Gallantinewasincensed."d.a.m.nyou,Lotharian!Youhavebeenlyingtousall,eventoLilywhiteandtome-yourtrustedbrothersoftheOldRakesofMarylebone.Andyoudidthis...why?"

"Formyplantowork,everyonehadtobelieveitcompletely."Lotharianwithdrewthedoc.u.mentboxthatbelongedtotheirfather.

HemusthavegonetoBerkeleySquaretoretrieveit,Elizabethrealized,nottoconveyhertothislibraryashe'dclaimed.

"Thankfully,yourfatherdidhavemanyconnectionsincourtandParliament.Hedidfavors,andkeptsecrets...inthisbox."

LadyUppertonspokeatlast."Lotharianaskedmetocreateamechanicalfalsebottominthedoc.u.mentbox-whichIdid.Init,hehidseveralitemsfromyourfather'sbelongings-itemsfromwhichhecouldweavethedark,yetfancifulstorythatyouthreeyoungladieswerethesecretdaughtersofMariaFitzherbert,theprince'sillegalCatholicwife."

"So,LadyUpperton,youknewofthispla.n.a.llalong?"Lairdasked.

Shenodded."Iconfessdid.Mostofthetime,Idid."

Maryshookherheadfiercely."Idonotbelieveit.Thecashmereshawl-itdidbelongtoLadyJersey."

"Yes,itdid,"Lotharianadmitted."Roylesavedmanythings.AmongthemwasashawlthatLadyJerseyhadusedtostopPrinny'sbleedingafterabloodletting.Justa.s.shesaid."

ElizabethstudiedLotharianclosely.Hisusualcooldemeanorwasabsent.Hehadtobelying.

"Thepagefromtheweddingregisterthatwefoundinsidethebook?"Anneaskedimpatiently.

"IonlyplacedtheBookofMaladiesinsidetheboxbecauseRoylehadwrittenallsortsofcrypticnotesinthemargins.Theletteropener,andwhatwasinsidethebook-bothacompletesurprisetome,"Lotharianruefullyconceded."Clearly,youandyoursistershaveaknackfordeductivereasoning,aswellasagooddealofpureluck."

"Why,ifthisistrue,didyouincludethebottlesoflaudanum?"Elizabethprobed,stillnotquitebelievingLotharian'snewstory."TheyweremarkedwithSirHenry'sinsignia."

"Yourfatherhadagreatnumberofbottlesandpotions.Hewasaroyalphysician,aswa.s.sirHenry.Ihadnonotionthebottlesborethebaronet'smark.Iincludedthelaudanumbottlesbecausetheyworkedsowellwithmycontrivedstory.IfMariaFitzherbertwasdrugged,shewouldnotknowwhetherthebabieswerebornaliveordead.Ifshedidnotknow,andyoutrulydidhaveconclusiveproofofherlineage,Idoubtedanyofyouwoulddareapproachherwithsuchanoutlandishstory."

Everyone,exceptLadyUpperton,hiswillingcohortinthismonstrouslieofalllies,gloweredatLotharian.

"WhatIdonotunderstand,Lotharian,"Annesaid,"iswhyyouwenttosomuchtroubletocreateafantastichistoryforus,amysterytobesolved."

"BecauseifIsimplytoldyouthestory,youwouldnotbesoconvinced,"Lotharianexplained."Ifyouuncoveredproofofyoursupposedpastyourself,youwouldbefarmorelikelytobelievethatyouwere...princessesbybirth.Worthyofthecompanyoftheton."

Elizabethstoodupandsetherhandsfirmlyonherhips,thewayshe'dseenPrincessCharlottedosomanytimes."Whyshouldwebelieveyounow?Thistaleisasfantasticasthefirst."

"Becauseyourfatheraskedmethefavorofseeingyouhappy-heknewwhoIwas.WhatIwas.Thatiswhy,whenhefirstbecameill,ofallofhismanyfriends,hecametomefirst.HeknewIwoulddoanything.Iwouldnotstopuntilthethreeofyouwerehappyandmarried.Heknew,becauseofwhatIwas,hecouldrelyuponmetofulfillhisdyingwish."

Theroomwasverystill.

"Idonotknowwhattobelieve,"Annesaid.

"Whatiseasiertobelieve,sister?"Maryasked."ThatwearethesecretdaughtersofthePrinceofWalesandMariaFitzherbert?OrthatsomepoorfarmmaidinCornwallleftthreebabiesonourfather'sdoorstep?"

Elizabeththrustbothherhandsoutward."Itdoesnotmatterwhatthecirc.u.mstancesofourbirthwere."SheglancedatSumnerandsmiled."Don'tyouunderstandthat?Weareallmarriedtothemenwedearlylove.And,la,Mary,youhavealreadybeenblessedwithababybornofthatlove."

LadyUppertonlookedupthen."Elizabethhastherightofit.Whatmattersisnotwhereyoucomefrom,itiswhereyouhavecome.Thegiftyourfatherleftyouisensuring,bywhatevermeans,thathisdaughterseachhadloveintheirlives.Lotharian,thoughhismethodswerenottheleastbitorthodox,madeyourfather'sgrandestwishforthethreeofyoucometrue."

Lotharianstoodattheedgeofthegathering,hisleanarmsfoldedprotectivelyoverhischest.

Elizabethwalkedacrossthelibraryandembracedhim."Thankyou,Lotharian."SheturnedandlookedtoAnne,whoroseandcametoLotharianaswell.

"ThoughthereweretimesIwouldhavewrungyourneckhadIknownwhatyouweredoing,nowIcanonlythankyou.Foryouachievedmyfather'sgoal.Iaminlove,Iamloved,andIamthehappiestIhaveeverbeeninmylife."ShehuggedLothariantightly.

Marystood,armsfolded,andlookedLotharianhardintheeyes."Whatyouputusallthrough..."

"Loveisworththemosttoyou,anditschancesaregreateroflasting,ifyouhavetoworkforit,"Lothariansaid."ItwasalessonthatbothyouandRoganneededtolearn."

Maryexhaledasmalllaugh.Sheclosedthes.p.a.cebetweenherandLotharianandembracedtheoldman.

"Allisforgiven?"heaskedtentatively,thenlookedtotheOldRakes,whocameandreachedout theirhandstohim.

ThenLothariansilentlyturnedtothethreeyoungmen."Isupposethethreeofyouwilltakemeoutsidenow."Hegrinnednervously.

"Onlyifwecannotshakeyourhandhere,goodfellow,"Sumnersaid.

"Youbroughtuseachagreatgift,"Lairdadded."Iamgrateful."

"Arakeisarake...untilhemarries,"Rogansaid."Ioughttoknow.So,howcouldIpossiblyfaultyouforyourlessthanwhollyhonorablemethods?"HeclappedLotharianontheback.

"Exactly,lad,"Lotharianreplied."ButIhavecometobelievethatIhavelivedmylifeasarakelongenough."Ittooksomedoingforhisoldbonestomanage,buthekneltdownbeforeLadyUpperton."w.i.l.l.you,dearlady,domethehonorofbecomingmywife?"

"Oh,mygoodness."LadyUpperton'seyesroundedandsheclappedahandtoherchest.Theoldwomantookamomenttosteadyherbreathingbeforereplying."Haveyougotmyfather'sconsent?"

Lotharianblinkedinconfusionforamomentandthengrinned."Ihavenot,mylady,soIsupposeitwillbeaGretnaGreenweddingforthetwoofus.ButImustknow,mydeargel,justhowfastisyourfather'shorseandhowishisaim?"

Everyonelaughed.

Thatis,untiltheyrealizedLotharian'sproposalwasnoruse.

AndthatintwodaystimetheirpresencewouldindeedberequiredinGretnaGreen,forthelongshotmarriageoftheseason-thatoftheoldrake,LordLotharian,andLadyUpperton.

Epilogue.

T heraintrickleddownthewindowpanes,squirmingandwrigglingliketheearthwormsMrs.PrudenceWinkshadflungwithhercanefromthewalkintothesoddengardenborderingherniece'sresidencea.s.shearrivedforhervisit.

Herniecesatverystill.Herexpressionwasa.s.somberastheafternoonsky.

"Youcanchangeyourmind,Maria,"Prudencesaid."Thefactthatthegelsareallmarriedmeansnothing.Youca.n.a.lwayscomeforward-andtellthem."

MariaFitzherbertraisedherblueeyestoPrudence."No,Icannot.Thereisnoneed."

"Thereis."Shehadposedasthesisters'greatauntfortwoyears,andhadcometolovethemasthoughtheywereherown."Theywouldwishtoknowyou."

Mariashookherheadslowly."Itwoulddonogood.Hewouldhearofit,theChurchwouldlearnoftheirexistence,andtheirliveswouldneverbetheirownagain."

"Butiftheycouldchoosebetweenknowingyouandalifeofnormalcy-"

"Theyshallneverhavetheneedtochoose,Prudence.Ihavechosenforthem."AloneteartrickleddownMaria'scheek."Imademydecisionmorethantwentyyearsago.Andweallmustlivewiththatchoice."

"ButMaria-"

ThecornersofMaria'spinkmouthlifted."Theyarehappy,yousay?"

Prudencesmiledgently."Theyare."

Sheturnedhergazetoherfoldedhandsuponherlap."Then,Idonotregretmydecision."

HeatstungPrudence'seyes.Therewasnomoretobesaid.

MariaturnedhereyesbackuptoPrudence."Cheriehasrequestedthatsheremainwithyou.Igavehermyblessing."

"Truly?"Prudenceswipedatthetearcatchinginherlashes.

"Ihavemanagedwellenoughwithoutherservicesasamaid,butIwillmissourweeklychatsaboutthesisters,"Mariaadmittedsoftly.

"Thereisnoreasonthosecannotcontinue.NodoubtsheandIwillseethegelsoften,"Prudencesaid."ThoughtheymayhavetoadjusttotheknowledgethatCheriecanspeak,andisonlyveryquietbynature."

Mariachuckledsilently."Isn't.i.tsomethingthatwhensomeonedoesnotspeak,thosearoundforget shecanhear."

"Evenwhensheis...sleeping."Prudencegrinned.

HowsadthatherpartinLotharian'sgrandschemewasatanend.b.u.t.therelationshipsshehad enjoyedwerenot.PrudencepressedthetipofhercaneintotheAubussoncarpetandslowlycametoherfeet.She facedherdearnieceonelasttimebeforedeparting."Thankyou,Maria."

ThethinskinaroundMaria'seyescrinkled."Thankyou,Prudence?Forwhat?"

"Nevermind,mydear.Just...thankyou."

AsPrudencecanedherwaythroughthefrontdoor,tearsblurredhervision,butshewa.s.smiling.

Inbecoming,inallways,thesisters'greataunt,shewouldbelovedandcaredforintoherlateyears, justa.s.shehadbeenforthepasttwoseasonswiththeRoylesisters.

Shewouldneverbealoneagain.

AndforthatshewouldalwaysbegratefulforthegiftMariahadgivenher.

Author'sNote.

B ecausemystoriesoftenincludeaconcoctionofrealandfictionalcharacters,onequestionreadersoftenaskmeis,"Didthisreallyhappen?"Well,thisisadifficultquestionformetoanswer...becausetheanswerisbothyesandno.WhiletheheartofHowtoProposetoaPrince,theromanceofElizabethandSumner,isfictional,therestofthestoryisacomplexblendofhistoricalfactandmyownimagination.

Forinstance,GeorgeIVandMariaFitzherbert,aCatholic,weresecretlymarrieduntiltheCrowndecidedthemarriagewasillegalandthereforeneverhappened-leavingtheprincefreetomarryCaroline,PrincessCharlotte'smother.Therewasalsospeculation,evenduringtheRegencyperiod,thatMariaFitzherbertmayhavesecretlybirthedachildfromthisunion.ThisrumorwasbolsteredbythefactthatduringherlifetimeMariaFitzherbertrepeatedlyrefusedtosignadoc.u.mentswearingthatsheneverhadachildbytheprince.

PrinceLeopold'sfamilydidlosevastholdingstoNapoleon,andhispursuitofPrincessCharlotteverylikelyarosefromtheneedforhimtomarrystrategically.ItisalsosaidthatafterhismarriagetotheunrulyPrincessofWales,hedidcometocareforCharlotteandmourneddeeplywhenshediedinchildbirthashorttimelater.

ThebeautifulMissMargaretMercerElphinstonewasindeedPrincessCharlotte'sonlyintimatefriend.ShebecameaclosefriendofPrinceLeopold'saswellandiscreditedwithbeinginstrumentalinbringingthetworoyalstogether.

SirHenryHalfordwasaninfluentialsurgeontobothmembersoftheroyalfamilyandtomanypowerfulpersonalitiesinParliament.Mostnotably,hewasphysicianextraordinarytothemadking,GeorgeIII.Hedid,infact,performtheautopsiestoconfirmtheident.i.tiesoftheskeletalremainsofKingHenryVIIIandKingCharlesI.HepublishedhisfindingsinAnAccountofWhatAppearedonOpeningtheCoffinofKingCharlesI,intheVaultofKingHenryEighthinStGeorge'sChapelatWindsor(London,1813).Reports.e.xistofthebaronetfrighteningandawinghisdinnerguestsbyusingtheseveredcervicalvertebraeofthebeheadedCharlesIasamacabresaltcellar.Hiswasastorytoooutlandishtobeaworkoffiction.Ihadtomergeitwithmyownstory.

OtherthanthebridgeovertheSerpentine,whichdidnotyetexistwhenthisstorytookplace,everyscenewa.s.setinlocationsthatexistedduringtheRegencyperiod,manystillexistingtoday.

AsfortheRoylesistersandtheirquesttoprovetheirroyalbloodline,sadly,theheroinesarecompletelyfictional,b.u.t.theirquestisnot.EventodayIknowofatleastonefamilysearchingtoprove-throughDNAinsteadofcluesbeneaththefalsebottomofadoc.u.mentbox-thattheyaredescendedfromachildborntoGeorgeIVandMariaFitzherbert.Thisbookisdedicatedtothatfamily.

Cheers,KathrynCaskie.

AbouttheAuthor.

KATHRYNCASKIEhaslongbeenadevoteeofhistoryandthingsofold,soitcameasnosurprisetoherfamilywhenshetooka careerdetourofftheonlinesuperhighwayandbeganwritinghistoricalromancesfulltime.Withabackgroundinmarketing,advertising,andjournalism,shehaswrittenprofessionallyfortelevision,radio,theinternet,magazines,andnewspapersinandaroundmetropolitanWashington,DC.

HowtoProposetoaPrinceisherseventhnovel.

Kathrynlivesina200yearoldQuakerhomenestledinthefoothillsoftheBlueRidgeMountainswithhergreatestsourcesofinspiration,hertwoyoungdaughters.ReadersmaycontactKathrynthroughherwebsiteatwww.kathryncaskie.com.Visitwww.AuthorTracker.comforexclusiveinformationonyourfavoriteHarperCollinsauthor.

ByKathrynCaskie HOWTOPROPOSETOAPRINCEHOWTOENGAGEANEARLHOWTOSEDUCEADUKE.

IfYou'veEnjoyedThisBook, BeSuretoReadTheseOther AVONROMANTICTREASURES.

INMYWILDESTFANTASIESbyJulianneMacLeanTHEPERILSOFPLEASUREbyJulieAnneLongTHESCOTTISHCOMPANIONbyKarenRanneyUNTOUCHEDbyAnnaCampbellTHEWICKEDWAYSOFADUKEbyLauraLeeGuhrke ComingSoon NEVERTRUSTASCOUNDRELbyGayleCallen