Celia shrugged. “When John began to court me in the guise of Clairemont, I thought perhaps we might still obtain the information we so desire. So I snuck out and went to Grandfather.”
Rosalinde’s lips parted. “You didwhat? That was dangerous, Celia. What if he had attacked you as he did me, with no one to save you?”
“But he didn’t. At least not physically.” She let out her breath in a long, shaky sigh. “Just as I suspected, the idea of being linked to a duke was too much for him to resist. He told me if I married Clairemont, I would get what I wanted. But then he said something that turned my blood to ice.”
“What did he say?” Rosalinde gasped.
“That I was like him,” Celia whispered, dipping her head. “Like that was something to be proud of. I was repulsed by the idea.”
“And that was when you told Clairemont…John Dane…the truth about our past, our family,” Rosalinde breathed.
“Yes.”
Rosalinde was silent for what felt like an eternity, and Celia couldn’t tell if she were angry or frustrated or just disappointed. At last Rosalinde took her hand. “Even if this had all worked out, you know Grandfather lies.”
“I know,” Celia whispered. “But I’m not like you. I have nothing to fill the emptiness that is in my heart. I thought I could fill it with John, but now that he is gone, I feel like if I could find our father…”
She trailed off as Rosalinde’s eyes filled with tears. “I know. And I wish I could give that to you. To both of us. Gray hasn’t given up.”
“And John said he would use his resources. There is no reason not to believe he still might, even though he’ll never be in my life again,” Celia agreed.
“So your bargain with Grandfather ends up being meaningless,” Rosalinde said.
“I suppose so.”
Rosalinde leaned in. “Do you love him? John Dane. Not the character he played or the bargain he represented to you. The man he truly was.”
Celia nodded. “I do. I love him very much. More than I ever thought possible.”
Rosalinde traced her cheek with a sad smile. “Then let me give you the same advice you gave me on my wedding day not so long ago. Tell him.”
Celia jumped up, trying to run from the thrill of possibility her sister’s words represented. “How?” she asked, almost more to calm herself then to hear her sister’s response. “He is gone. Dead to all who know.”
Rosalinde pursed her lips as she rose to her own feet. “Come with me.”
“Where?” Celia asked, confused by this sudden change in her sister.
Rosalinde grabbed her hand and all but dragged her from the room. “We’re going to resolve this. One way or another. Right now.”
Celia shook her head as the servant who had led her, Rosalinde and Gray to the parlor left to seek his master. “I don’t want to see Lord Stalwood,” she hissed.
“Celia, you cannot run from this,” Rosalinde said, moving toward her. “If you love this man, at least you must take a chance.”
Gray slipped an arm around Rosalinde. “Easy now, love. No need to push her into a corner.”
Celia pushed past the couple. “You don’t understand. It is easy for you.”
“You know it wasn’t always!” Rosalinde said. “You know how much we struggled to be together. And it was worth it in the end.”
“Worth all of it and more,” Gray said with a nod.
Before Celia could argue or point out that their situation was vastly different from her own, the door behind them opened and Stalwood stepped in.
“Mr. and Mrs. Danford, Miss Fitzgilbert,” he said with a confused expression for them all. “I didn’t expect you. Is everything well?”
Rosalinde shot Celia a look and Celia glared back. When it was clear the sisters were at a stalemate, Gray stepped forward with a sigh. “We are fine, thank you, my lord. There is no trouble, if that is your worry.”
“No trouble?Thatis untrue.” Celia turned her ire toward Stalwood. She couldn’t help but blame this man even though her rational mind told her it was an unfair action.
