“What kind of ‘help’ do you mean?” Annabelle asked.

“Whatever is required.” Lillian began to scribble industriously in her dance card. “We’ll supplement each other’s weaknesses and give advice and assistance when needed.” She glanced up with a cheerful grin. “We’ll be like a Rounders team.”

Annabelle regarded her skeptically. “You’re referring to the game in which gentlemen take turns whacking a leather ball with a flat-sided bat?”

“Not only gentlemen,” Lillian replied. “In New York, ladies may play also, as long as they don’t forget themselves in the excitement.”

Daisy smiled slyly. “Such as the time Lillian became so incensed by a bad call that she pulled a sanctuary post out of the ground.”

“It was already loose,” Lillian protested. “A loose post could have presented a danger to one of the runners.”

“Particularly while you were hurling it at them,” Daisy said, meeting her older sister’s frown with a sweet smirk.

Smothering a laugh, Annabelle glanced from the pair of sisters to Evie’s vaguely perplexed expression. She could easily read Evie’s thoughts—that the American sisters were going to require a lot of training before they would attract the attention of eligible peers. Returning her attention to the Bowman sisters, she couldn’t help smiling at their expectant faces. It was not at all difficult to imagine the pair flailing at balls with sticks and running around the playing field with their skirts hitched up to their knees. She wondered if all American girls possessed such a plenitude of spirit…no doubt the Bowmans would terrify any proper British gentleman who dared to approach them.

“Somehow I’ve never thought of husband-hunting as a team sport,” she said.

“Well, it should be!” Lillian said emphatically. “Think of how much more effective we’ll be. The only potential difficulty is if two of us take an interest in the same man…but that doesn’t seem likely, given our respective tastes.”

“Then we’ll agree never to compete for the same gentleman,” Annabelle said.

“And f-furthermore,” Evie broke in unexpectedly, “we shall do no harm to anyone.”

“Very Hippocratic,” Lillian said approvingly.

“I happen to think she’s right, Lillian,” Daisy protested, misunderstanding. “Don’t browbeat the poor girl, for heaven’s sake.”

Lillian scowled in sudden annoyance. “I said ‘Hippocratic,’ not ‘hypocritical,’ you dunce.”

Annabelle interceded hastily, before the two began to quarrel. “Then we must all agree on the plan of action—it won’t do any good for any of us to be at cross-purposes.”

“And we’ll tell each other everything,” Daisy said with relish.

“Even i-intimate details?” Evie asked timidly.

“Oh, especially those!”

Lillian smiled wryly and slid an appraising glance over Annabelle’s gown. “Your clothes are atrocious,” she said bluntly. “I’m going to give you a few of my gowns. I’ve got trunks full that I’ve never worn, and I’ll never miss them. My mother will never notice.”

Annabelle shook her head immediately, at once grateful for the offer yet mortified by her conspicuous financial straits. “No, no, I couldn’t accept such a gift, although you are very generous—”

“The pale blue one, with the lavender piping,” Lillian murmured to Daisy, “do you remember it?”

“Oh, that would look heavenly on her,” Daisy said enthusiastically. “It will suit her much better than you.”

“Thanks,” Lillian retorted, flashing her a comical glare.

“No, really—” Annabelle protested.

“And that green muslin with the white lace trim down the front,” Lillian continued.

“I can’t take your gowns, Lillian,” Annabelle insisted in a low voice.

The girl looked up from her notes. “Why not?”

“For one thing, I couldn’t afford to repay you. And it won’t be any use. Fine feathers won’t make my lack of a dowry any more appealing.”

“Oh, money,” Lillian said, in the careless manner that could only come from someone who had a great deal of it. “You’re going to repay me by giving me something infinitely more valuable than cash. You’re going to teach Daisy and me how to be…well, more like you. Teach us the right things to say and do—all the unspoken rules that we seem to break every minute of the day. If possible, you might even help to find us a sponsor. And then we’ll be able to walk through all the doors that are currently closed to us. As for your lack of a dowry…you just get the man on the hook. The rest of us will help you reel him in.”

Annabelle stared at her in amazement. “You’re actually serious about this.”

“Of course we are,” Daisy replied. “What a relief it will be for us to have something to do, rather than sit against the wall like idiots! Lillian and I have been driven to near madness by the boredom of the season.”

“S-So have I,” Evie added.

“Well…” Annabelle looked from one expectant face to another, unable to keep from grinning. “If the three of you are willing, then so am I. But if we’re to make a pact, shouldn’t we sign it in blood or something?”

“Heavens, no,” Lillian said. “I should think we can all agree to something without having to open a vein over it.” She gestured with her dance card. “Now, I suppose we should make a list of the most promising candidates left after the past season. And a sadly picked-over lot they are by now. Shall we list them in order of rank? Starting with dukes?”