The Grand Deception

Chapter one 

"Lavinia Augustus! You cannot be serious!" exclaimed Arvinia Augustus, staring in open disbelief at the shiny gold ring emblem with the crest of Horatio's; her cousin was holding out to her in the palm of one hand.

 "I can't wear that. You know as well as I that the golden ring is a token of your betrothal to Alexander."

"Yes, I know," retorted Lavinia. "And that when it is joined with its twin, which even now adorns the Duke of Alfreton's hand, it will serve as my wedding band," she added in the tone of one reciting a litany. "It would be strange if I did not know." 

"Well?" Arvinia questioned, as though she had proved her point. Then, when her cousin showed no sign of relinquishing her outrageous idea, she added, "Faith, Vinia!" Arvinia paced a step and came back. "Alexander believes you are going to marry him! Which means he undoubtedly wishes to take you to Thornhill so that he can make all the arrangements, publish the banns, present you to his family all the things that a beautiful wedding entails. And you want me to go in your place? Good Lord, whatever can you be thinking?"

"Oh, really, Arvinia," Lavinia retorted, as if the request she had just made of her cousin were quite unexceptional.

 "There's no need to make more of this than it is. I just want to borrow you for a little while. Is it really so much to ask? Have I ever refused you anything when you needed it? Have I ever asked for anything in return?"

"No," Arvinia admitted reluctantly, though she could think of more than a few times when Lavinia had used that same argument to cajole her participation in a scheme that had subsequently landed them both in trouble. "But-"

"There, you see?" Lavinia interrupted with an air of triumph. "The fact that I mention such things now only demonstrates the extremities of my situation. My future happiness depends on you, Arvinia."

Arvinia threw up her hands in exasperation.

"Now you are roasting me," she protested, rolling her eyes ceilingward. "For God sake Lavinia, why do you not simply tell Alexander the truth?"