“Perhaps. But not today.” Callie took hold of Richard’s arm, desperately needing his support, and they left the small salon.
Outside, Richard called to the horse boy, “Skip, we’re going to walk around the block and will join you back here.”
Grateful for an interlude to collect herself, Callie remained silent for the rest of the long block. After they turned right into the cross street, she said haltingly, “I wronged Jane. All these years I’ve blamed her for what happened that night.”
“She might have done the same thing if she’d known your plans, but her motives would have been different. Though not necessarily better.” Richard steered her around a hound that was flopped in the middle of the sidewalk. “Strange to think that the whole chain of events was triggered by a schoolgirl’s infatuation. I had no idea she thought of me that way. I scarcely noticed her, other than the fact that she was shy and often followed you around.”
“I didn’t guess, either. But though you might not remember it, you were always very nice to my little sisters. When they spoke, you listened, and of course you were the best-looking young man in the neighborhood.” She gave an unsteady laugh. “Disaster fell on Lady Agnes’s one failure because you were too nice! Now, there’s an irony.”
“Laughter is better than rage.” He took her hand, their interlaced fingers more intimate than her grip on his coat sleeve. “I don’t know that I’d ever have chosen such a path in life, but I learned much on my strange journey, met many interesting people, not all of them trying to kill me, and became much more the man I wanted to be than if I’d stayed my father’s son in England.”
She gave a twisted smile. “What percentage of those interesting peopledidwant to kill you?”
“Hardly any; less than five percent, I believe.” His voice became more serious. “We’ve both changed over those years. At seventeen, I thought I ought to marry you because you were my friend and marriage to me would save you from a fate you loathed. But when we met again in Washington, I realized that I wanted to marry you foryou. Because it was the right time and you were the right woman. Not because you needed rescuing.”
She thought of her years in Jamaica: the friendships, the fears, the frustrations. Would she wish them away if she could? “It’s not possible to imagine the life we might have had, is it? Not when that would mean losing all we’ve learned.” She tightened her clasp on his hand. “I’m just glad we found each other when we did.”
They continued around the block and were approaching the hired curricle from the back when she said, “What does it say about me that I was sure I’d never forgive Jane for betraying us, but I think I will be able to forgive Elinor eventually?”
“It means that you and Jane never got along well, so there’s less of a foundation for forgiveness. You always liked Ellie, so there are more good things to remember.”
“That makes sense. And it’s easier to forgive a mistake made from love, no matter how misguided.” As she remembered her little sister’s face, she realized how much Elinor had already suffered. Yes, perhaps someday they could be friends again.
Someday.
Chapter 37
“It’s a good night for music,” Callie said as she inserted the wires of her topaz earrings. “Soothing, one would hope.”
Gordon arranged his cravat while watching Callie dress. He never tired of observing her. Though her dark green gown with gold trim was used and restyled, Callie’s careful tailoring made her and the gown look superb. “I believe these musical evenings are small and informal, perhaps fifteen or twenty people. Not a great, stressful crowd. A good introduction to London.”
She turned and smiled at him. “I wonder if there will be ices.”
“I’d be surprised if the Kirklands don’t have a standing arrangement with Gunter’s involving portable chests of ice and prompt service. Doable since they live so close.”
“Then I shall hope.” She grinned. “And if there are no ices, I’ll nibble on you later.” They headed downstairs together and he helped her with her cloak. Not that she needed help, but he liked having an excuse to touch her. As she’d said, they were sometimes silly. And they both liked it.
Since the evening was mild and there was a moon, they walked to Kirkland House. Callie was a little quiet this evening, but she no longer looked upset. He guessed that she was coming to terms with what Elinor had done.
Kirkland House was well lit when they arrived and the ethereal music of a harp floated down the stairs when they were admitted. Lady Kirkland herself greeted them when the butler had taken Gordon’s hat and Callie’s cloak.
Smiling warmly, she said, “Gordon! I was so glad when I received your note that you could come this evening. Will you introduce me to your guest?” She turned expectantly to Callie.
“Lady Kirkland, I’m pleased to present my wife, Callista Audley.”
Lady Kirkland’s eyes widened with delight. Taking Callie’s hand, she said, “What a pleasure to meet you! I gather this is rather sudden? When Gordon was last here at the beginning of the summer, he didn’t seem at all married.”
Callie smiled back, responding to the countess’s warmth. “Marriage wasn’t even a gleam on the horizon then, but it wasn’t as sudden as it seems.”
Before she could say more, Kirkland joined them. “Did I hear something about a recent marriage?”
Gordon put his hand on the small of Callie’s back. “Meet the successful results of my mission to America. The unknown Widow Audley is now my wife. As it turned out, we were childhood friends and it was a delight to find each other again.”
“Well done!” Kirkland’s shrewd gaze suggested that he knew the story was more complicated than Gordon’s simple comment. “I’ll send word to Sir Andrew Harding that you succeeded in finding the lost lady and bringing her home to England.”
“No need,” Callie said with a touch of dryness. “This afternoon I learned that Lady Harding is my sister Elinor. Her husband was out, but I’m sure she must have given him the news.”
“I want to hear more about how you came to marry,” Lady Kirkland said. “I’m sure it’s a romantic story! But now I must greet some new arrivals.”
