“I wonder what time it is.” Rose considered whether her mother or her brother might have called the police already.
“We left the theatre early,” William reminded her. “It’s only,” he glanced at the clock on the mantle. “Christ! It’s nearly 2 a.m.”
Still, neither of them jumped up. He took her right hand in his and ran a thumb over the ring that had sealed their engagement.
“What happens next?” he asked.
She sighed, having dreaded that question. “Reed is seeing to my divorce.”
“You said your family didn’t know.”
“I needed my brother’s help after Finn returned.”
“Finn,” William repeated the name softly, as if learning a new word.
Rose wish she could stop herself from saying it. It was like a curse word between her and William. She’d already told him about the ship’s sinking and where Finn had been and how he’d returned to save her from bigamy.
Or that was the reason she gave, not knowing for sure why her husband had, at last, come home.
She’d also told William about the oddity of Liam staying behind and making a fortune.
“Perhaps this man is behind the threats,” he had surmised, “and sent those thugs to the theatre.”
As they got into William’s carriage, both a little tipsy and exhausted, Rose couldn’t believe how the evening had turned out. She felt closer than ever to this wonderful man.
She rested her head on his shoulder, and in a few minutes, they arrived at Mount Vernon Street, dark and quiet. She loved the sight of her house as it came into view, a single lamp left on at the front.
“I love this house,” she said, recoiling slightly at the loudness of her voice in the darkness.
William chuckled. “You, Miss Rose, are a little inebriated.”
“Then we had best get you home,” she declared.
“That makes no sense, but I agree. We both need some sleep. Tomorrow — or rather, later today — things will look different.”
Rose noted with dismay that he hadn’t said things would look better.What was he thinking?
He walked with her up the front steps and stood with her while she opened the door.
His hand on her chin, he lifted her face and looked into her eyes.
Her breath caught. Was William going to tell her they were finished?
