“I…” he began. “I simply wanted to check on you.”
“I am quite well,” she said, her voice even huskier than usual, likely from disuse. From what he understood, she had said little to nothing since yesterday.
“I see. Well. I was hoping to see if you might have some time to dine with me tonight. Since you appear to be feeling better.”
The last sentence was a bit of an unfair coup, as he knew it would remove the possibility of her claiming illness.
“My appetite is meager,” she said, steely.
“That is fine. You do not have to eat, I am merely asking for your company.”
“I am afraid my company is meager as well at the moment.”
Perhaps his pride was a hair too great, for it cut deeply to say what he knew he had to.
“Augusta,” he said. “Please, give me something here.”
For a flicker of a beat, he saw compassion in her eyes. But then that icy exterior returned, making him wonder if he had only imagined it.
“No,” she said finally. “I don’t think I will.”
With that, she turned around, offering him her back once more.
His anger was both swift and unjustified. Still, he could not keep it from his voice as he sank all the way down to his plan of last resort: demanding.
“We shall take breakfast together tomorrow. That is not a request.” Then, like the cad that he was, he left her with nochance to argue and swept out into the hallway, shutting the bedroom door behind him with far too much force.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Perhaps it was her husband’s insolence that had done it, but Augusta found herself fired up all afternoon. She could hardly focus on the letter regarding Lady Wallingford’s latest update, sent by Dr. Pinkton before her spell and intercepted by Milly, faithful as ever. The words all blurred together before her, her husband once again having robbed her of her abilities.
Not that it mattered so much. She was only a wife now.
Which was why, when Ginny called for her that afternoon, she accepted without delay. It was time for her to leave her stuffy room, to rejoin society and go about the business of pretending that her life had not so completely fallen apart.
She’d made up her mind to remain strong in front of her friend. But upon entering the drawing room and seeing the familiar, open face of her dearest confidant, she immediately tossed that resolve to the wind.
Ginny stood up from her place by the window as Augusta rushed into her arms.
“Oh, dear,” Ginny said, already assessing the damage to Augusta’s countenance. “What has happened?”
Augusta sighed, wondering where she might even begin. How did one sum up their own demise with clarity and goodnarration?
“I am just so happy to see you,” she said into the fabric of Ginny’s dress. She hoped that that was enough for now.
“Of course. When Lord Brightwater told me to come visit, I practically flew over here.”
Augusta stiffened.
Slowly, she pulled back from the hug, looking at her friend with a fresh wave of suspicion.
Sebastian had told Ginny to come. The man who had orchestrated all of her thoughts and life decisions for the past months had now orchestrated this very moment, and that made her feel that something must be greatly amiss. What other parts of her life had he sunk his claws into? Who else had he manipulated in order to get Augusta where he’d wanted her?
The thoughts increased, spiraling one into the other until Augusta thought that she could no longer think one single coherent thought. She pushed away from Ginny with a shove.
“Did you know?”
Ginny looked at her with wide eyes, her mouth hanging open. “I’m sorry?”
