“I shall have my schoolinDorset,” she said instantly. No hesitation.
“What?”
“Why not? There is no magic to a London address. Most of the debutantes in London travel here from Dorset or Devon or Surrey or Sussex. There are unfinished young women to train up everywhere. I am not particular.”
“Truly?”
“Truly. We will sort it out together.”
“Thank you,” he breathed. “I don’t want to live apart. I didn’t even want to leave you for Blackwall these many nights, but I had no choice. I—”
“But can you not tell me your business in Blackwall? The note was cryptic, but enough to set me on this path, obviously. At the time, I was... less concerned about your business and rather singled-mindedly determined to have some answers.”
“Oh yes, Blackwall. It’s a long story...”
He told her then, all of it, despite their wet clothes and the cold night, despite the risk that she was unready to shoulder the challenging work of being the Duchess of Lachlan in earnest.
“Oh, Ian,” she said, and he thrilled at the sound of his given name. “You should have told me. I will always want to know. Your struggles aremystruggles.” She paused, studying his face, and then she repeated, “I will always want to know.”
He nodded. “No more secrets—even for the sake of your protection and worry. Imogene warned me of this.”
“Oh yes, Imogene is no fan of secrets—unless they benefit herself.”
She laughed when she said this, and the sound filled up his heart. “Should we go home?” he asked. “I can’t believe we’ve hashed this out in a rainstorm. But I couldn’t wait to say the words.” He pulled her to him. “When I realized how very much I love you, I simply couldn’t wait.”
“I couldn’t wait to hear them,” she whispered, almost to herself. She looked up at him and grinned. “Can you take me home?”
He led her to his horse and mounted up, reaching down to hoist her into his lap. When she settled in, he noticed wet stockinged feet sticking out from the hem of her gown.
“Drew?” he asked. “Where are yourshoes?”
“Funny thing about the shoes,” she said, burrowing into his chest. “Would you believe there was this little man...”
Epilogue
Six months later
May 1819
The ballroom was lit by the glow of five hundred candles. Light spilled onto the stones of the terrace like the sun had been hung inside the house. Drewsmina stood in a dark corner with Ivy, hidden from view. The colorful crush of revelers swirled inside like stained glass come to life.
“No regret, Ivy, that you don’tsharethis debut?” Drew asked her niece.
Ivy quickly shook her head, as if Drew had asked if she regretted jumping off a cliff.
“No regret,” repeated Ivy, watching the dancers inside. “But will the tennis courts be restored to the ballroom after the party?”
“I’m certain that can be arranged,” said Drew, rubbing a small circle on her niece’s back. Ivy had not changed from her blue day dress, one of several ways she made certain she wouldn’t be drawn into her sister’s debut. “Has Bucky finally tempted you to give tennis a go?”
Another head shake. “Oh no, not for me—for Imogene. She does so love it, doesn’t she? Whatever her feelings about balls after tonight, she will always love tennis.”
Ivy paused, considering the truth of this statement. Drew and Ivy both knew that Imogene would adore balls after tonight.
“That is,” amended Ivy, “I’m sure Imogene will have aperfectly tolerable time at her debut, but if she does not, we know that her affection for tennis will endure, don’t we?”
“We do know this,” agreed Drew, giving the girl a reassuring smile. “But soon we’ll return to Avenelle for summer, and Imogene may enjoy the new outdoor courts Ian has installed.”
“It feels as if we’ll never return to Dorset,” Ivy sighed, frowning now as a couple strolled, arm in arm, from the ballroom onto the dark terrace.
