“Amelia suggested it and I agreed after she and Juliette had been pestering me about being out with nowhere to go,” he explained.
“Well,” Gabriella said, “I think it’s a wonderful idea—the perfect opportunity for all of you to make a new impression on everyone.”
“So can we go then?” Amelia asked. “I believe it will take at least a week for the gowns we order to be made.”
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Raphe expelled a deep breath. “We’ve talked about this already. I don’t like the idea of Julie going out to places where there’s a chance of her catching any number of ailments.”
“You’re being a blockhead,” Amelia told him angrily.
“Am I really?” He shot back. “As I recall, Julie got the measles the last time we went on an outing, and was very sick as a result of it.”
“You don’t know that she got it then. She might have gotten it in St. Giles before we even moved here. If you’ll recall, there was a measles outbreak there a couple of months ago. Perhaps the symptoms took time to surface.”
“She never ventured outside when we were living there,” Raphe said. “So I don’t see how she would have caught it.”
“Neither do I,” Amelia told him grimly. “The point is that you cannot keep her locked up as your prisoner just because you’re afraid she might get sick.”
“What I’m afraid of,” Raphe clipped, his wavering words conveying a vulnerability that shot straight through Gabriella’s heart, “is losing her because I failed to protect her. She’s not as strong as you, Amelia.”
“I know that. Julie knows it, too. Good lord, Raphe, we’ve been over this a dozen times! At some point you’re going to have to give her the freedom to live her own life, no matter the dangers.”
“She’s right,” Gabriella whispered, drawing his attention. “Your sisters are out now. They deserve to be able to go shopping together or to visit museums or enjoy a carriage ride in the park like other young ladies. Being seen will also help with their eligibility, and—your intention is for both of them to secure husbands, is it not?”
For a long moment, he stood there staring at her as though he couldn’t quite decide whether to wring her neck for interfering, or break into a grief-stricken state of panic. Eventually, he gave a concise nod. “You’re right,” he said, turning to Amelia. “I’ve allowed a tragic experience to guide me. It wasn’t your fault, and—” his shoulders slumped with defeat. “It wasn’t mine, either.” He took a moment to catch his breath before adding, “It just happened. You and Julie have suffered long enough because of it. Especially Julie. So if you wish to have a little outing together, go ahead.”
Amelia practically squealed as she flung herself into his arms. “Oh, thank you, Raphe! Thank you so very much!”
“Take the phaeton,” he told her, “and ask a maid and a footman to accompany you.” He looked at Gabriella. “Am I forgetting anything?”
“You should be home no later than six o’clock,” she said, feeling much like the other half of a parent. “And stay on Piccadilly for today. You’ll easily find what you need there.”
Amelia didn’t wait for Raphe to change his mind. She quickly agreed to all the terms and departed with haste. “I’ll worry about them until they return,” Raphe quietly spoke.
“Yes, but you did the right thing. They’re both old enough to escape their leading strings.”
He winced at that. “I just—”
“I know,” she said as she reached for his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “But Amelia is right. You cannot continue like this. Your sisters have their own lives to live.”
Pulling her closer, he lowered his head to hers for a quick kiss. “Thank you for helping me through it.”
She smiled up at him. “Thank you for letting me do so.”
Chapter 28
“I’m hosting a ball in a couple of weeks,” Raphe told Coventry a couple of days later as the two of them shared a drink in Coventry’s study.
“Yes. I received the invitation. Thank you.”
“It’s an opportunity for me to prove my worth—to show the ton that I’m not an undeserving nobody who just walked in off the street.”
“Do any of them claim to know about your past?” Coventry asked with a frown. As Raphe had gotten to know the duke better, he’d gradually revealed his connection to St. Giles and to Guthrie. It had been a risk, but he’d known they’d never be true friends unless he shared this part of himself. And rather than be appalled by it, the duke had applauded Raphe for his “courageous achievements,” even going so far as suggesting that Raphe one day show him where he grew up.
“No,” Raphe said in answer to his question, “but I’m thinking of being honest with Warwick.”
Coventry’s eyebrows rose. “That’s quite a gamble.”
“I know,” Raphe agreed. “But he already thinks something’s amiss. He accused me of being an imposter, and assured me that he meant to uncover the truth. I think it might be better if I come clean on my own.”
