“Were you engaged to Mrs. Castern?” Brilliance asked him without preamble.
His dark eyebrows slanted as he frowned. Then he sighed. “I was.”
“You ought to have told me.”
“Perhaps,” he conceded with a shrug.
“Perhaps,” she repeated softly. “And did you halt your lawsuit against Mr. Castern?”
Vincent folded his arms, glowering down at her the way he had during his cousin’s house party. That seemed an eon ago, and suddenly, Brilliance felt older than her years.
Everything seemed murky and gray where before it had been all bright and shiny. She was his fiancée, a fancy French word that had just lost its sheen.
Shouldn’t he have told her everything?
At that moment, Brilliance wished more than anything to go home. “Lady Flowers, how much longer do you think you will remain here?”
The woman’s eyes lit up. “I am ready to leave, merely waiting for you two girls to have danced your fill.”
“I have,” Brilliance said, sending Martine a pleading look, hoping her friend would humor her.
“I have, too,” Martine agreed.
With relief, Brilliance took hold of Martine’s arm. “Then I hope it is all right if I accompany you two in your carriage. If there is room for me and my maid?”
Lady Flowers looked toward Vincent with open curiosity, especially as he appeared about to protest.
“Of course we will take you,” she said.
“I hope you don’t mind,” Brilliance told him, deciding not to ask nor to give room for him to convince her, “but I intend to go with them.”
As expected, he gave her a gentlemanly inclination of his head. This was, after all, not the time for another lengthy discussion.
“In that case,” he asked, “may I call upon you tomorrow?”
She didn’t hesitate, for she knew after spending the night with her own topsy-turvy thoughts, she would be ready to speak with him again by then.
“You may.”
Brilliance had beenwrong. She didn’t want to see Vincent the following day. She’d spent a sleepless night and got up quite out of sorts. To avoid him, and feeling like a coward, she left early and went to Clarity’s home on Grosvenor Square, where she resided happily with her husband of eight years, Lord Hollidge.
“I am sorry to come uninvited,” Brilliance said. With her eldest sister being round from her latest pregnancy, it was difficult to get close, but they managed a hug, arms outstretched.
Having almost gone to Martine’s home, Brilliance had feared it was too early to impose a visit upon anyone who was not family. In the carriage the night before, she had avoidedtelling her friend anything about why she was upset in front of Lady Flowers. Besides, knowing Martine wasn’t entirely pleased with Vincent’s behavior since first they’d met, Brilliance had thought it ill-advised to add fuel to that particular fire. Instead, they’d amused themselves discussing the fancy dress costumes they had seen and speculated whether the Queen had been in attendance undetected.
But today, she wanted desperately to unburden herself. Clarity, who was experienced, understanding, capable of making just about anyone feel better, seemed the best choice with whom to do so.
“You never need wait for an invitation,” her eldest sister reminded her. “We Diamonds don’t stand on ceremony.” In fact, Clarity appeared delighted to see her. “Your visit is a good excuse for a trip to Gunter’s.”
Brilliance shook her head at the notion. “It’s a little early in the day for ice cream, but we could take tea there. Although, I am not sure they open for anything on their menu until ten. Besides, Gunter’s is dreadfully drafty this late in the year.”
Clarity laughed. “I lost track of the hour and apparently the month, too. You are out and about early. Let’s go have a cup of warming chocolate instead.
Just then, the drawing-room door opened and Alice Diamond entered, their clever sister-in-law. Brilliance jumped up again, then turned to Clarity who was struggling to rise.
“No, no, don’t get up,” Adam’s wife said. “I didn’t know we would be three, but the more the merrier.”
“Indeed,” Clarity said. “Is it Thursday again already?”
