Vanessa got to her feet and Merritt opened her arms. She crossed to the marchioness and let herself be folded into her embrace. She continued to cling to her glass of whisky even as she sobbed a little, able to be vulnerable with her dear friend as she hadn’t been able with Benedict.
He got to his feet behind her and downed the rest of his drink. Then he crossed the room and smiled at her. “I’ll leave you to your friend. But Vanessa, I swear to you, Warwick…Darrius and I…we’ll make this right somehow.”
She nodded even though she couldn’t think of a way this could be made right. There was no way to march Arthur back to fulfill his promise. Even if they did, could she marry a man who had done this to her? Either way, it wouldn’t be done before their wedding guests began to arrive and news of this humiliation began to spread.
He departed the room and Merritt guided her back to the settee. “Oh dearest,” she whispered. “What happened?”
Vanessa drank another gulp of whisky and then she spilled out everything to Merritt, from Arthur’s departure with Mary to the showdown with her wretched parents. “Do you think they truly left?”
The color in Merritt’s cheeks bled away and she darted her gaze from Vanessa’s. “I’m…I’m sorry, Vanessa. But as I was coming to you, I bumped into your mother’s poor, harried maid. They were preparing to leave.”
Vanessa had known they would. When she’d finally had the gumption to call her father out on his ceaseless threats and he had said he’d leave her, she’d seen his drive to do just that. But to hear that it was true. That it was really happening…
She bent her head against Merritt’s shoulder once more and cried for a bit longer. Merritt said nothing, just stroked her hair until she could breathe again and she lifted her head with a shuddering sigh.
“What do I do now?” she whispered. “I’ve been left here by them with two men who have no allegiance to me. Benedict, Mr. Norfolk, is kind enough, but Arthur’s brother doesn’t even like me.”
Merritt lifted both brows. “That wasn’t the impression I got when he came into the room to find me. Nor when I have seen him look at you in the past.”
Vanessa shifted. Darrius Warwick felt like a mystery to her. One she found herself pondering a bit too often truth be told. He often had an unreadable expression and when he focused it on her, his full lips pressed taut, she felt both uncomfortable and tingly. And then today he had stood up for her, almost out of nowhere.
She sighed and pushed those thoughts away. In this emotional state, it was not good to let her mind wander to such things.
“I should have known this would happen,” she said softly.
“How could you have known?”
She lifted her gaze. “My mother and father encouraged me to keep certain aspects of my past a secret,” she said.
Merritt pursed her lips. “That your first dastardly fiancé took your virginity?”
She nodded. “Yes. But I felt that was dishonest. So I…I wrote Arthur a letter two months ago, and I had Mary deliver it to him in secret.”
Merritt’s mouth dropped open. “Do you think that is when they began their affair?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. But after that, both their attitudes toward me changed. He had already been distant, but he became increasingly cold. And Mary became distracted, sharp. Why couldn’t I see what was right before my eyes?”
“You are determined to blame yourself for this, but it is not your fault.”
“It will be my consequences, though,” Vanessa whispered.
Merritt couldn’t argue that, so she merely pulled Vanessa in for comfort and squeezed her gently. “We’re going to work this out. I won’t rest until I know you are safe. I promise you.”
Vanessa appreciated that promise. She knew her friend would do everything in her power to keep it. She just wasn’t certain there was a good solution out there. Only pain.
Benedict
Benedict sat across from the Marquess of Egerton and Mr. Peter Reid in Arthur’s office. Darrius was at the window, looking out with a grim expression. He’d been surprised to be asked into this meeting about Vanessa’s future. He’d assumed Darrius would cut him out, as the emotions were high and that always made Darrius uncomfortable.
And yet he was here. And he couldn’t help observing Egerton and Reid. He’d heard rumors about them. And about their relationship with the marchioness. But now, sitting across from them, watching the way the two men spoke to each other, moved with each other, there was no denying there was a connection between them.
He glanced again at Darrius and felt a tug of longing.
“I do not like to admit it,” Darrius said with a shake of his head as he pivoted back to look at the three men. “But I am at a loss. My brother’s behavior has shattered his own reputation, and potentially mine by proxy. He has no money to run the estate, which is the reason he was pressed to wed. If he doesn’t return I don’t know what will happen to those who depend upon it. And of course worst of it all is that he has dragged an innocent victim into this and materially damaged her. Miss Gardner doesn’t deserve this.”
Egerton nodded. “Even were she not one of my wife’s dearest friends, I would wholeheartedly agree.”
“Her parents have, unfortunately, abandoned her, as well,” Darrius continued.
