Page 67 of Indecently Daring

Aggie gave a bark of laughter. “Mature! What a rapper.”

Cat stuck her tongue out at her friend, and they all fell about.

“Oh, very mature, Cat. Now, hush, you rowdy girls. Hoydens, every one of you! And here’s me, about to become a respectable married lady.”

Cat sighed. “Lucky Lana. He’s dreadfully handsome.”

“Yes, he is,” Alana replied, not beyond feeling smug at her good fortune. “Well, then, here I go.”

Alana stirred the bits of paper around with her fingers, closed her eyes, and pulled a dare free. It was an old one, the paper yellow and crackling. She peered at the faded writing.

“Dance in a garden at midnight.” Alana looked up and pulled a face. “It’s freezing out!”

“Oh, but how romantic! Dancing in the snow,” Cat said with a sigh. “I should have liked that one, if only I could find a fellow to dance with,” she added wistfully.

“Snow?” Alana said in alarm.

Cat nodded. “According to Pippin, it will snow tonight.”

“We’ll catch pneumonia!”

“Not with a handsome vicar to keep you warm,” Aggie pointed out.

Alana snorted. “Well, he’d better. Who’s going next, then?”

“Me!” Cat exclaimed. “Obviously.”

She snatched up the hat and placed it on her lap, staring down into it.

“No peeking!” Aggie scolded.

“I wasn’t,” Cat retorted, but closed her eyes for good measure. “At last,” she said with a sigh, and trailed her fingers through the dares.

“Oh, come on, choose one,” Alana said, laughing.

Minutes had passed, and Cat still hadn’t made her choice.

Cat cracked an eyelid and glowered. “Hush, this is a significant moment in my life. It must be exactly right.”

Sighing, they all waited until Cat suddenly snatched up a dare. She held it aloft, triumphant, and then shook her head.

“I can’t look at it,” she said, panic in her voice. “I’ve waited so long and wanted this forever, and now… what if it’s disappointing, or awful, or…?”

“The hat is never wrong,” Emmeline said quietly.

Everyone turned to look at her. She had hardly spoken tonight, watching rather than participating, which was not entirely out of character, but she seemed somehow withdrawn. Cat regarded her with interest, and nodded.

“You’re right, of course. Well, then… Oh, it’s an old one again,” Cat said, carefully unfolding the paper with shaking hands. She took a breath. “Do something that frightens you. Oh!” she exclaimed, grabbing hold of Aggie’s arm.

“Good heavens, as if she needed any encouragement to be reckless,” Aggie groused.

“But it’s Mama’s dare!” Cat said, tears sparkling in her eyes. She gave a happy sigh. “Oh, it is perfect. Isn’t it perfect? So romantic.”

“Hmm,” Aggie said, clearly unconvinced.

“Well, it worked out for Mama, didn’t it?” Cat said stubbornly.

“It did,” Emmeline agreed. “And it’s terribly romantic.”