He considered it for a moment, but then shook his head. “No. What I have to say, what I must do, it can’t be done on the road. At an inn where there is no privacy. Jane wants to go home, so I will let her go home. I will give her a few days of peace, which is what she asked of me. On horseback, I can get to Applegate a day and a half ahead of her. Which gives me time to prepare. I must prepare.”
He realized he was musing aloud when Alicia cleared her throat. He looked at her sheepishly and found her looking at him, her demeanor and expression now far less hostile.
“I-I want my sister to be happy,” she said. “If you intend to make this up to her, if you intend to make amends, I just hope you’ll allow her to come back to London. I miss her, Lord Wharton.”
He bent his head. “I have failed her and all who love her. And I give you my word that I will do everything in my power to make it up to all of you.”
She nodded at last. “Then you best be on your way, my lord. After all, it’s a long ride.”
He followed her as she got up and motioned him to the door. “And I have a stop to make before I leave London. A very important stop, indeed.”
Chapter Ten
Jane climbed down from the carriage and drew in a long breath of brisk evening air as she stretched her back. It had been five long days of travel through wet and cold conditions back to Colin’s country home.Herhome for the past year.
But five days of travel hadn’t done what she’d hoped they would for her. Despite the time alone, she hadn’t forgotten what Colin had done. Or what he’d come to mean to her during their time together. She had been restless all along the way, unable to stop replaying her entire ill-fated visit to London over and over again.
“Damn you,” she whispered to herself as her servants approached, welcoming her home. She greeted them with as happy a smile as she could pretend and walked up the stairs to the foyer where the butler, Chadwick, was waiting.
“Welcome home, my lady.”
“I know you were not expecting me back so soon,” she said. “I hope my note did not arrive too late and that you didn’t have to rush much to prepare for my arrival.”
The butler shifted, refusing to meet her stare, and her heart sank. He was going to reassure her, but she could tell that this change of plans had upended the household. She would have to do something kind for the staff to make it up to them.
“Of course not, my lady,” he said, his expression still odd. “And we areverypleased to have you back.”
“I assume there was not much correspondence during my absence,” she said as she moved toward the stairs.
“No, since you were meant to be in London, hardly any,” he said. “What little there was is awaiting you in your chamber.”
“Excellent. I know Laura is seeing to the bags. Tell her I will tend to myself this evening and not to worry about putting things away. I’m exhausted and I think I’ll just go straight to bed.”
“Of course, my lady,” Chadwick said, stopping at the base of the staircase. “Good night.”
She nodded as she trudged up the stairs. She only had to keep this brave face on another few seconds. In her own bedchamber, without her maid watching, she could collapse at last and have a good cry. She felt like she’d earned that.
She reached her door and went inside, toward the blazing fire. But before she could reach it, something caught her eye and she stopped. There was a vase filled with roses on the table next to her bed. The servants did keep fresh flowers in the house, but not in her bedchamber and not during the autumn months. Which meant these were from the hothouse, brought in specially.
“Do you like them?”
She froze. It was Colin’s voice behind her. But that was impossible. It had to be impossible. Wasn’t it impossible?
Slowly, she turned and found it to be true. He stood in the doorway to the sitting room between their two chambers. He wore no jacket, waistcoat or cravat, his sleeves were rolled up and his feet were bare.
Her heart began to race, not just because he was here or because he was so damned perfect in the firelight, but because she washappyto see him. She was a fool to have that reaction, after all he’d done. And yet there it was, a joy that clawed up her body and forced her acknowledgment.
“What are you doing here?” she whispered. “Andhoware you here when I left you at your home in London?”
“The ride is five days in a carriage, but only a little more than three on a horse,” he said. “As soon as I knew you were heading to Applegate, I made chase to arrive here before you.”
She shook her head. “Well, that explains Chadwick’s odd expression and tone when I arrived.”
“I asked him not to reveal my being here to you. I thought you might…you might leave if you knew I was waiting for you.”
“So you manipulated the situation to your benefit,” she said.
He stiffened. “I…I suppose that is true. And perhaps it was unfair. Would you…do you want to go?”
