“Madly.”
“Have you told her?”
“No.”
Upton slapped his palm against his forehead. “Why not?”
“Again, the ruination of her life. Even when followed by the wordsI love you. It makes them sound a tad insincere. Oh, and there’s also the bit where she told me she never wanted to see me again.”
Upton winced. “Sometimes ladies need time. Whenever Jane’s angry with me, I give her time and plenty of space.”
Christian slid his glass over to Upton. “That’s exactly what I intend to do.”
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
On the second day after her wedding, Sarah awoke, rubbed the sleep from her eyes, and sat up. The events of the last few days came rushing back to haunt her. She groaned. She hadn’t seen Christian yesterday. He’d left early and been gone till long after she’d retired. She’d spent the day alternately worrying and exploring her new home. She’d met all the servants and spoken at length to the housekeeper. Being the lady of a great home was a role she’d been born to. It seemed only natural that she begin immediately. Everyone had been perfectly lovely and welcoming. She was already feeling at home.
When Christian hadn’t returned by dinnertime, she began to regret her last words to him.I never want to see you again.They were harsh and said in anger and untrue. Of course she wanted to see him again. They were married, for heaven’s sake. They needed to speak. They needed to decide their future. The night of their wedding, Lucy’s words had hammered in Sarah’s skull.You must not allow life to happen to you.She’d decided that day that shewasn’tgoing to allow life to happen to her. Not anymore. Never again.Do as you’re told, Sarah.Those words held no power over her any longer. She’d been angry. She’d been sad. She’d been a hundred other things. But she wasn’t about to marry someone she didn’t want to marry. She’d sooner flee to Scotland again and never return. And so it was with a fully determined—if still outraged—mind that she’d stood in front of the archbishop that night and allowed the wedding to proceed. But when they’d arrived at his town house and Christian had shown her to her room, the anger she’d felt earlier had flared and she’d lashed out at him. She hadn’t expected him to take her words so literally.
Her gaze fell on a note sitting on her bedside table. It was folded and sealed with Christian’s stamp. Dread clutched her heart. She slowly pulled it off the table and unfolded it, breaking the seal with her finger. Christian’s handwriting filled the page.
Dearest Sarah,
I know you have no wish to see or hear from me. I intend to honor your request. I’m going to Northumbria for a few days and then on to Scotland. It’s inadequate, I know, but my deepest apologies for everything I’ve done. I hope someday you can find it in your heart to forgive me. For what it’s worth, I do love you, hopelessly.
Christian
Tears spilled down Sarah’s cheeks, and she read the letter over and over. He loved her? He loved her, the lout? He’d handled everything awfully and been a complete idiot, but none of that mattered anymore. Helovedher.
But he was gone. She’d driven him away with her disapproval. What did she expect him to do when she’d told him she never wanted to see him again? He thought he was giving her what she wanted, what she’d requested. Oh, she’d made a complete mess of things, too. They were quite a pair, the two of them.
She rang for her maid and promptly dressed. Then she set about writing a letter of her own.
***
At precisely four o’clock that afternoon, the traveling chaise of the Duchess of Claringdon pulled to a stop in front of Christian’s town house. Lucy, Cass, Jane, and Meg alighted.
As soon as the ladies were ensconced in the silver salon, Lucy wasted no time in announcing why they’d come.
“I received your letter, dear, asking for our help. Of course you may have it. We realize what Berkeley did was a bit of a problem for your reputation, but nothing a duchess, a countess, and a future countess can’t overcome. We know everyone who’s anyone in theton,and we’ve begun courting favor with our friends. We’ve already told half the town how your poor thwarted love story has ended happily after all and you’re properly married now, so who really cares? All’s well that ends well.”
Sarah blinked at them. “You’re here to… stop the scandal?”
“Of course, why else did you think we’d come?” Lucy asked.
“We want to help you, Sarah,” Cass said softly.
Meanwhile, Jane was helping herself to tea cake.
“We’d like to help Meg here, too, if only she would stop being so stubborn and allow us to purchase a few new gowns for her,” Lucy added.
“I appreciate the thought, Your Grace,” Meg replied with a wide smile, “but we’re here for Sarah at the moment.”
Sarah bit her lip. “I wanted to… I mean, I… Thetonwill truly accept that story?” She felt silly and didn’t want to admit why she’d asked them to come.
Lucy flourished a hand in the air. “The secret is, darling, that most of the most respectable people in theton,including Cass and Jane and myself, have extremely scandalous stories of how we met our husbands. Everyone’s a bit willing to be forgiven when they’ve needed it themselves a time or two.”
Sarah shook her head. “I never knew.”
