“I was only disappointed that you got to him before I could,” Avery said.
Elizabeth’s mother had hurried across the library to gather her daughter in her arms. “I am so glad, Lizzie,” she said. “So gladthat you refused to accept his apology. But oh, my poor girl. My poor dear.”
Elizabeth’s mind was numb. From the moment she had heard Geoffrey’s voice behind her after the waltz ended, she had not been able to think with any clarity at all. Except for the one point, upon which she had been perfectly clear from that first moment. She was not going to be able to marry him after all. She had not wavered from that conviction while she listened to his apology, though she had not spoken until a couple of minutes ago.
What a spectacular disaster.
By tomorrow, long before any official notice could appear in the papers, everyone would know that her betrothal had ended not even halfway into her betrothal ball. Even tonight everyone would know, or guess at least.
This had turned into a horrible embarrassment for Anna and Avery, who had been so kind to her. And for her mother and Alex and Wren, who had been so pleased for her.
And for Colin.
She had determinedly kept her mind away from him until now.
He was seriously looking for a bride this spring so that he could begin the new phase of his life he had been planning since last Christmas and New Year. Half theton—at least!—were here tonight and would have witnessed the debacle. She wondered how the story would play out in fashionable drawing rooms tomorrow. She wondered who would have seen what or heard what and if those accounts would bear any resemblance to the truth. Through absolutely no fault of his own, Colin was in danger of being seen as a heartless wrecker of a formally declared betrothal.
They had waltzed together, perhaps a bit overexuberantly with their fancy footwork and exaggerated twirls, smiling into each other’s eyes and laughing. But what had been so very wrong about that? And ultimately they had been talking so earnestly with each other, their heads almost touching, that they had missed the end of the set.
What on earth had they been talking about? She could not even remember. But how would their absorption in each other be construed? Would she be seen as an older woman toying with a young man’s affections? Would he be seen as a young man deliberately goading an older man by dallying with his fiancée? And would anyone remember who his mother was and decide they were not surprised by his behavior? Would anyone seem to remember that she had driven Desmond to drink and a premature death?
Geoffrey had thought it. All these years later he had thought it.
“I am quite all right, Mama,” she said, drawing away from her mother’s arms. “Avery, I am more sorry for this than I can possibly say.”
“Let me see.” He tapped his quizzing glass against his chin and looked upward. “For which of your many sins are you expressing regret, Elizabeth? I cannot think of a single one, and quite frankly I have no wish to listen to any confession of imaginary wrongdoings.”
“WasI behaving inappropriately?” she asked. “WasI, Mama?”
“Absolutely not, Lizzie,” her mother assured her. “Everyone knows that you and Lord Hodges are exceedingly fond of each other. He is Wren’s brother and the only relative of her own with whom she is close now that her aunt and uncle are deceased. You have nothing with which to reproach yourself. Nothing whatsoever.”
“We have been gone from the ballroom for a long time,” Alex said, flexing his right hand. “Mama is quite right, Lizzie. You have nothing over which to hang your head. Neither does Colin.”
“I am not going back up there,” she said. “I am sorry, Avery.”
“I will take you home, Lizzie,” her mother said, as though Elizabeth were a child again.
“I shall rejoin my guests,” Avery said, “and drive them all to distraction by behaving as though nothing of any moment has happened. As nothing has that is any business of anyone except you, Elizabeth, and your immediate family. Riverdale? Will you step into the lion’s den with me?”
“I shall see my mother and Lizzie on their way first,” he said.
But their mother dismissed him as soon as he had sent for the carriage. “Wren will be anxious,” she said. “Go to her, Alex. And I daresay Lord Hodges may be with her. Assure him that none of this is his fault and he is not to talk himself into taking any blame.”
•••
It seemed forever before their carriage arrived and they had been handed inside and the steps put up and the door shut to hide them away in the darkness of the interior.
“Lizzie,” her mother said, taking her hand in a warm clasp.
“I cannot talk yet, Mama,” Elizabeth said, resting her head against the cushion behind her and closing her eyes. “I am sorry.”
Her mother squeezed her hand.
And it struck Elizabeth like a tidal wave. There was no more betrothal. There would be no wedding, no marriage, no home of her own. No children. For she would not now remarry. How could she? She had chosen Desmond for love, and he had loved liquor more than her. She had chosen Geoffrey for his steady character, and he had revealed himself as a possessive, jealous man almost before the wordyeshad passed her lips.
My own treasured possession,he had called her.
He had seen her as apossession.
