Amelia’s shock shifted into calculation. Rebecca watched it happen — her mother straightened her shoulders. “Well,” Amelia said, recovering, “this certainly improves the circumstances.”

Rebecca turned toward her. “Improves them?”

“The marriage no longer needs to be annulled.”

Matthew’s face hardened. Amelia smiled at him. “There has clearly been a misunderstanding. Naturally, we would welcome a permanent union.”

“You called him a temporary inconvenience,” Rebecca said.

“I was working with incomplete information.”