“Maybe you should remind him,” Georgina says. “Maybe you should be bold. Maybe you should trap him, that’s if you know in your heart that you love him, all of him—the strong man and the weak one.”
“You’re a chess player, Katherine,” Scarlett says. “I watched you and Papa play so many times. Move the pieces around to get what you want.”
Is that what I’m doing wrong, playing his game and not my own? “He won the gamble. I’ve been doing what he wants.”
Georgina aims me to the door. “You’re done walking on eggshells.”
Scarlett nods. “His fevered ramblings talked about you being bold and demanding. But you were like a rusalka, luring sailors to their deaths.” Scarlett continues, “He likes you being bossy and fussy and beautiful. He mentioned that a lot. Yes, be a man-eating rusalka. That wild-lettuce tea made him tell me everything.” She glances down. “And wear your best shoes and no stockings. He talked about your feet a lot.”
Blushing, I plop into the chair by the vanity. Lada has limped out of her basket. She’s at my feet. My sisters stand on either side of me, and I ask, “What am I supposed to do? You start first, Scarlett. You are his mother’s favorite.”
“Have you told him of the demands of the Palmerses? That will spur him to action.”
Squinting at her, I shake my head at how close Scarlett and Jahleel are. “I told him to do nothing.”
Scarlett squeals like I stabbed her. “No. Wrong answer.”
Wringing my hands, I groan. “But they want Wilcox Coal and the house on Ground Street.”
“Father’s legacy?” Georgina sort of crumples onto the bed into a sea of yellow satin. “No.”
“Give it to them,” Scarlett says. “Let them save it and deal with the torrent of customers leaving. Thom’s sons say they lost five more houses this week.”
Scarlett’s words are harsh, but how can I listen? “It’s to be in our family—”
“Running it has caused misery, but maybe its purpose was to bring the duke back into our lives.” Georgina stands up, puts her arm around me. “Father and Mother wanted us happy. We all are, except for you.”
“And if giving them a nearly bankrupt company makes the scandal quiet, Mama would approve of that.” Scarlett puts her armaround my neck. “Look at the lengths she went through to save our Wilcox name. A business is not the daughter she loved.”
Georgina seconds Scarlett with a subtle squeeze. “It’s time for you to be happy. You know Father would do whatever she wanted. But if you want to fight, we are here for you. Just let the man who knows how to get things done help. He’ll save the company you love.”
That is the dilemma. I don’t love it. I love painting and supporting my father. Drawing support from his other girls, I stand and pull my sisters closer, holding them so tightly I don’t think they can breathe. Easing up, I say, “You two and Lydia are what matters. I’ve been trying so hard to fix everything. I love you all so much. Forgive me for making it seem the business meant more.”
Georgina lays her head on my shoulder. “Let the duke fix this. He’s good at fixing things.”
Scarlett breaks free and points at me. “I can’t stand this inaction. Do you love the duke? Does he mean anything to you?”
“You know he does, Scarlett. But he won’t acknowledge that we’re still married.”
She looks at me thoughtfully. “Then let him go. Let him marry someone who’s not afraid of his help or of him dying. He’ll never trust someone who ran from his weakness. That’s why he has a flood of bold women downstairs to choose from.”
I want to protest, but it’s the truth. “I thought I was being careful earning his trust.”
“Maybe you’re too careful, Katherine,” Georgina says. “He wants the girl who led with her heart and eloped.” She nods to Scarlett. “And apparently has lovely feet.”
“And until he’s stricken from this earth, he needs to fight and win.” Scarlett points me to the mirror. “You’ve taken that from him. If you’re trying to make him safe and dependent on you, things will never work. He doesn’t want that. Nor will he trust it.”
The stairs—I thought I was helping. “I want him to win.”
Georgina shrugs. “That seems a new sentiment, Katherine.You told me you would’ve made a different choice in St. Petersburg.”
“But there is no other choice. I’ve been lying to myself. I’ve been lying for a long time. I loved him then and was so afraid of losing him that I allowed Tavis to convince me that Jahleel was the liar.” Standing up straight, I lift my chin and say, “I was being a coward, and this coward hurt everyone.”
Georgina straightens my bonnet. “Then go down there and get our duke, by any means necessary.”
“Break the rules and keep him this time,” Scarlett says. “That gets my approval.”
“Keep Lada safe for me.” I kiss each of their cheeks, tilt my bonnet, and head to the lower level of Anya House. And as my beautiful daughter says, I need to get my duke, my duke.
