Would he forgive Emily? Could they ever find peace together? Contentment?
Cecily had been right.
“Mama wants to depart for London in the morning,” Coleus whispered from her side of the bed.
“I thought you were asleep.” Rhoda turned over to address her sister. Of course, mother wouldn’t wish to stay on after what had transpired tonight. Hell and tarnation, if her mother knew the half of it, Rhoda would never see the light of day again.
But they couldn’t return to London yet! Her mother would learn of the wager. Rhoda wouldn’t care nearly so much for herself, but this would be ruinous for Coleus and Hollyhock.
“Coleus, I need you to do something for me.” Ah, more lies.
“What?”
A great deal of convincing was not going to be required. Coleus likely didn’t want to return to London either. “You need to tell Mama you’re sick tomorrow. We need to stay one more day.”
Coleus yawned. “How come?”
Hmm… she couldn’t very well confide that she intended to run away with Lord Blakely. “Er, well, we have to be here to support Emily! I can hardly leave on the day my best friend becomes betrothed, now, can I? Will you, Cole? Please?”
“That will mean I have to spend the entire day abed.”
“Once matters are settled, I think Mama might change her mind about leaving. You don’t really want to go back to London before the party is over, do you?”
Coleus plumped her pillow. “No. I’ll tell Mama I’m too sick to travel. But you need to bring me some sweets from the kitchen, okay?”
Of course, Coleus wouldn’t allow Rhoda to get away without some sort of exchange. She was her sister, after all. “I promise.” Rhoda sighed and lay back against her own pillow, watching shadows from outside dance on the ceiling.
Where would she be tomorrow night? Would she be in a carriage, in route to Gretna Green with Lord Blakely?
That stupid wager! Stupid Flavion Nottingham! He’d brought all of them nothing but trouble. She had been so reckless, so incredibly careless to go walking with him at the Crabtree Ball. How many times would she berate herself for being stupid before learning her lesson? The lesson to… not be stupid?
She’d barely dozed off before soft but persistent knocking on the door woke her up. Despite the sun filtering through the curtained windows, Coleus slept like the dead. Rhoda slid out of bed silently. It likely would be Emily, having second thoughts… contemplating declining the earl’s offer.
A lump formed in her throat at the thought.
She tiptoed to the door and pulled it open. Not Emily.
Sophia stood outside, wringing her hands in front of her. “Emily’s gone!” She bit her lip.
“What do you mean, Emily’s gone?” Rhoda ran a hand through her hair, stepped into the corridor and pulled the door closed. She didn’t want Coleus to overhear something she’d gladly share with Holly all too gleefully.
“She’s gone. She left with… Blakely last night!” Sophia’s gaze shifted to the end of the foyer. When Rhoda didn’t respond right away, she grimaced. “Are you angry?”
Rhoda could have been knocked over with a feather. It would have been easier to believe Emily had sprouted wings and taken flight. But was she angry? “No… But why? When? Are you certain?”
Sophia’s eyes shifted again. “I need you to tell Carlisle. He’s in Dev’s study now.”
“Me?” Rhoda squealed and was immediately shushed by Sophia. “Me?” she whispered. “Why me?”
“I, er, well… Perhaps he’ll be less upset hearing it from you.” But Sophia would not meet her gaze.
“What have you done?” Rhoda smelled a rat.
“It’s just that you didn’t seem all that enthusiastic about Blakely. And Emily, well, I rather think she’s taken a shine to him…”
“What did you do?” And she’d thoughtshe’dbeen the manipulative one!
Sophia handed her a folded piece of paper.Have Rhoda meet Blakely behind the mews at three in the morning. A readied traveling coach would be greatly appreciated.
