“Of course not,” Meg laughed. “And I was distracted, as well—it was just as much my fault as yours.”
Sarah ducked her head. Meg had been nothing but friendly to her this entire trip, but that didn’t change their history.
The duchess wrinkled her brow. “Areyouwell?”
Sarah lifted her gaze and nodded. “Of course.”
“Of course,” Meg repeated slowly. Then she shook her head. “I think you and I must finally have a discussion that has been years in the making. Come with me, won’t you?”
Sarah caught her breath. Oh dear God, here it was. The moment when Meg would confront her with her bad behavior all those years ago. The moment everything would crash around her once more.
But there was no way to deny the woman who was now striding away from her into the closest parlor. All she could do was obey and follow her into the room.
Meg closed the door behind them and took a seat on the settee. She patted the cushion beside her, and Sarah held back a sigh as she joined her.
She was very much not in the right state of mind for this. Not when everything with Kit was already so confused.
“I-I owe you an apology,” she began. “I know I do. I’m sure you have been waiting for it for years.”
Meg’s brow wrinkled. “Don’t be silly. Of course you don’t. To be honest, I didn’t even recall that night until you reminded me just after the death of Kit’s father. I certainly have not been waiting around, looking at the clock, for some kind of request for forgiveness.”
Sarah bent her head. “But Kit is right in one thing. I was abominably rude to you that night. I’d had too much punch, just as you said then, and things were getting so bad when it came to my future. But I had no right to speak to you that way. No right to accuse you of doing something wrong. The Duke of Crestwood was nothing to me. And as you said, you cannot steal a person.”
“You do recall every detail,” Meg said softly. “And here I only remember just the barest of facts. My dear Sarah, know this…whatever was said or done, it was a lifetime ago. And I understood, even then, that you lashed out over fear for your own position, it had very little to do with me.”
“Yes.” Sarah flashed back to that horrible time. “My father’s death put us in a dreadful position and I was making no headway in landing a match that could save us.”
“Simon’s attention gave you hope.” Meg was nodding now. “He would feel terrible if he knew, so perhaps it ishewho owes you the apology.”
“Oh no!” Sarah clasped her hands. “I would never think that or ask for such a thing. You two were clearly made for each other. I can see now that it would have been a bad match.”
“And then there is Kit,” Meg said. “He isn’t still troubling you about what he witnessed, is he? I gave him a stern talking to on the subject.”
Sarah blinked. She’d had no idea Meg had spoken to Kit about her. He’d never said anything about it. “No, Your Grace.”
“Meg.”
“Meg,” Sarah repeated. “He has even apologized to me for holding that moment against me all these years. And he…”
Meg leaned in. “It’s obvious there is some connection between you two. Something that goes beyond duty or gratitude or shared love of Phoebe.”
Sarah covered her mouth. She was certainly mucking everything up if her connection to Kit was obvious. It could destroy her in this position and keep her from ever having another.
“I don’t know what to say,” she whispered when it felt like a lifetime had passed.
“You don’t have to say anything,” Meg said, her tone gentle. “But I know you have been…very alone for a long time. I know you’d probably rather speak to Isabel, but I’m the one who nearly mowed you down in the hallway and saw that you were upset. Since you were coming from the direction of Kit’s study, I must deduce your reaction has something to do with him. And since that connection I mentioned does exist, I think it is a personal matter. Is there any way I can help? I do have experience in fraught relationships to recommend me for the duty.”
Sarah stared, unblinking, for a moment. If someone had told her three years ago that she would be sitting with Margaret, Duchess of Crestwood, with the lady offering to be her friend, her confidante…she would have fallen over laughing. And yet here it was. And the offer was more tempting than it should have been. Everything felt upside down and she needed help in righting it.
“I don’t know what to think,” she admitted softly. “We have not…defined…whatever is between us. He’s made no promises and I would never ask for any.”
“Never?” Meg asked.
Sarah shifted in her place. “My situation is very different than it was back when I lashed out at you. I realize I no longer belong in the kind of Society you or Isabel or…or Kit inhabit.”
“That’s nonsense,” Meg said. “Your circumstances may have changed, but you are still a gentleman’s daughter. Kit knows that as well as anyone. If he is conflicted, I would wager it hasnothingto do with your standing.”
“He asked me to attend the party tonight,” Sarah admitted.
