She’d followed her first instinct…
And she’d followed her worst.
Even clueless Emma Woodhouse had recognized what she had in Mr. George Knightley.
What…what had she done?
What had she lost?
She’d run…
The wrong way.
A feeling welled up inside her—the feeling that had been sitting suppressed in her stomach these last two weeks—and demanded expression.Wretchedness.That was the feeling—utter and complete wretchedness.
She opened her mouth, drew in a long, heavy breath, and released a loud, wet sob. One followed by another…and another…until she was a ridiculous, wailing, sodden mess.
Through her great sobs of wretchedness, however, pierced the sound of voices. Voices down the corridor that led to the receiving hall. From the chair where Miss Hiss lay curled in a tight ball, the cat’s head popped up. She, too, recognized the voices. If Delilah wasn’t very much mistaken, they sounded very much like…
“Delilah!” said Archie, entering the room with his usualjoie de vivre.
“Archie,” said Delilah, swiping at eyes that were surely red and swollen. Through glassy tears, she watched another figure enter the room. A small, voluptuous woman who held an elegance and reserve unique to her. “Valentina,” said Delilah, rising to her feet and hugging her brother and sister-in-law in greeting. It was obvious in the cant of her head that Valentina had noted Delilah’s red swollen eyes.
The instant Valentina released Delilah, Miss Hiss bounded into her true owner’s arms.
“What are you doing here?” asked Delilah, a bit of accusation in her voice. But really, it was terrible timing for a social call.
Archie shrugged and settled into the chair Miss Hiss had just vacated. “This was my home the last time I checked.”
Fair point.
Valentina shrugged off her pelisse. “We’ve only just arrived from the Continent.”
Archie cocked his head at Delilah. “Wait… Aren’t you in Switzerland?”
“I haven’t yet mastered the trick of being two places at once.” Delilah wasn’t particularly in the mood for banter with her elder brother, but old habits died hard.
“Well, if you ever do, share your secret with me. I wouldn’t particularly mind composing at the piano and at the same time being in my wife’s—”
“Good gracesis how I believe that sentence ends, husband,” said Valentina, firm.
Mischief sparked in Archie’s eyes. “If that’s what you want to start calling it.”
Delilah only just didn’t groan. She wouldn’t mind sinking into the floor at this very moment, just to escape having to witness the hot stare Archie was directing toward his wife.
More voices sounded in the corridor.
There was a God.
Into the room entered Juliet with Rory just behind. Relief soared through Delilah at the sight of her beloved cousin. Another sob hiccupped in her throat, as she rushed into Juliet’s arms. “What are you doing here?”
Oh, she smelled so good and familiar.
Juliet shifted back so her direct emerald eyes bored into Delilah. How Delilah had missed this…her. “I received your letter.”
Delilah’s gaze shifted. She couldn’t look Juliet in the eye and tell a flat-out lie. “It was only to inform you that I’d arrived back from Switzerland.”
Juliet’s gaze didn’t relent. “Early.”
