She drew in a shuddering breath. “You know that I love you like a sister.”
“I do.” Emily gave her a look of encouragement as she squeezed her hands.
“But what troubles me involves your brother and—”
“Tell me,” Emily said, alarm making her eyes widen.
Mirabelle shuddered. “He asked me to marry him.”
“What?” Emily asked, going still.
“Well, at least that’s what I think happened. He said something about me not participating in the season and marrying him instead and I—” Her face crumpled. “I think I hurt him with my answer.”
“What did you say?”
Mirabelle shook her head. “Your brother is the most wonderful man,” she answered softly instead. “But—”
“You don’t love him?”
Did she? She thought of the warmth she felt each time he was near. “I think I might.”
Emily let out a rush of breath. “Then that isn’t a problem at all.”
“But…”
Emily’s hands tightened again. “What?’
How did she explain? All she’d hoped. All she wanted for her family, and Anna, and if she were honest, her own wounded pride. “Right now, I need to be a success as a debutante.”
Emil’s brows scrunched together. “What?”
She nipped at her lip. “I’m not certain how to explain.”
Emily gave her an encouraging smile. “I know you’ve always been interested in society, but trust me, as a baron’s wife, you’ll have all the fancy parties you could ever dream of.”
“It’s not that.” She’d never wished to be fancy. Mirabelle had wanted to be successful. “Ace has done so much for this family. If I am a success, I can help him gain even more legitimacy. And then there is Anna. She’ll need me to prove we are a good family.”
Emily blinked, clearly surprised. “But…” She gently pulled on Mirabelle’s arms. “You’d help him and Anna the most by marrying Ken.”
“How’s that?” Did she look as confused as she felt? Of course she understood that marrying a lord would bring her family more legitimacy, but that wouldn’t stop women from gossiping every time she entered a room. Would it?
Emily shook her head. “I forget sometimes that you did not grow up with a mother and friends that engrained in you from an early age the purpose of every lady.”
“And what’s that?”
Emily smiled. “To marry well.”
Mirabelle’s brows knitted. “But how will everyone know how accomplished I am if I don’t have a season? I want them to think we had all the right tutors and connections. I don’t want anyone to doubt Anna when she comes of age.”
“They don’t have to know. They will assume that because you have already acquired what they are all hoping to obtain: the hand of a lord.”
She stared off to one side, digesting all that Emily had said. She could hear the truth in those words. She truly could. But something still nagged. “And what if I need to prove to myself that I’m worthy to be his wife?”
“Oh, Mirabelle,” Emily cried, letting go of Mirabelle’s hands to wrap her arms about her. “If he’s asking, it’s because he finds you worthy already. Shouldn’t that tell you something about yourself? You can prove to all the strangers in the world that you are just as good as any girl born legitimately, but the most important person to you already thinks you’re enough.”
Mirabelle blinked in surprise as Emily’s words sunk in. “I hadn’t thought of it like that.” Her gut twisted. He’d attempted to tell her that he wanted her and then she’d inadvertently rejected him. “He was so upset today…”
Emily smiled as she reached for Mirabelle’s hand. “Don’t worry about Ken. If he cares enough to have asked for your hand, he’ll be back again. He doesn’t give up easily and he’s unfailingly kind.”