“Well, it’s sort of your fault that I can afford to check on other patients. You letting Scarlett sneak out to attend medical seminars has made her a good physician. The duke believes in her, too. He’s gotten her so many books these past three years, I think she’s smarter than me when it comes to chronic illness.” Stephen heads to the door. “But don’t tell her I said that.”
I pick up Lada and go after him. “I need to see the duke. Knowing he’s won, hearing me say it, could make a difference. I want him well for the sake of our combined families.”
He takes my free hand and holds it for a moment. “Until the duke can speak for himself, it’s up to Scarlett and his mother. Princess Elizaveta is his guardian and Lady Lydia’s, too. She doesn’t want you here.”
“Stephen,” I say before he turns. “She doesn’t know that I come in peace. I must see the duke. You must help.”
A blast of air leaves his wide nostrils. “It’s not …” He looks down at me, stroking Lada’s little head. “You’re showing more care to that stray than I’ve ever seen you offer your daughter’s father. I want the duke well. A half-hearted confession or disgruntled acquiescence is the last thing my friend needs.”
I’m shocked at the tone and his cutting honesty. “I’ve no ill will to him, not any longer.”
His dark eyes sharpen. “Why? Because the man may die, or because he has custody of your daughter?”
Taken aback, I stumble a little. “I want what’s best for all.”
“Then stay here until he calls for you. Scarlett believes in healing from positive thoughts and prayer. That’s all we have. The blood sickness may kill him tonight. So stay here, sister. When he’s well and ready to compromise, you be ready. Common ground is in the best interest of Lady Lydia. I know you love her, but I’ve seen no man who loves his daughter more.”
Stephen bows and begins to leave.
I panic and charge toward him. “Take me to see him. I’ll be calm.”
“Later. Be patient, Katherine, Georgina.”
“But you said he may die. Will he?”
Stephen’s hand rests on the door, ready to escape. He stands up tall and then turns his back on us, as if he can’t face us when he says, “If the duke feels he’s done what he needs to for his daughter and doesn’t wish to battle this illness anymore, he might want to be out of pain.”
My breath releases in a sputter. The door shuts, and I’m too shaken to move. It never occurred to me that Jahleel would tire of fighting.
“I need to go see him,” I say. “I can convince him to live.”
Georgina grabs my wrist and keeps me from leaving the parlor. “How? By pretending to be in love with him again? He’ll see through the act.”
“The threat of death makes people realize things.”
“You don’t love him, Katherine. You just said you didn’t. The duke deserves better than another lie.”
“Then I guess we sit here.” I push away from the door.
To avoid the tension growing between us, we divide and look around the room. It’s a feast of plaster and molding, but it seems original to the house.
Georgina gasps as she stands to the side of the fireplace.“Katherine, isn’t this your painting? The one we had at Ground Street, by the stairs.”
I advance and see a watercolor, my watercolor. “Where the River Neva meets Senate Square. That’s the picture of St. Petersburg, which I painted during my confinement.”
“Tavis sold it a year before he died.” Georgina fingers the expensive gold frame that now surrounds the artwork. “Didn’t he say he knew he could fetch a pretty penny for it?”
“Only one man would pay so much for it.” I thumb my brow for being so stupid, too caught up in trying to save Tavis and Wilcox Coal from mounting debt. “Jahleel bought it. He’s fought to stay connected to me since the moment we fell in love. And the Senate Square is where I proclaimed our marriage over. I ran and found my chaperones and left.”
Georgina grabs my arms and shakes me. “We can’t sit around. Well, you shouldn’t. Maybe hearing you’re sorry or that he won the bet will make him keep fighting. He must think of you as a worthy opponent.”
I embrace my sister. She still thinks I matter and that I have worth. My debt to Jahleel is too high. I need one chance to make amends. I’m going to take it and hope I can convince him to live.
Chapter 8
JAHLEEL—PAPA’SGOT ABRAND-NEWLIFE
Isit up, tearing off the blankets like they were ropes. “Hot. Hell is hot.”
