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.”“Let’s go and do it now, as I’m desperate to have some time alone with you.”They started toward the ballroom.“I don’t think that will be possible tonight.”His brows drew together as they made their way through the crush of people.“Duchess, that is not what I want to hear from you.”“You must speak to Mr.Bickerman about Captain Spyglass’s ship.”“Never fear.That will be done first.But then I’m coming to see you, and I will continue until you come to your senses and agree to marry me.”Susannah gasped and looked around.“Race, you shouldn’t say that so loud.Someone might hear you.”He smiled.“So be it.I am not afraid to let people know that I love you, and I want to marry you.”Susannah’s heart lifted; her hands trembled with expectancy.She stopped in the middle of the room.“Are you really asking me to marry you?”Suddenly a hand clapped Race on the back, and Blake, Henrietta, Morgan, and Sir Randolph gathered around them.Susannah smiled as greetings were exchanged among the group.There would be time later to talk to Race about love and marriage.But for now, she was so happy he wanted to marry her, she felt as if she were walking on air.She knew she was not Race’s cousins’ favorite person, but at least they tolerated her in good humor.She liked the fact that it didn’t bother Race, but instead, he reveled in it.Sir Randolph’s face was horrifying.Both his eyes were swollen, as well as one side of his mouth, and there was a cut above one eye.“Sir Randolph,” Susannah said, “how wonderful to see you looking so well.Congratulations on your victory.”The dapper gentleman bowed.“Duchess, thank you kindly.There was one time this afternoon I was beginning to have doubts as to whether I would win.”“I never lost faith in you,” she said with encouragement.“I want everyone to know that Gibby promised us,” Race said, pointing to his two cousins, “that he would never do anything as foolish as this fight ever again.We intend to hold him to that.”“I gave my word,” Sir Randolph added.“And we all know what your word means to you, don’t we?” Henrietta said.“Indeed, we do,” Susannah agreed.“I believe he once said something to the fact that, if a man loses his wealth, he’s lost nothing.If he loses his good health, he’s lost something, but if he loses his honor, he’s lost everything.”“That is exactly what Lord Chesterfield said, and I believe it and live by every word of it,” Sir Randolph agreed.Morgan chuckled.“I think one or both of you have added words or taken words from Chesterfield’s actual quote, but you are probably close enough.”Susannah noticed, as they continued to chat, that the noise in the room slowly got quieter.Suddenly, she saw the people in front of them stepping aside, parting as if to let someone pass.Gasps and soft whispers rumbled throughout the room.Race gave Susannah a questioning glance.“I wonder what’s going on.”“I have no idea.”“Maybe the prince came in to offer his congratulations to Sir Randolph,” Henrietta offered.“Can’t be,” Gibby said.“He’s already sent me a congratulatory note.Besides that, the prince always has someone announce him.But I don’t know of anyone else who would bring about this kind of hush in such a large crowd.”“Damnation,” Morgan said and then looked at Race.“It’s not the prince, but who the hell is she?”Morgan pointed to the entrance to the ballroom where, on the landing, stood a regal, older lady dressed completely in black except for five strands of pearls that circled her neck and fell to her waist.Race’s chest tightened as he stared at the pale woman surveying the faces in the ballroom.“Who is she?” Blake whispered.“I have no idea,” Race murmured.“I’ve never seen her before, but I have seen those pearls around our grandmother’s neck many times.”Susannah swallowed a lump of fear that lodged in her throat and took her breath.Slowly she stepped forward.“I know her.She is my mother, Mrs.Madeline Parker.”Race whipped his head around to Susannah and she groaned.She saw doubt and distrust in his eyes once again.What was her mother doing walking into the ballroom wearing the pearls?“Race, let me explain,” she whispered.His eyes were wide with disbelief.“You took the pearls and gave them to your mother?”His accusation stung.“Race, no.”“You told me you didn’t steal the pearls, and I believed you.”“I didn’t,” Susannah insisted.His gaze held fast to hers, as if he searched for answers.She couldn’t believe this was happening after their relationship had just begun to heal.“Are you telling me your mother stole them?”Susannah gasped in shock.“Of course not.I asked her to send them, not bring them and wear them.Let me explain.”“There’s no time for that, Duchess,” Morgan said.“Spyglass and Winston are descending on your mother right now, and she looks like she’s about to faint.”“With those pearls around her neck, she could be in danger,” Blake added.“I don’t trust either one of them.They might try to grab the pearls and run.We’ve got to get her out of here.”“Morgan is right.You can explain at your house, Susannah,” Race said.“Right now, we have to get your mother home.I’ll go with you and ride up front in the carriage with your driver.”“You are not leaving without us,” Blake said to Race.“Morgan and I will be right behind you in my carriage, just in case Spyglass or Winston decides to follow and cause trouble.Henrietta, you ride with Gibby, and I’ll see you at Susannah’s house.”“Let’s go,” Race said.“They’ve reached her.”Like horses heading for the barn at feeding time, Race, Susannah, Morgan, Blake, Henrietta, and Gibby all waded through the crowd toward the entrance of the ballroom.By the time they arrived, Spyglass and Winston were standing in front of Susannah’s mother, admiring her and the pearls.She was backing away from them, her eyes sweeping from one to the other in fear.Susannah rushed up to her and the words starting tumbling past her lips.“Mother, how did you get here? 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