A Little Bit Scandalous by Robyn DeHart

had.
    Millie linked her arm in with her own and squeezed her hand. “I believe I see some people over there that we simply must see. Come.”
    She led them across the ballroom and Caroline allowed her to do it without asking anything else about Roe and his relationship with Penelope. It was bothersome that no one had seen fit to tell her about the woman before, but she wasn’t really a part of the family, she was merely beholden to them. It was so easy to forget, since Millie was always so loving to her and Roe so generous.
    As they approached the people Millie wanted to see, Caroline recognized Justin immediately. She’d only met Roe’s half-brother a few times when he’d come to visit in Dorset and when she’d been in London before. But he looked the same, his dark, exotic features accented by the broad smile on his face. It would seem married life made him very happy indeed. His wife, Caroline assumed, was the petite blonde standing next to him. She looked vaguely familiar and Caroline guessed they might have met once upon a time.
    “Hello, darling,” Millie said as she reached Justin. She leaned up to kiss his cheek, then embraced the petite blonde. “Clarissa, you look so pretty tonight. Look at you two, so blissfully in love.”
    “Is it that obvious?” Clarissa asked.
    “Yes,” Caroline answered before she thought better of it. But the truth was, she was fascinated by the notion of that kind of love. Love matches, they called them. As a girl she’d expected to make one herself. Love matches were far more common among the lower ranks of the ton. As the daughter of a Baron, she might have met and married someone of her own class. But then everyone in her family had died, one by one, leaving her in a world she had never anticipated. Now as Roe’s ward, she was shuffled into an in-between state. Forced into the highest levels of the ton, without really being a part of them. She was at the mercy of Roe’s generosity, and although he had always been unfailingly generous, she could never forget that the money for her dowry was his, not her own family’s.
    Clarissa smiled at her. “You’re Caroline, aren’t you? I remember meeting you once when we first came out. Are you back in London to stay?”
    “That is my intention.”
    “I have given Caroline my board position for the Dover Street Girls’ Asylum, so let her know if you intend to make a donation,” Millie said.
    Justin smiled. “Millie, you know I can never say no to you. Caroline, let me know how much you need.”
    “Thank you for your support.” It was then that Aggie walked over with a man in tow.
    “Millie, this is the young man I was telling you about,” Aggie said.
    Justin and Clarissa excused themselves and strolled over to the dance floor.
    “Caroline, this is Wade Bishop. He’s an American and he’s here in London making some investments. Mr. Bishop, this is our dear friend, Miss Caroline Jellico,” Aggie said.
    “Miss Jellico, a pleasure to meet you.” Mr. Bishop leaned over her hand, but did not press his lips to it. He was a pleasant-looking man, though she would not consider him handsome. His hair was pale in color and his eyes an unremarkable brown.
    “And you as well, Mr. Bishop,” she said.
    “Caroline, I was telling Mr. Bishop about your involvement with Dover House and he’s interested in learning more about it,” Aggie said. “Primarily about potentially becoming a benefactor.”
    “Indeed. That’s quite kind of you.” Caroline knew this was part of being on the board of directors. This was especially true for her, since she didn’t have money of her own to donate to Dover House. She would have to seek out and line up benefactors for the charity.
    “Perhaps you would accompany me to the refreshment table. I believe I saw some lemonade over there,” Mr. Bishop said.
    Millie and Aggie smiled and motioned with their hands as if they’d choreographed it. So Caroline allowed Mr. Bishop to lead her to the