reached over to tuck a corn-silk blond curl behind Charlotte’s ear. “We leave tomorrow morning, which means we’d all better get upstairs and start packing.”
    Charlotte squealed. She bounced up and down in excitement, then grabbed Freddie’s hand and pulled her toward the stairs. “Oh, Freddie, it’ll be so much fun. All the most handsome bachelors of the ton will be there. I just know you’ll find your true love!”
    Freddie’s chest warmed. Trust Charlie to care more about Freddie’s matrimonial prospects than her own. She had a heart of gold.
    Gently, Freddie said, “Charlie, you know I don’t care to marry.”
    Charlotte stopped on the stair above Freddie. She frowned at her sister, her eyes on the same level as Freddie’s. Charlie’s gaze swept down the plain, outdated gown that Freddie wore.
    “No one will offer for you if you keep dressing like a nun.” Charlie met Mama’s gaze over Freddie’s shoulder. “Mama, can we alter some of my dresses for Freddie? I don’t know why she refused to accompany me to the modiste at the beginning of the Season for new gowns.”
    Freddie knew why. Their annuity could support only one new wardrobe. In fact, only one Season between them. It had to be Charlotte’s.
    Charlie, of course, had no idea of the state of their funds. Freddie was determined that she never find out.
    She swallowed, her throat suddenly thick. It was hard to be cheerful with the black cloud of what she must do hanging over her head. Think of the reward.
    Freddie forced a smile. “Lud, I hardly think that will work. Your head is barely past my chin.
    “So?”
    ”So,” Freddie said, drawing out the word. “The dresses would be too short. No, I’m quite happy with the gowns I have.”
    Charlie caught and squeezed Freddie’s hand. “Please let us try. My pale green gown would be gorgeous on you. It’s all wrong for my complexion anyway. We can have Lisane add some lace to the bottom.”
    “A dress won’t make much difference. No one notices me. Compared to beauties like you, I’m plain and uninteresting. Besides, Lisane will be much too busy getting us all ready for the parties,” Freddie lied. The three of them shared an abigail, Lisane. Even so, none of them required much fussing over and Lisane often found herself with spare time.
    “Fiddlesticks!” Charlie turned, pulling Freddie once again upstairs. “I insist. You’re beautiful and intelligent. That’s a rare combination. Any man will be happy to have you. You only need to present yourself better. Besides, if you don’t have a beautiful dress, it will spoil all my fun.”
    Freddie sighed. She didn’t want to take a dress from Charlotte, but she didn’t want to ruin the event for her sister, either. Freddie glanced to her mother for support.
    “Just one dress won’t hurt, Freddie,” Mama said as she followed the girls upstairs. A fond smile curved her lips.
    Freddie sighed. “Very well. If you can find the time to alter it before we leave for the party tomorrow morning.”
    Charlie bared her teeth in a grin. “I’ll stay awake all night if I must. You’ll see, Freddie. You’ll be a smashing hit.”
    Freddie didn’t want to attract a man to marry. She was too busy taking care of her family. Besides, she’d learned a keen lesson in marriage by watching her father hurt her mother over and over again as he gambled away the family money without a fig of a care for the three of them. If that was what marriage was about, she wanted no part of it.
    Not to mention, given the task Harker had set her, it was better to be invisible.
    She decided