"Miss Sophia!" Ysabella gasped in disbelief when she found her voice.

Sophia remained unmoving and silent in her chair and Nicholas had to give her due credit for it.

If it were simply Ysabella, Nicholas might not have immense difficulty explaining Sophia's presence in his estate, but since Emma was with her, Nicholas was quite certain he was doomed.

Their youngest sister stepped further into the room, her curious gaze traveling with unnerving thoroughness between him and Sophia before it anchored on him with renewed knowing and at that moment Nicholas was certain he was truly doomed.

His sister's unrelenting stare told him he ought to speak first before she did.

"Miss Sophia is here for a short visit," was all he could come up with.

Ysabella was still gawking at him while Emma reached for Nicholas' hand, saying, "Please excuse us for a moment, Miss Sophia," to Sophia and pulled Nicholas toward the door.

Nicholas groaned, his mind already reeling to the potential events that might occur should his sisters find their way back to their mother in Wickhurst very much later.

Ysabella followed them outside the parlor and when the door closed behind them, it was Ysabella who spoke first.

"You have taken a mistress and it is Miss Sophia, our friend!"

Emma simply crossed her arms over her chest, one brow cocked high, waiting for him to speak.

Nicholas gaped at Ysabella incredulously. "You merely had one garden chat and you consider her a friend?"

Ysabella blinked. "Well, yes!"

He shook his head. "No wonder you were easily betrayed by one," he could not help but add.

Ysabella stiffened and huffed. "If you must know, I no longer harbor hard feelings for Aurora. She did what she did for a reason and I have chosen to forgive her, whatever that reason might be. What she did to me did not change how I consider my friends."

"Perhaps what she did must have given you a lesson to be more careful," he insisted.

"And perhaps it is best that you do not divert the topic, Nick," Emma interrupted, her hawkish eyes surveying him with knowing. "What is Miss Sophia doing in your estate?"

"She came here for a short visit. The reason for it is none of your concern, if I must add," he snapped.

"Alone?" Emma inquired.

"Yes, she came alone."

"Truly?" Emma said, eyes narrowing into slits that Nicholas had trouble keeping a straight face. Nicholas felt he was standing before Maxwell himself the way Emma was assuming such all-knowing mien.

"Yes," he snapped again.

"I am not certain if you are aware, Nick," Emma said, cocking her head to the right in a mocking curiosity, "but Miss Sophia is blind."

"She is what?" Ysabella cried in surprise while Nicholas simply stood there, stunned, as if he was facing the Lord himself. How the bloody hell had Emma figured it out?

"I realized it in Theobald," Emma explained to Ysabella, eyes still on Nicholas.

"But—but she is—" Ysabella started but could not finish, still in awe.

"Now, how could she have come here all alone at her condition?" asked Emma.

"She has a driver and a carriage, Emma," Nicholas provided, trying to sound nonchalant.

"And where is this driver? And the carriage?"

Bloody tarnation. Was it possible to have another room at the ready where he could throw his own sisters and lock them inside?

"You disappeared from Theobald the same night word of Lord Durley's sudden departure from the party surfaced," Emma said. "Did you leave with her?"

Ysabella gasped, her eyes rounding with realization. "Did you abduct Lord Durley's mistress, Nick? Is that why he also disappeared to go after you?" Nicholas groaned in frustration. "What have you done! Mother will have a fit! Oh, God, Nicholas, why did you have to resort to abducting a helpless woman to—"

"Enough!" he cried out, putting his sisters to silence. He drilled them with an intense gaze. "Miss Sophia is here purely for business. What business if you may ask?" he started, "None of you bloody business it is!" He turned to Emma and calmly added, "Now, if the two of you will stop your silly suggestions, I would appreciate it if you both go on your way and return to Wickhurst as if nothing happened."

But Emma would not be deterred as she frowned at Nicholas. "What is happening, Nick? Do not take us for fools for we are not. We might know more than what you believe. In fact, we know more than what we did since we stopped growing in your mind! We have matured if you have not noticed and we know when our brothers are being idiots and when they are keeping secrets, which, in your case is both!"

Nicholas was rendered speechless. He had always realized how Ralph had grown throughout the years, neglecting the fact that his sisters did too. Ysabella was married and Emma had matured on her own as she always did. They had truly been blind of the fact that their youngest sisters had abandoned their childish games to make room for maturity.

But to tell them about Osegod would not change anything. The very reason they opted not to tell their mother and the twins was to preserve their innocence and safety.

He let out a heavy sigh and brushed his fingers through his hair in frustration. "I cannot tell you anything," he said as calmly as he could. The two ladies before him waited for his next words. If they were the same childish girls they were before, they would have interrupted him. But no, they have indeed grown and he was not sure he liked it. "The only thing I can share is that Miss Sophia is here to assist me and Ralph with a very important matter."

Emma's frown slowly disappeared, her eyes still assessing.

He waited in anticipation as both sisters considered his words.

"Does this concern someone who is a potential enemy of the family?" Emma asked, surprising Nicholas yet again. She sighed, rolling her eyes. "As I have said, Nicholas, do not take us for fools."

"She came up with many theories," Ysabella added proudly, throwing Emma a sideway glance. "About Osegod, Lord of Ransford, if you must know."

"What?" Nicholas uttered in disbelief.

"It was not difficult not to sense anything from the first and last dinner the man had with the family, Nick," Emma said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Now, tell me—does this situation now involve Osegod?"

Nicholas considered his sister's statement for a while before he said, "If I answer this question, do you swear not to follow it with another? And do you swear never to dig further into this?"

"She will say yes to the former, no to the latter," Ysabella answered. She cocked her brows in defiance when Nicholas snapped his head at her. "She is Emma, Nick—she will always look into things."

"This matter with Osegod is not one of the many harmless theories you've been working on about Mr. Jones, Emma. This is an entirely serious matter."

"I am a civilian and so are you," Emma countered with a shrug. "You have the right to be involved in this matter, why can I not?" When Nicholas growled, she sighed and said, "Very well, I promise not to attempt to vulgarly dig into Osegod. That is all that I can promise."

"Emma—"

"Now, answer the question. Does Miss Sophia's presence have anything to do with the family's Osegod business?"

He sighed. He could not have full control over Emma's activities for he was certain that his sister would be more inclined to do what she was ordered not to.

"Yes," he replied honestly. "Now, the two of you, go home." He turned to Ysabella and asked, "And where is your husband?"

Ysabella shrugged. "He has business at home. And he is not my driver, if you must know. He trusts that I can go home safely."

Nicholas sighed. Perhaps he must have a word with Wakefield. It was not safe to have his wife going around Town alone with no protection. "Very well, I will take you back to Wickhurst."

But Emma had already turned to go back inside the parlor where Sophia was and before he could stop them, Ysabella joined her and walked into the room the same way they did earlier.

"Miss Sophia!" he heard Ysabella say. He groaned and followed them back inside.

Sophia had stood to her feet with a faint smile on her lips. Nicholas would not have been surprised if she suddenly begged for his sisters to help her escape Whiston, but she did not do that. She simply stood there and the sight almost caused a pang in Nicholas' chest.

She seemed utterly alone in their presence. Did she also consider his sisters her enemies as she now probably considered him?

"I beg your pardon, my ladies," Sophia began before his sisters could say more, "if my presence is such a bother. I am merely here for a short visit." She blindly turned her head at Nicholas' direction. "I will be leaving soon. Is that not correct, my lord?"

Nicholas gritted his teeth. He nodded his head without a word.

Emma looked entirely unconvinced but she nodded all the same, allowing Nicholas a moment to breathe.

"Fret not, Miss Sophia," Ysabella said, slowly turning to Nicholas with a meaningful look, "we are quite certain our dear brother will escort you back home. Are you feeling quite comfortable here in Whiston?"

"Yes. That is very kind of you to ask," Sophia said, turning to throw Nicholas the same knowing look Ysabella gave him. "Your brother has been quite accommodating," she added with obvious sarcasm.

"Oh, you have a dog!" Ysabella said, spotting Aabha sitting beside Sophia's vacant chair.

"She is Aabha," said Sophia.

"We have a cat," Ysabella uttered. "She lives with Emma most of the time, of course, since my husband seems to be uncomfortable with the feline around."

"When she is not on her monthly disappearance, that is," Emma corrected, eyeing Aabha.

Nicholas loudly cleared his throat. "Ladies," he called to his sisters, "Miss Sophia and I have very important matters we need to discuss, if you may."

The twins turned to him with an all-knowing look which then turned to warning before they faced Sophia once more to bid her goodbye.

"We hope to see you in the future, Miss Sophia," they moments later when Nicholas almost dragged them out of the parlor.

"As for you," Emma said when they were finally out of earshot, "you take her where you took her."

"I did not take her—"

"Then return her before any scandal breaks loose," Ysabella hissed. "Sweet Mr. Jones! I never expected you to do this, Nicholas. Steal a man's mistress?"

"I did not steal—"

"Still," Ysabella interjected, "you have another man's mistress as your visitor. That can land you to Ulric!"

He sighed. "I was not aware you know what happens in Ulric."

"Any clearing field in the Town is a battleground for all of you senseless men, of course we know what Ulric is for!"

"Please board your carriage, sisters," he ordered, "and wait for me there. I will take you both back to Wickhurst myself."

"Need not," said Emma, already bounding down the stairs, "we can take care of ourselves. As for you, do be certain mother never hears of this!"

*****

Sophia blamed herself the entire time she was inside the parlor alone, hearing the mumbled voices of Nicholas and his sisters. Why did she not tell the ladies the truth? She could have cried for help.

But she knew why she did not.

Never would she allow anyone of Nicholas' family be involved in her troubles. Not again.

She was petting Aabha's head when the door to the parlor opened and Nicholas' form stepped in. She waited for him to speak. When he simply stood there facing her, she sighed.

"You are taking me away again, are you not?" she asked.

"It will not be safe for my family that you stay here," he stated, walking over to the liquor cabinet. "I have been careless, I admit. What happened earlier must not have happened."

Sophia listened as he poured himself a drink. She had a lump in her throat which she swallowed to ask, "And where are you taking me, my lord?"

He came back so she could see his silhouetted form against the bright window behind him. "I will arrange for a new home for you in a village quite far from the ton. The village respects my family as most of them work for the mines and they will not talk. They are as loyal as can be and should your brother locate you there and attempt to come for you, he shall have to face an entire village."

Sophia blinked and her voice broke as she asked, "What are you truly planning to do to me, Nicholas? What do you get from this?"

"Two things: I get the truth from you or I get it from your dear Durley should he decide to come for you."

She started to shake her head even before he finished. "He will never tell you anything."

"If he is truly your brother, Sophia, and if he cares for you like a brother does, he will do anything." He turned and walked to open the door. "Go back to your chamber. I will call for you once things are settled in Puck."