“I will be waiting.”
He then stepped away from her and turned. Octavia watched as he walked off through the back of the gardens and that was when she realized that he had not attended the ball at all. She had looked for him, but there were so many full masks in the throng below that it was hard to discern one gentleman from any other, though she had assumed that she would have been able to find Angelo in the crowd, even masked. Now she knew why she hadn’t spotted him. He had only come through the back so as not to be seen, and only so that he could ask her to return home...so that he could end their association.
Already the tears threatened, but Octavia was determined not to let them fall. She would be brave and strong and determined. She didn’t wish him to know that she had fallen in love with him and had broken rule number ten.
After informing Leopold that she needed to leave, Octavia made her way to the front of the mansion to await the carriage to be brought around. Soon she was joined by Lady Elizabeth Cates, the Countess of Andover.
“Are you enjoying your evening, Lady Kepple?” she asked brightly.
Octavia couldn’t pretend. “I was...” Blast, those tears threatened.
Lady Andover turned to her, eyes full of concern. “What is wrong? Do you wish to discuss what has upset you?”
Octavia shook her head. “Not tonight, but perhaps tomorrow, if you are free.” She truly needed to confide in someone and knew that she could trust Lady Andover. After all, she knew that Octavia had set out to find a rake for the Season and make him her lover. She now needed to share the ending because she couldn’t tell anyone else.
“Meet me at Matron Manor at three tomorrow. I will be waiting.”
“Thank you, Lady Andover.”
“Elizabeth. Call me Elizabeth,” she insisted as her carriage arrived and then bid Octavia a goodnight.
Thank goodness for the league of widows, for she suspected that they would soon be her refuge as she determined how she was to go forward after tonight.
Chapter 25
Angelo waited in a hackney across from the home that Octavia occupied. When she finally arrived, he instructed the driver to take him to the mews. There, he made the same trek as he had done since the first night he found his way into her chamber. Tonight, however, he did so with a heavy heart.
Octavia stood in the center of her chamber. She still held her mask, her face was pale and grey eyes dark as if she already knew or sensed what he was about to say. Angelo never thought that he would suffer a broken heart in his life. He had not loved before he met Octavia. He could not even have imagined such depth of emotion for one other human being. He had feared that he would have an empty marriage and had hoped for at least friendship. After having loved Octavia, his future marriage would be dismal.
He shook that thought away because he had no other choice. There were no other male relatives, and he could not shirk his duty no matter how much he wished to do so.
"What is it, Angelo?" Octavia asked with hesitation.
"My father." His throat closed and he feared that he might become emotional. Something else that had never happened to him before, at least not since he was a child. "He had an episode today."
Octavia sucked in a breath and her hand clutched her breast. "How bad?"
"It was bad enough that Dr. Valentine fears that he will not make it to Christmas."
She crossed the room and sank down into a chair. "How much time do you have?" It wasn't a question of how much time his father had but how much time Angelo had before he must wed.
"Mother would like me to wed before the end of the Season. Father, reluctantly, has asked the same though he did not apply the same pressure."
Octavia nodded as if she understood.
"This means…”
"What we have shared is over." Octavia stood. "I have enjoyed coming to know you more than you will ever know. I believe I will always consider you as my friend. And I wish you well."
Angelo stared at her and for a moment was taken aback by how easy this was for her. But then he really looked into the depths of her grey eyes. This was not easy for her either, but he suspected that she was trying to make it easy for him.
"I knew that the time would come… I am just not ready," he admitted. Angelo meant that he was not ready to lose his father, or her.
Octavia gave a sad smile. “I am sorry.” Her voice shook as if she was trying to suppress her emotions as well. "You are a dear man, Angelo. You will be a fine husband. Find a wife that you can love. If you cannot find that right away, find a friend and you will come to love her and there will be passion. I know that is what you fear the most. But when you put your mind to what you need, you will find her."
"I do not think it will be that easy."
"It may be easier than you think."
