Cass smiled. “Thank you for that. I do forgive you. Though you left me no choice but to hunt you down like a fox because I have some news for you.”
Lucy furrowed her brow. “News?”
“Yes.” There was no hint in the tone of Cass’s voice.
Lucy’s heart jumped to her throat. Her fingers rhythmically clenched and unclenched the quill. “You and Derek are betrothed.” The words didn’t hurt as much leaving her lips as she’d expected them to. She was numb. She raised her gaze to meet Cass’s face.
Cass shook her head. “What? No.”
Lucy widened her eyes. “You’re not?”
“No.”
“If that’s not your news, then what—?” She pressed both hands to her cheeks. “Oh, God. Cass, it’s not. Is it Julian? I’ll never forgive myself if he died while I was being such an awful friend. It’s just that—”
“No. No. Julian’s not dead.”
Lucy closed her eyes and breathed a deep sigh of relief. “Oh, I’m so glad. Have you heard from him? How is he?”
“My news is about DerekandJulian actually.” A small smile rested on Cass’s lips. And if she had a smile on her face when mentioning Julian…
Lucy grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “What is it, Cass? Tell me.”
Cass couldn’t control her laughter. “He’s coming home, Lucy! Julian is coming home!”
Lucy raised herself halfway from the writing desk then fell to her knees in front of Cass, clasping both her hands. “Oh, Cass, that’s wonderful news. He’s recovered?”
Tears of joy shone in Cass’s eyes. “Yes. He began to take a turn for the better a fortnight ago and he’s healing nicely according to his doctors in Brussels.”
Tears sprang to Lucy’s eyes, too. “I cannot imagine how happy you must be. This is wonderful news.”
“It is, isn’t it? I’m so happy, Lucy. I cannot wait to see him.”
A shadow crossed over Lucy’s mind. “But what about Penelope? Does he still intend to marry Penelope?”
Cass nodded. “Nothing has changed. But that’s what I wanted to say about Derek.”
Lucy’s spine went straight. She let go of her friend’s hands. She couldn’t stand to hear anything about Derek. She pulled herself back into her chair. “I don’t think—”
“I wanted to tell you that I ended things with His Grace. I told him I could not marry him.”
Lucy blinked. “You did?”
“Yes. I did.
“When?”
“Before we left Bath, actually. And to his credit, he’s made it exceedingly easy for me. Until yesterday, I hadn’t seen him since we returned to London.”
Lucy’s mouth fell open. “Truly?”
“Yes, truly. And you’d know that already if you hadn’t been hiding from me.”
Lucy bit her lip. “I’m so sorry.”
Cass continued in the happiest voice Lucy had heard out of her friend in weeks. “The duke and I went to the theater with Mother last night. We had a lovely time, but you know what I think?” Her small smile was back.
Lucy gulped. “What?”
