Sephy didn’t disagree as she swept from the room and returned to her chamber where she took a long relaxing bath. She could no longer deny that she was in love with Hunter, and she intended to confess all to him that evening. Even if he didn’t return her sentiments, she prayed that he would at least set her up in some quaint cottage somewhere by the sea so that she could live out her days in peaceful harmony without her harlot past dogging her every step. She would pretend to be a young widow, for she would certainly be mourning the loss of the one man she’d ever cared about.
But until then she intended to enjoy their time together and make the most of this time that they’d been given. It could be the last that they ever shared, but neither could she continue this charade without telling Hunter how she truly felt.
As she stepped out of the tub, she wrapped a robe about herself and then walked over to her dressing table. She sat down and looked at the reflection of the woman staring back at her. She could see no visible, outward changes to her appearance, and yet, the true differences from that seventeen-year-old girl who had first peered in this mirror were like night and day.
She took a deep breath and rose. It had been a day or so since she’d gone down to see Henry in the stables and check on Lady and her puppies. If anything was sure to distract her from focusing on Hunter’s reaction that evening, it was the sight of those five fluffy babies.
Donning a mint green muslin, she eschewed a bonnet and headed toward the stables.The day was sunny and pleasant, a lovely spring day in England, which were few and far between from the usual rain and fog.
As she drew closer to the stables she heard the unmistakable sounds of yipping and turned a corner to see Henrycrouched down andplaying with thepuppies. Five in all with various color patterns; they were running about on short little legs and doing their best to bark, even though they weren’t any more than a week old.
Henry must have heard her approach, for he turned around and rose. He crushed his hat in his hands and lowered his head. “Miss Welton. I was just takin’ a break from my work—”
She waved away his explanation. “It’s fine.” She bent down on her knees and watched the little dogs scamper about. Lady was lying to the side and doing her best to relax while they were occupied. Sephy scratched behind her ears as she spoke to Henry. “Do you have names for them yet?”
He shrugged. “Just this one.” He returned to hispreviousposition and tapped the nose of a particularly enthusiastic one with black and white markings. “He’s a male and seems to be the bully of the litter. I call himButch.”
Sephy smiled. “I think that’s rather appropriate.” She glanced around at the rest of the puppies and while a few of them decided to start playing together, one trotted over to her and laid a paw on her knee, as if to say hello.
She picked her up and held her closer to her face so the puppy could see her better, and perhaps gain some of her scent. “And what’s your name?” she cooed gently, noticing that it was a female.
In reply, the animal barked.
“What was that, you say?” Sephy held her face closer, pretending that she was listening. In return she received a delicate lick to her cheek. “I think I heard Evalina. Is that right?”
Another bark.
“That sounds like approval to me,” Sephy said and then set the puppy back down. But instead of returning to her siblings, she lay down in front of herthenrolled over and offered her belly. “I suppose you’d like to be rubbed, wouldn’tyou?”She gave Evalina the attention she’d requested and decided that this would be her dog when she was ready to be weaned. That was, if she was even allowed to remain at the duke’s townhome for that long.
Again, she chided herself for her wayward thoughts and left the stables a short time later.
Aftershe had afternoon tea, which she hadalonein the parlor, forHunterreluctantly told her that hehad to run out on an errand, theclearing of a man’s throatbrought herattention to the doorway. “Pardon the intrusion,Miss Welton, but there is a caller foryou.”
With a frown,Sephystrode into the foyer to find one of her mother’s girls in a dark cloak and pacing the floor rather anxiously. She recognized her as Jade’s replacement. While she hadn’t had very many interactions with the girl, she recognized her easily enough.
“Zayla?”
The instant she heard her name, the harlot burst into tears and rushed forward to embrace her. “Oh, Miss Welton. Thank goodness! You must come quickly! Your mother…she…collapsed and…” She shook her head as if she found it difficult to even continue the thought.
The blood left Persephone’s face. “Has a physician been sent for?” She asked as she gathered her cloak and slipped it on.
“Yes. But you must hurry!” She grabbed hold of her hand and tugged urgently.
At this point, fear was a palpable thing, like the air in her lungs and every beat of her heart. It was a physical part of her. “Of course. Just let meleave a note for—”
“We don’t have time! Youmustcome now!”
Her voice was shrill as her gaze darted about wildly, evidence of her upset, and so Sephy nodded. “Of course, you’re right.I’llsend word oncewe arrive.”
Sephy descended the stairs with Zayla directly behind her.
“In there.” The harlotpointed to the waiting hackney.
Sephy climbed inside and once Zayla was settled, they set into motion. She tried her best to sit still, but anxiety about her mother was forefront in her mind.“She hasn’t told me she’s been ill,” she murmured, more to herself than her companion.
After an interminable ride through London, the carriage finally came to a halt. Her mother’s lackey, Abraham,held the door for heras she approached. “Where is she?”
“Upstairs, first door on the right,”he said more somberly than usual.
