“I see,” her mother replied, her voice shuddering. “I…I had thought our name might help you find a position…I did not realize we were so reviled.”
Guilt twisted Victoria’s stomach. She did not want her mother to despair, either over her leaving or what the elite of France thought of them.
“Oh, mother, no,” she said with a shake of her head. “We are not reviled, do not think like that. You know how it is…social standing is all that matters to the nobility. If you do not have that, then….”
“You are irrelevant,” her mother whispered.
Victoria sighed. “Mother, please…I know this is difficult, but I can make everything all right again. I just need to go to England.”
Her mother was silent, her expression despondent. Victoria did not know what to say to lift her spirits. She had not meant to upset her mother so. Glancing toward her sisters, she silently bid them to help her.
Mary caught on to Victoria’s silent plea first and hurried forward to say, “Mother, it will be all right. Victoria knows what she is doing. If she goes to England, she is sure to be successful. You just need to trust her.”
Helen nodded. “Yes, mother, trust her. Victoria is determined to help our family. We need to do whatever we can to support her.”
Her mother looked between all three of the sisters, clearly torn.
At length, she released a soft chuckle and said, “I do not suppose I really have a choice, do I? Not when you three have allied with each other.”
The corner of Victoria’s lips twitched into a smile.
“I promise you will not regret this,” she promised.
Her mother nodded. “Very well. I will write to Henrietta. If she agrees to act as your hostess, I will support you going to England.”
Victoria threw her arms around her mother and gave her a tight hug.
“I love you, mother,” she whispered.
“I love you too, sweet girl,” her mother replied. “And I will miss you so much.”
Victoria felt tears suddenly fill her eyes at the thought of leaving her mother and siblings behind, but she held them back. There would be plenty of time for tears later, but at that moment, she needed to be strong for her family.
Everything depended on her.
Chapter 5
The salty bite of the sea air was refreshing, and Edward tilted his chin and closed his eyes, letting the breeze caress his face. It eased the tension in his shoulders, and he found himself relaxing at long last. Since boarding the Empress, which would take him from France to England, he struggled with stomach-clenching anxiety.
He was not ready to return home, but a nine-month tour of the continent was already far too long for him to be away. His father had been writing to him more frequently the last few months, demanding to know when he would return.
Though Edward was loathe to do so, he knew he could not avoid England and the Ton forever. He dreaded the possibility of encountering Miss Cressida again. He had not seen or spoken to her since she had broken things off between them. He had left England shortly after that, not bothering to stay for the remainder of the Season.
In fact, he had done his best to avoid even thinking about her, as he was filled with anger and bitterness whenever she entered his mind. Edward had to take a moment to push down that anger that threatened to rise within him as he considered seeing her again.
It was something he was going to have to get firmer control over. Edward did not want anyone to realize how much Miss Cressida’s rejection still affected him. It would only add to his overall humiliation.
There was a bright side to going back, he reminded himself. His sister Emily had returned to London from the Caribbean and had brought her daughter Lily with her. He had not seen his niece since she was a baby almost four years prior. She had been a delight then, and he could only imagine how she had blossomed in their years apart.
Really, if not for his sister and niece, he might try to make up some excuse not to go back, no matter how insistent his father was. No doubt by that point, Miss Cressida and Andrew had married. With any luck, the worst of the rumours and gossip would have already passed, or perhaps even another scandal had happened to steal the Ton’s focus.
Glancing around, Edward forced himself out of his head so he could take in his surroundings. He had come out onto the ship’s deck, needing fresh air. Still, as it was early evening, most of the other passengers had retreated to their cabins. The crew were having their dinner save for a few left on deck to keep an eye on the water and the ship on course.
It was a surprise, then, when Edward noticed a young lady standing by the deck’s railing, staring out over the water. What struck him immediately was how lovely she was. Her dark blonde hair was braided down her back, and loose strands flew around her face. She held herself like a noblewoman, her chin raised and shoulders straight. Her expression was unreadable, and Edward could not help but wonder what she could be thinking about.
The sun was setting, creating a hazy blaze of light around her. Suddenly, she appeared to lean over the railing, her footing precarious. Panic surged through Edward. Was she about to jump over? If not, she was certainly on the verge of falling, putting herself in such an unstable state.
Instinct took over, and Edward rushed forward. Reaching the woman’s back, he wrapped his arms around her waist and yanked her away from the railing with a cry. He lost his footing, and they both went sprawling onto the deck. Somehow, the woman ended up face-to-face with him, having likely spun around in the air as they fell.
