“Do?” Courtney rose and began to pace. “The timing couldn’t be worse. Just as I’d started to let someone else in… Is he expecting me to honor our engagement? I think it might be too late. What can I do? The man doesn’t know who I am. It’s not fair…”
Ivy added softly, “He may not remember, but he’s still Lucien. The man you fell in love with is still in there somewhere.”
Farah felt tears prick her own eyes as she watched her dear friend’s world crumble and reshape itself in a matter of moments. The joy of Lucien’s return warred with the pain of his lost memories, and she could see that battle raging in Courtney’s eyes.
“What do I do now?” Courtney whispered, looking up at them with a vulnerability that broke Farah’s heart. “How do I face him? How do I start over with a man who doesn’t even know me? Do I want to start over? I’ve just put it all behind me and finally managed to move on.”
“Perhaps you’ll know when you meet him?” Ivy said softly. “You will know if he’s the man you want to fight for or if you should walk away. But at least you have a second chance to find what you’ve lost. How many women can say that?”
Courtney wiped the tears from her face with the handkerchief Tiffany gave her. “He deserves more than my tears. I will, of course, see him and take one day at a time!”
Farah bit her lip. “There is one more bit of information you must know.” The other ladies looked away. They couldn’t look atCourtney. “He has a daughter, Ava-Marie. She’s three years old. His—wife—is dead. But her cousin Caitria has looked after the child for most of her life. She is here, too.”
Courtney sat still for one moment and then burst into tears again, and they gathered around her, offering what comfort they could.
Chapter Sixteen
The drawing roomwas abuzz with excitement and whispers as the sisterhood gathered at Valora’s home the next day. The only person missing was Lauren, who didn’t wish to leave her returned-from-the-dead brother’s side.
The group of ladies, led by the ever-poised Tiffany, sat in a circle, their expressions ranging from curiosity to concern. Farah took her seat, noting how this was the first time they were all together since her foray to Ireland and Lucien’s unexpected return.
Tiffany began the meeting with the usual formalities, but it was clear everyone wasn’t thinking of shares or their wager with the men. They were too eager to discuss the latest developments regarding the man who had returned from the dead, as well as Courtney, and her predicament with Lucien.
“Have you talked with him yet?” Ivy said softly, breaking the tension. “What will you do now that Lucien is back?”
All eyes turned to Courtney, whose usually vibrant demeanor was now shadowed with uncertainty. She sighed, her fingers nervously twisting a handkerchief in her lap. “He’s calling on me this afternoon,” she admitted. “I thought I had lost him forever, and I’d finally accepted that. In fact, oh, never mind… But now he’s back…it’s like a dream. A dream that I don’t know the ending of. Everything has changed. He doesn’t remember me. Ishe even the same man I remember? How am I supposed to deal with that? Where do I start?”
The room fell silent, the weight of her words settling over them. She watched Courtney closely, empathizing with the turmoil her friend was experiencing.
“He is a man in need of a wealthy wife. You would seem the logical choice given your previous relationship. Is that something you’d consider?” Tiffany said.
Courtney nodded at her friend’s words. “Part of me wants to remind him of everything we had, to make him remember our love. But from what I have heard, he will never remember. He didn’t know Rockwell, and they were best friends since childhood. Can I endure watching him live a life with no recollection of me? Worse still, what if he no longer finds me attractive? What if the attraction we felt for each other is no longer there?”
“It’s a difficult situation. His father will want him to marry quickly because of their financial situation. Lucien may not have time to find a love match. He might wish to honor your contract. Have you thought of that?” Tiffany acknowledged.
Valora snorted. “He would be stupid to not consider you, because he knows he loved you once before. What if he wishes to hold you to the contract? Would you cry off?”
“But I’m just a stranger to him, as everyone is. Besides, he married. That nulls our betrothal.”
Farah spoke up. “He will consider you because we have all spoken so highly of you. But what about you? He will look like the man you loved,” she said with a sigh, “but he’s changed. You must also consider what’s best for you, Courtney. Can you marry a virtual stranger in the hope he learns to love you again? Don’t lose yourself in trying to reclaim the past.”
Courtney nodded, but her eyes filled with unshed tears. “I just… I don’t know if I can risk my heart with him again. But Istill love him so much. But I love who he was… What if I can’t love who he is now?”
Farah nodded. “Yes. He’s confused and frustrated by his amnesia. I just wish his father wasn’t so concerned with money. He needs time to find his way back into this world without having to worry about marriage.” She reached out and squeezed Courtney’s hand. “We’ll be here for you both.” Courtney smiled.
The other ladies murmured softly, their expressions a mix of sympathy and encouragement. Courtney wiped a tear from her cheek, a small smile breaking through her sadness. “Thank you. That means more to me than you can imagine.”
“What are you going to do?” Ivy asked gently.
Courtney straightened, a new resolve in her eyes. “I’m going to help him. I’ll be patient and give him the time he needs to decide what he wants and if we are still suited, but I will think of myself this time. I’ve waited long enough.”
They all knew Lucien had little time. Creditors were at the door.
Tiffany smiled warmly. “That’s the spirit, Courtney. Rockwell says he’s still the same man underneath his new persona. If that’s the case, there’s every possibility he will come to love you again.”
“And what are you going to do about Lord Franklin?” Valora asked Farah as she poked her in the arm.
“I am politely, but strongly, declining his offer. He is calling on me this afternoon, too. And I now know I don’t need to create a scandal to do that. The timid mouse is finally standing up for herself.”
