“What?”
“The Dowager Livingston sent her son to see me directly. He told me you’ve stayed at Anya House waiting for Miss Wilcox’s sister to recover. Your father barely waited for me to be out of labor.”
“Well, Livingston doesn’t have the latest gossip. She’s rejected me.”
“Oh. If there’s a way to recover her, try. Remember what brought you together.”
Couldn’t believe my mother’s words, but I heard them. Then I heard more of my song.Dada dada. Dada da dum.
I dipped my pen in the ink and began to write. Furiously, I filled the page.
When I finished the last stanza, my mother was asleep. She’d stayed the entire time, listening to me hum and write my notes.
The work wasn’t finished, but I had a good foundation. In life, in love, in creating this sonata, I had that. Things weren’t easy. I fought for every note, but I had them. No one could take them away.
Georgina Wilcox, my stubborn Georgie, was worth fighting for. But I had to win the goal I put in place.
Getting this sonata done, establishing my career, would show her I could be counted upon. Winning the Harlbert’s Prize would show her I was my own man.
Yet, I wasn’t.
I sat in my mama’s house, writing at her piano.
Shaking my head, I corked my ink.
An independent composer was worthy of a woman like Georgie Wilcox. I had to become him. Sacrifices now would pay off in the end. And we still had our faux relationship to keep me in her sphere and close to her heart.
Chapter 28
GEORGINA—BACK TONORMALNEVER
Life had settled back to normal on Ground Street. We all sat around the breakfast table eating fresh scones that I baked with the fruits and fresh cream the duke had sent.
Two weeks had passed since we all left Anya House, two weeks since we last saw the duke or Mark.
Lydia was joyful and bouncy and healthy, humming and stuffing her cheeks with bits of bread and cream. “Love this. Can we go see the duke?”
Scarlett looked at me. I glanced at Katherine as she whispered,Never.
Lydia’s eyes became big. “I thought one of you would marry him by now. I gave him up for you.”
Scarlett, who I confirmed hadn’t been asked, stood up. She wore men’s slippers under her long skirt. That meant she had breeches underneath and would be heading to the Royal Society or one of the duke’s meetings. “I’m going to the market,” she said. “Shall I bring anything back?”
I wanted to sayno new troublebut that would be hard for Scarlett.
“Just be home before sunset,” Katherine said. “We need to discuss the offer I have on the table. I’ve found a buyer for Wilcox Coal.”
“What?” I shook my head. “You were supposed to get a loan. Not sell.”
“No banker wants to extend credit. It’s a fair offer. We can pay off Tavis’s debts. The house would be unencumbered. I could invest the rest to support us and offer dowries—”
“For Lydia. That’s how long it will take to earn something sizable.” Scarlett went to the door. “I don’t want to run the business, but if you think it’s best, then do it. I want to be free of everything Tavis touched.”
She ran out the door. Katherine looked as if she’d been kicked in the face.
Lydia went to her and hugged her neck. “Tavis was funny. I wished he liked you more. He might’ve taken better care of us.”
The little girl took another nip of her scone and dashed upstairs.
