Chase stilled.
It was Sarah who had innocently asked the question but her two older sisters watched carefully for his answer.
Was that how they felt? Hidden?
“I’m not—” But he had been. He’d hidden their existence from Bethany, until necessity required he tell her. Unless he went ahead with her idea, he’d be hiding them from the world indefinitely—hiding them fromhisworld. “My wife knows all about the three of you, and she is quite looking forward to making your acquaintance. Later this week, on a day that she isn’t required to assist in the preparations for her sister’s debut.”
“There will always be something.” Diana sighed loudly.
“Ignore her, Chase. She’s being particularly difficult today.” Collette as always, was the peacemaker.
“And why is that?” Chase turned to Diana’s frowning face. Although he thought he spied a hint of remorse in her eyes.
All too often, one of their expressions or mannerisms reminded him of his father. If he’d ever had any doubt as to their paternity, he’d only have to look into any of their vibrantly blue eyes. Sarah’s were clouded, but she resembled their father in other ways. Her chin had the same little cleft and she had a distinct shrug to her shoulders.
Whereas the characteristics had once mostly provided a reminder of his father’s betrayal, they were now reminders that none of them were alone.
When Diana didn’t answer, Chase reached across and jostled her knee. “What’s got you out of sorts today?”
“Mama.” She didn’t meet his eyes. “I told her about the announcement in the paper… about Lady Tabetha’s debut. And I told her that I wished we could someday have one. Not as fancy, of course. And…”
“Mother slapped her,” Sarah provided. “Told her to stop thinking like that. That it would only lead to disappointment.”
Some of the pressure Bethany had helped relieve the day before returned to settle solidly on his shoulders once again.
“She’s just frustrated,” Collette explained.
Chase had initially hoped Beverly would make a full recovery from the effects of the apoplexy. She’d regained some of her speech and partial use of her right hand. But walking had been difficult, and she’d eventually given up trying.
Nonetheless… “She shouldn’t have hit you.”
Was Beverly correct, though, in keeping Diana from forming such expectations?
Chase smiled sympathetically at all of them. He’d thought he was doing right by them. Had his presence been as much of a reminder of their father’s failures to them as it had been to him?
Was there something more that he could do?
As their conversation moved to less sensitive subjects, and he took his tea and consumed a rock-like biscuit, Chase decided a visit with Blackheart was in order, and then later he would discuss all of this with Bethany.
He remembered what Blackheart had shared about Lord Lucas—that having one special person in the world could make a man stronger.
Since his father’s death, love had only ever served to drain him. Could Bethany’s love be any different?
Chapter 29
Wagering With Her Husband
Bethany had offered to assist her mother with last-minute preparations. It was something she had grown accustomed to, after all, and Well’s Place still felt very much like her home, but her mother had shooed her away. “Rest, and then wear one of the new gowns Madam Chantal sent over. Chaswick will be in attendance, of course? Our troubles have smoothed over considerably after such a spectacular performance at Blackheart’s ball, but one can never be too careful in such circumstances.”
“Have you heard anything that I should worry about?” Most incredibly, Bethany had already relegated the scandal to the back of her mind. There were more important things in life than society.
“Just a few stragglers with lingering doubts. Josephine believes all will be forgotten by Season’s end. For now, though, the two of you are in something of a … probationary period.”
Concern must have shown on her face because her mother then stepped forward to squeeze her in a reassuring embrace. “I am so very proud of you,” her mother said softly as she drew away.
In all of her adult life, Bethany’s mother had never come close to expressing such untethered approval. It was disconcerting. Not in a bad way, but… It shook her.
“You are proud? Of me?”
