The one closest to the door to protect you, lass.
And if an intruder comes through the window, you can be the first out the door,she’d teased.
Last night she allowed herself to savor her happiness, but now she had to face an unpleasant task. Edith took a fortifying breath then raised her fist to knock on Lavinia’s door. Her heart raced as the sound of light footsteps approached and the door swung open.
Lavinia greeted her with a smile. “Edith, come in. We missed you at dinner last night.”
She tried to ascertain from her friend’s expression whether Lady Thorne had told her of Edith’s private dinner with Mr. McTaggart, but Lavinia was as unreadable as always. Edith squeezed past her friend and made her way to the same chair she’d fallen over yesterday. “Did I miss anything exciting last night?” Edith asked.
“Dinner was nice, but uneventful.” Lavinia joined her in the seating area and chose a chair facing her. Lavinia narrowed her eyes and frowned. “You look peaked. Are you certain you are well?”
Edith’s guilt must show on her face. “Of course,” she said breezily so Lavinia would stop scrutinizing her. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Helena said you were under the weather last night.”
“Obviously it was a temporary condition.” Edith smoothed the wrinkles from her skirts, avoiding eye contact. She didn’t want to cause any trouble between the sisters by revealing Lady Thorne had told a white lie on Edith’s behalf. “I am better now.”
Lavinia blew out a breath. “Thank goodness. I was afraid you would be unable to travel, and I’ve convinced St. Ambrose we should depart for London next week.”
Edith’s hands trembled. Perhaps this would have come easier if Lady Thorne hadn’t kept Edith’s dinner with Mr. McTaggart secret. “I—uh. Next week is inconvenient.”
Lavinia’s blue-green eyes expanded and she scooted to the edge of the chair to reach for Edith’s hand. “You are sick, aren’t you? All the color has drained from your complexion. I knew I should have insisted on Lord Thorne sending for a doctor. Well, it is not too late.” She hopped from the chair and marched toward the bell pull.
“I don’t need a doctor, Lavinia. I’m not sick. I ambetrothed.”
Her friend whipped her head in Edith’s direction; her mouth formed a silent “O”.
“I wasn’t under the weather last night.” Edith fidgeted with the ruffle on a pillow wedged between her and the arm of the chair. “I was with Mr. McTaggart. He asked me to marry him and I have accepted.”
Lavinia released the bell pull cord and wandered back to stand in front of her. “Oh, Edith.”
Edith studied the floor. She couldn’t bring herself to meet her friend’s disappointed gaze. “I’m sorry, Lavinia. You were counting on me and I’ve let you down. Perhaps Mr. McTaggart would understand postponing—”
“Oh, do be quiet.” Lavinia flung her arms around Edith and hugged her so hard Edith couldn’t catch a breath for a moment. “It is marvelous you are marrying the handsome Scot. My sister has nothing but praise for his character. He will make a good husband, I think.”
When Lavinia released her, Edith laced her fingers together on her lap. “I cannot live with the thought of abandoning you after all you’ve done for me. If you need me in London, I’m certain Mr. McTaggart will understand.”
“What have I done for you that you haven’t done for me in return?”
Edith pursed her lips. “You haven’t forgotten you saved my life. Your false modesty only serves to make me feel worse.”
Lavinia sighed and sank to the floor at Edith’s feet.
“You shouldn’t be sitting on the floor in your condition,” Edith scolded.
Her friend ignored her. “I didn’t realize we were keeping tally. How many marks does saving one’s life earn? Ten? Twenty?” Lavinia flicked a hand in the air. “It doesn’t matter. We would have an equal number of marks. You saved my life as well.”
“No,” Edith murmured. “I was dying. I wouldn’t have survived another night if you hadn’t taken me in and cared for me.”
“I was dying too.Inside.One more night, and I would have drowned in my despair. I’d lost everything—everyone I loved. It was too much to bear.” Lavinia reached for her hand and squeezed it. “Then you came along and gave me a reason to hope. You became my family. I had someone to care about other than myself. I had a purpose again. We were going to make it out of the brothel together and nothing would stop me from making a better life for us.”
Nothing would have stopped Lavinia? Not even if it meant following a path she didn’t want? Edith’s stomach churned with uncertainty. She had never considered the possibility Lavinia’s reluctance to marry St. Ambrose might stem from not loving him. Lavinia would be bound to the marquess forever once she had his child. Edith didn’t know how she could be happy with Mr. McTaggart if Lavinia was miserable. “D-did you make St. Ambrose fall in love with you so we could have a better life?”
Lavinia’s spine stiffened. “How could you ask me such a question? August is not a puppet. I was aware of his attraction to me, but it was mutual. I must admit when the other girls told me of his wealth, I hoped he would offer his protection, but what power do I have to bend a man to my--?” Her hand fluttered up to cover her mouth and her eyes filled with horror. “Oh, Edith.HaveI misused him? Did I manipulate him by encouraging his attentions?”
Edith scooted to the edge of the chair, but Lavinia wouldn’t meet her gaze.“Of course not. I’ve spoken out of turn.”
“But my intentions were selfish in the beginning,” Lavinia said. “I have doomed our relationship, haven't I? Everyone will believe as you. They will say I’ve bedeviled him. Why else would he want someone like me?”
