“That’s perfect,” Della assured her. “I don’t want Jane to have to worry about buying out my share right now, and you could exercise my powers as co-owner in my place, at least for the time being. If that’s all right with you, Jane?”
“I—” Jane swallowed, looking uncharacteristically lost. “Of course I’m grateful to you.” She nodded toward Annabelle before turning back to Della. “But what do you plan todo?”
It wasn’t easy to say the words that would hurt them. Della took a moment to enjoy the sight first. Her sister and her two dearest friends, all together with her.
She was going to miss them.
“Mama wants to send me to the continent for a little while—”
“Which iscompletelyunfair,” Anabelle interrupted.
“And I’ve decided to agree.”
“What?” Her sister whirled on her. “You can’t mean it!”
“It will give things time to blow over. For people to forget.” She took Annabelle by the shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “I know you shall be utterly lost without me, but you must be strong. At least Bishop’s will keep you busy.”
Annabelle rolled her eyes. A small victory.
“But youwillcome back?” Jane asked, biting her lip.
“Eventually.” How long would it take before her name wasn’t a blight? Before she might hope to be accepted in polite company again? A year or two, at the least. But no, she wouldn’t dwell on the things she had no power to change. Della clapped her hands briskly. “There’s no need for such long faces! I’m not going to Siberia. I expect you’ll change your tunes when I send you copies of all the latest fashion plates from Paris. Now that I’m publicly ruined, I’ve decided to spend my dowry on clothes.”
No one laughed at her joke, which was really quite rude of them. She deserved some credit for her efforts to keep up good cheer.
“I know you’ll miss me,” Della conceded. “But you can always visit if the need arises. For right now, I need you to try not to be too upset. I’m trying to make the best of a bad situation, and it would help me enormously to know that all of you will be all right.”
Reva was the first to respond. She held Della’s gaze as she offered a smile. Slightly strained, perhaps, but the affection in it was real. “You will write to us often, I trust. I might take you up on the invitation to visit if I can arrange for a honeymoon in France.”
“Good.” Della nodded approvingly.
Annabelle was next. “It’s just like you to run off to the other side of the channel the minute you put me in charge of your share of the club. Don’t be cross with me if I do everything differently than you would have.”
“I’ll let Jane be cross with you for both of us. But I’m not leaving tomorrow, you know. I’ll have time to give you advice before I go.”
“Who’s to say I need your advice?” Annabelle retorted, prompting Della to elbow her in the ribs.
Only Jane stood silent. Her lower lip quivered dangerously. “I don’t much like the thought of you going off all on your own.”
“I won’t be alone,” Della assured her. “I’ve decided that Lord Ashton should accompany me, if he’ll agree to it.”
Three pairs of eyes widened. Reva gave a little gasp.
“After all this?” Jane asked.
“Everyone already thinks I’m his mistress,” Della pointed out. “The damage is done. I may as well enjoy some benefit from it.”
“But—”
“I love him,” Della said firmly. “And I’ve spent every day since I met him trying to fight any attachment and keep my feelings a secret and worrying about what other people might suspect. Nowthat everything is out in the open, it would be so lovely to just…stop. To enjoy each other’s company in a place where no one knows us and we don’t have to worry about any of that.”
Now Della understood why she wasn’t in more of a panic over the news this morning. Despite the fact that her good name was ruined, she feltfree. There would be no more lies. No more wondering what might have been if only things were different. If Ashton truly wanted to be with her, there would be nothing to hold him back. And if he didn’t…well, it would break her heart, but at least she would know that she’d tried.
What must he be feeling now?He wouldn’t see things the same way; that much was certain. He’d always been so worried that this would happen—that she would be hurt by his past. For him, it must be a nightmare come to life.
She had to go to him. To show him that she was safe and whole and didn’t blame him for what had happened. He must be in so much pain.
“I need to see him,” Della explained. “You must excuse me. Thank you again for coming. And don’t worry, I’ll come to see you again before I leave London.”
