Humor flickered in Mariana’s gaze. “Yes, well, Geoffrey is always on the lookout for adventure, and this new cousin of his is that in spades.” All traces of humor faded. “But I’m not here to talk about the boys.”
“You wouldn’t be.” Hortense braced herself.
“Then I’ll cut directly to it. Hortense, you are the bravest woman I know, which is why I don’t understand something.”
“What is that?”
“Why you are behaving like such a coward.”
The statement sucked her breath away.
“Is it that you don’t want to be a marchioness?” Mariana asked. “I could understand that. Such a life isn’t for everyone, including many of the people leading it.”
“I’ve never given it much thought.” Hortense had known from the start she wouldn’t be a marchioness very long.
“You are accustomed to a busy life, but in the role of lady you could find much to occupy yourself. And think of all the resources at your disposal.”
“I suppose you’re correct.”
Mariana canted her head, assessing. “But that isn’t it.”
“No.”
A one-word answer wouldn’t satisfy Mariana. At all. She was going to try a different tack.
“Do you know about Nick and Jamie’s dreadful parents?”
“Beastly.”
Mariana nodded. “Because of those people, Nick had difficulty coming around to the idea of love—”
“Let us not start throwing that word around,” Hortense protested.
Mariana ignored her. “He’d never seen evidence of anything lasting, especially love.”
Hortense’s heart became a hammer in her chest, as if it wanted to burst free and proclaim itself. Every muscle in her body clenched to contain it.
“Well into our marriage, he continued thinking that way, despite all evidence to the contrary.” Mariana refused to release her gaze. “Is that what the universe has taught you, too? That nothing lasts?”
Hortense glanced away. She had to. Mariana was hitting rather too close to the mark for comfort.
“But what if the universe is now offering you a different lesson?”
“I believe I’ve heard everything the universe has to say. In several languages,” she added. Oh, that was more than two fingers of bitters infusing her tone.
“Some things last,” Mariana insisted. “Some people stay.”
Hortense shook her head in denial. Rather like a child, she suspected. “Everything is temporary.” A month ago, the statement would have emerged as simple fact. Now, it couldn’t help sounding hollow and not a little despairing.
A kind smile formed about Mariana’s mouth. That smile nearly undid Hortense. “No, my dear, that simply isn’t the truth. I’m sorry you’ve been telling yourself a lie all these years. True love lasts.”
The knot in Hortense’s chest rose to her throat. She couldn’t speak around it.
“Nick and I have that sort of love.”
Hortense knew this. “What you and Nick share is a rare occurrence, like a lightning strike. I’m not sure it’s for us mere mortals.”
Mariana laughed. “I never took you for someone so sentimental, but, really, love can do that to a person.”
