He shrugged as if the rug hadn’t just been pulled out from under her feet.
“I suppose I misunderstood.” He offered her a bow. “I believe I’ve taken up enough of your time, Miss O’Malley. I appreciate the fact you humored an old man with his sentimentality, but I’m sure your betrothed is anxious to for you to be returned to his side.”
“It was a pleasure, Mr. Reading,” she murmured in return.
As he took his leave,she had to clutch a nearby post for support. She found that she suddenly had trouble remaining upright.All this time she’d been praying forsome sign to connect her mother andFrancinewhen it all might have just been turned upside down. But how was she to know thatthepossiblekey to unlocking all the secrets she’d been yearning for mighthave justbeenrevealed bysomeoneshedidn’t even know?
She closed her eyes as the threat of tears stung her eyes. Her very foundation was crumbling beneath herand there was no one she could trust to lean on, toconfidein.Elizawas in the midst ofcelebratingher upcoming nuptialsand Fallonwasn’t about to burden her with this revelation.If whatIsaac Reading had saidwas true, she wouldn’tevenhave any idea where tobegin such an explanation, notbecause there was still so much missing to the puzzle, but because she had no ideahowany of it could bepossible.
But, at the same time, she couldn’t deny the facts.
Mary Reading.
The way Isaac had spoken of his cousin, he seemed convinced that Fallon was some sort of relation, and after she had looked at Martinaand trulysawherfor the first time—
Granted, she’d seen Martina countless times, but she had just never paid that much attention to Martina before to pick up on the similarities.But when she thought of the miniature of her mother, she couldn’t deny that they were nearly identical. If her mother had survived the famine, she would likely look very similar to Martina Durmorat this age.
Fallonput a hand to her stomach, feeling suddenly sick.
Shehad always known hermother asMoira Burleigh before she married Eoin O’Malley. But what if it hadallbeen a façade? Even her grandmother had claimed, all those years ago from a conversation Fallon had overheard on the stairs, that Moira was an enigma and very little was known about her life before she had arrived in Ireland. Abigail had always imagined something had happened with Moira’s family to cause her pain and that was the reason she hadn’t wanted to talk about her former life, but what if it wasguiltthat had kept her fromreturning to England? Perhaps she had felt remorse after she’d had an affair with Kolin Durmor—her sister’s husband—and he’d fallen ill and died?
Fallonhardlybelievedany of thiscouldbereal, it was so farfetched, but whatifMartina Durmor was her true aunt?It would certainly explain the coldness Fallon felt around the lady.No doubt she reminded her of her adulteress sister.
But what of the rest?How couldMartinaencourage Fallon in a match withLocklynif she knew he was hercousin, andat the same time encourage her tobelieve that Francine was her relation?What could Francine hope to gain if Fallon married Locklyn? And what were Martina’s plans once they were wed?
Fallonwondered now if she hadmerelybeensummoned to England for the sole purposethat Martinacouldgain revenge against her sister’s child and rid herself of a blight upon the past.
But how far was she willing to take this charade?
Fallon pushed down the bile that threatened.If she was, indeed,the target of along-heldvengeance, then she was in more danger than she realized.
She had to leave. There was no longer any choice. She couldn’t wait any longer, hoping that the Raven might hold true to his word.
By this time tomorrow night, she vowed that she would be on a ship bound for Ireland.
Shoring up her courage, shestrode out ofthe alcove, prepared to give an excuse and take her leave, her heart no longer in the festivities. But something compelled her to glance toward the terrace.
There shecaught the dark stare of Atticus Clarewhere he stoodnext to Josephine. He was sipping some sort of drink while his companion chatted gaily with another lady. His dark scowl was riveted on her and she swallowed down the bitter taste of regret.If she had ever hoped to gain his regard, there was no chance of that now.
The Clares had an impeccable lineage with ties to the queen while Fallon’s familywas littered with a turbulent Irish past. Andif what Mr. Readinghad told her was true, and she had no doubt that it was for what reason would he have to lie, then shewas alsothe descendent of a pirateandthe daughter of an adulteress.
Her lips twisted ironically, for after her night with the Raven,it would seem the apple didn’t fall far from the tree in that regard.
At least Josephine had been right.Whilethekisswith Atticus had shakenFallonto her core,the blinders had been ripped away.
Atticus Clare might as well be dead to her.
Turning on her heel, she fled the ballroomwithout looking back.
***
It wasn’t a surprisewhenFallonjoined Locklyn in the parlorthe nextafternoon thathe should offera proposal of marriage.
He stood before her with her hand clasped between his and spoke as if he’d carefully rehearsed a speech for a play. He added just the right amount of charm and facial expressions that he might have been convincingenoughof his adoration, if she hadn’t been able to see beyond thatbrittle exterior. She waited patiently until he finished andthenshe told one of the biggest lies of her life. With a wooden smile, she accepted his suit and even went so far as to tell himshe would be honored to become his wife.
Francineand Martinaentered the room shortly thereafter, making Fallon wonder ifthey’d been outside listening,although theycongratulated them both with around of joyous smiles. But when she glanced at Martina, her darkeyes twinkling, all she could see was malice shining in her depths.
Fallon resisted the urge to shiver and told herself that whatever fate they hadbeen schemingfor herwould never come to fruition,becauseshe had her ownagenda.
