Victoria and the Rogue by Meg Cabot Page A

accused her of being in love with Jacob Carstairs—Jacob Carstairs! Why, that
    was the cruelest blow Victoria had ever received. What could Victoria ever have done to put such a
    ridiculous idea in her cousin’s head? She had had nothing but contempt and ill words for Jacob Carstairs
    since the very unfortunate day they’d met. What could her cousin possibly be thinking?
    The butler showed them into a well-appointed room, high ceilinged and very airy. Jacob Carstairs’s
    home, Victoria saw at once, was pleasant and tastefully decorated. This was due entirely, Victoria was
    certain, to the handsome and dignified woman introduced to her as Mrs. Carstairs, Jacob’s mother, who
    clasped her hand warmly and said, “Lady Victoria, what a pleasure to meet you.”
    Mrs. Carstairs, Victoria noted with approval, had allowed her hair to turn gray, and the silver tinge
    added considerably to the lady’s charm. It was, in fact, incredible to Victoria that so unaffected and
    natural a woman could have given birth to an unpleasant young man like Jacob Carstairs.
    That individual stood by the fire—lit, of course, for though it was summer it rained, as it had virtually
    without stopping since Victoria’s arrival—looking very content with himself indeed. Well, and why
    shouldn’t he? Clearly his intention in inviting Victoria to dine in his home was to show her how very
    wrong she’d been in her low estimation of him. Wasn’t that a Gainsborough hanging above his mantel?
    And weren’t those Dresden shepherdesses on his sideboard? As if, simply because he owned these fine
    things, his opinion on Lord Malfrey’s character ought to be trusted! How rich. Victoria wanted to laugh,
    but she was still too upset over her cousin’s cruel remarks to do more than answer yes and no to Mrs.
    Carstairs’s gentle questions about how Victoria was liking her stay in London thus far.
    What, Victoria could only sit and wonder, as the others sipped champagne and chatted amiably about
    the very topics Victoria most adored, India and the military, could Becky have meant when she’d
    accused her of being in love with Captain Carstairs? Wasn’t it perfectly obvious whom she was in love
    with? Wasn’t she, in fact, wearing his ring?
    Becky was merely jealous. Yes, that had to be it. Becky was still in love with Captain Carstairs, and she
    was jealous because Victoria was marrying the man of her dreams, while the man of Becky’s dreams did
    not seem even to know she was alive. Really, if she thought about it, it was a very pitiable situation
    indeed. Poor Becky, still so deeply in love with the captain that she lashed out at the very person who’d
    tried so valiantly to cure her of that unfortunate malady! And poor Mr. Abbott, who was so genuinely
    smitten with the eldest Miss Gardiner!
    But most of all, of course, poor Victoria, who was the one forced to bear the brunt of her cousin’s
    unhappiness in the form of some very unfair barbs at her own expense!
    Well, Victoria supposed there were martyrs who’d fared far worse and survived. Really, being accused
    of being in love with a man she could not abide was far better than being shot with poisoned darts or
    bitten by asps.
    Or so Victoria supposed.
    By the time the gong sounded for dinner, Victoria had roused herself with thoughts like these, and was
    actually able to join in on the conversation—which was, she had to admit, a far livelier one than any she’d
    enjoyed so far with her fiancé and his mother, who had a rather dull tendency to talk of nothing but
    people with whom Victoria was not acquainted. And the food, Victoria noted with approval, was
    superbly prepared and elegantly served, proving that Jacob Carstairs’s mother was not only a charming
    hostess but competent with the staff as well, a pair of skills that rarely went hand in hand.
    Really, Victoria thought with some amusement as she swallowed a mouthful of savory fruit compote. It is
    just as well I am not in love with