Mother laughs.Laughs.“And? Your opposition failed. Parliament is about to be out of session. I don’t know what damageyou imagine could be done to our reputations, with your own so low as it is. Couldn’t drum up the votes. Let yourself get beaten by Lord Havenfort.”
Lord Ashmond pushes back his seat and Lord Montson finally, finally stands up. “Father,” he cautions.
Beth slips out of her seat and scurries behind her chair.
“Get out,” Lord Ashmond booms. “Get out.”
“With pleasure,” Mother says, nodding to Beth. “Lady Ashmond, if you ever need help,” she adds.
Lord Ashmond takes a menacing step around the table toward Mother and Lord Montson bodily blocks him. Beth hurries around the table to grab her mother’s hand. Mother squeezes her palm and turns on her heel, marching for the hall.
“Beth,” Lord Montson calls as they reach the doorway.
“Good luck, Harry,” Beth says, offering Lord Montson a bland smile over her shoulder before Mother walks them out of the room. They stride quickly down the cavernous hallway, their shoes slapping against the marble floor.
They hit the foyer and the startled porter automatically opens the front door for them, allowing them to spill out onto the street. The doors slam closed behind them and they trip down the stairs to stand on the sidewalk, heaving in air in the cool summer evening. There’s no carriage waiting—of course there isn’t.
“What was that?” Beth asks, turning to Mother, who’s flushed and a bit disheveled, but standing taller than she’s seen her in months.
“I—I don’t know,” Mother admits, meeting Beth’s eyes. “God, I just—that man—”
“Is abhorrent,” Beth agrees.
“Yes,” Mother says, reaching out to brush a stray hair from Beth’s face. “Yes, you’re right. You’ve been right for a long time, and I thought—I thought I could do this, live this way again, but I can’t. You were right, Beth,” she repeats.
Beth smiles slowly, shocked and relieved. Laughter bubbles up from her chest. A high giggle escapes and Mother’s face blooms into a smile of its own, until they’re teetering there in front of the Ashmond house, gripping at each other to stay standing.
Mother gains enough control to turn them and begin the long walk home. Perhaps they can find a coach for hire closer to the park, but the streets are empty. It’s Thursday evening, and everyone is at home, or at the club, celebrating or mourning the MCA.
“I am sorry,” Mother says a few minutes later as the glee seems to leave them, exhaustion and shock in its wake.
“For what?” Beth wonders.
She’s a bit numb now, but she thinks she’ll be incandescently happy in a few hours. Even with no plan ahead of them, and the house about to be taken—they’re free. They’refree.
“I know he wasn’t your choice, but you at least liked Lord Montson, which wasn’t nothing,” Mother says.
Beth shakes her head, squeezing Mother’s arm. “Don’t worry about that.”
Mother stops, pulling Beth to a halt. “I do worry though,” she says and Beth turns to meet her eyes. “I just blew up your marriage, and now—they’ll be coming to take the house in two days, oh, Beth, what did I do?” she says, panic bubbling up all over her face. “What have I—”
“I don’t care,” Beth says quickly. “I never wanted to marry him. And I didn’t want to watch you acquiesce to Lord Ashmond, and now I don’t have to. We’ll figure it out.”
“But,” Mother says, her face pale under the lamplight.
“We’ll figure it out,” Beth promises, happy to take charge now, since Mother saved them both. “We can stay with Meredith, I’m sure, for a few days.”
“She’s about to get married,” Mother protests.
“All the more reason. Her mother will need a friend,” Beth says simply. Mother shakes her head. “It will be fine.”
“I just ended our one chance at security over a stupid argument,” Mother exclaims, her voice bouncing over the cobblestones. “It will not be fine.”
But Beth—Beth feels a surge of power, of promise, of hope.
“Not our only chance,” she says slowly. “Not at all. Come on.”
She takes Mother’s hand and begins pulling her down the street, toward the corner that will take them one of two ways.
