“You cannot watch over me forever,” she responded from where she sat. “Besides, I am not alone. I have Harrison nearby. Chance rolled his eyes. Of all the names for the man his sister would affiancé herself to, it had to be Harrison--Harrison Beecham, the Viscount Bering.
“You mean Viscount Boring?”
“LordBeringisnotboring. Besides him, anyway, I have the lady’s guild meetings. I’ll keep myself busy.” She added, but then grew serious. “You can trust me, Chance. If you think you might still love her, and if you believe there is a chance, I want you to go. It would comfort me a great deal. It might even assuage some of my guilt—”
“I’ve never blamed you for any of it.” Chance interrupted his sister and turned to stare at her. She wore her hair, the same color as his, swept up into a simple but pretty knot. Her blue eyes no longer guarded secrets from him, but were wide, honest, and clear. Her gown was simple but also quite pretty.
She had changed.
She was stronger now.
“It has been a difficult year.” What with their mother’s death and then Hannah’s illness.
“And yet I have not fallen apart.“ His little sister smiled sheepishly at him. “I am not a child, Chance. You can go on with your life now. “ At the age of eight and twenty, her statement was true. And yet she’d always be his little sister.
“I’m proud of you.” The words nearly caught in his throat. She easily could have given up on life and yet she’d fought hard to find herself again—more than that, she’d accepted herself. And Lord Bering seemed to have done so as well.
Adelaide only stared at him. “Will you go to her?” She asked again.
Chance had waged this battle with himself since the moment Hannah had been lowered into the ground. Not well done of him? He supposed. And yet a part of him didn’t care.
“What if she is attached to another man, or married?” But she was not, according to Hollis.
“What if she is not?” Adelaide countered.
Chance’s heart raced at the thought that there might be hope. He didn’t respond, however, but instead turned to stare out the window again.
“Harrison and his parents have invited me to dinner tomorrow evening,” Adelaide’s voice barely registered with him. “I accepted because although we are in mourning, they are practically family. Do you have any objections?”
Chance just shook his head, still lost in the possibility....
“I didn’t think that you would. Will you be joining me? You know that you are always invited as well.”
Was it possible she could forgive him? Was it possible that she could love him again?
“Chance? Did you hear me? Will you be joining me for dinner at Bering house?”
His sister’s voice jolted him out of his thoughts.
“I’m afraid I must decline,” he responded. “I’m going to travel to London after all. I have some urgent business I’ve already put off for too long.”
Upon hearing his words, Adelaide smiled broadly. “Well then, by all means…”
Chapter 15
Chance
Two Years and Two Weeks Before
(Four days after Chance left Aubrey)
Prosser Heights, Margate.
The country estate of the Earl of Beresford
Chance tugged at his cravat. It had been tied unusually tight that morning. He was going to have to have a word with his valet, Edward. Just because he was marrying didn’t mean he wanted an actual noose about his neck. It that was what he wished, well then…
“You’re certain you want to go through with this?” Hollis filled two glasses with a spicy amber liquor and handed one to Chance. “You could take your chances. Your title may be French, but youarestill a duke. Likely, you wouldn’t be convicted.”
