Daphne rolled her eyes. “Goodness, you’re becoming so prudish. He’s just being affectionate. Since you got that news about… what’s his name?”
Edith pursed her lips, not wanting to comment on her relationship with Perry.
“Oh, right,” Daphne said, “Peregrine. Since he wrote to you that he’d return here, you’re all fidgety and forlorn. Isn’t he Neville’s nephew and the new Earl of Ravenscroft?”
“He has nothing to do with my mood.”
Daphne inched closer, which brought her almost face-to-face with Edith since the space was limited. “Is there some juicy story between you and him aside from that dreadful incident? Something you didn’t tell me? A dirty tumble?”
“No, Perry and I have never beenaffectionate.”
“Oh, Perry.” Daphne chuckled. “Fine. Keep your secrets.”
“Besides, I thought Neville was interested in courting you.”
“He is, but we’re happy to pursue other interests at the same time. He needs to marry. I need to get married. We liked each other, but I don’t want to stop having fun just because I’m going to be a wife. Neville and I have a clear understanding.”
Edith widened her eyes in silent shock. To each their own, but she wanted to find someone who deeply cared for her and with whom she’d share her life with love and respect.
Daphne pointed a finger at her. “That stunned expression again. You truly are becoming a prude. Neville and I only think about a smart match. I have a sizable dowry. He’s fairly wealthy. We enjoy each other’s company. That’s all.”
“If you two are happy, then it’s all right,” Edith said.
“Just follow me. Whatever afflicts you, the Scarlet Room will cure it.”
There was some truth in Daphne’s words. Perry’s return troubled Edith although the whole affair was her fault. She’d chosen to lie to him, and now she had no choice but to face him and confess. She hoped the Scarlet Room lived up to its expectations and made her forget about everything for a few hours.
Daphne stopped in front of a flight of stairs heading down. The view was a far cry from inviting. Edith almost expected a man wielding a bloody axe to jump out of the shadows and attack them.
“Nearly there,” Daphne said.
Their footsteps echoed off the brick walls. The cobblestones were as slippery as soap, and the ominous sound of water dripping from somewhere gave her goosebumps.
She paused at the bottom of the stairs. “I’m not sure I want to keep going.”
“My goodness!” Daphne’s voice thundered in the confined space. “What is wrong with you tonight? You do nothing but whine. Trust me. Have I ever disappointed you?”
In terms of entertainment, no. Daphne had always found the craziest things to do and the wildest people to spend time with.
Daphne took Edith’s arm. “We need to hurry because the gatekeepers of the Scarlet Room open the doors only at certain hours through the night. If we miss this opportunity, we’ll have to wait two hours until the doors open again, and I don’t want to spend two hours in a cold alley.”
She almost wished they missed their opportunity to have an excuse to return home. Goodness, her emotions were all over the place. Her head was going to burst.
The passage widened and opened onto a landing where other people waited in silence in front of a set of double doors. The ornate doors with their golden knobs and corners were a stark contrast with the dark alleyway.
Edith and Daphne’s arrival caused a quick stir through the small crowd, but no one said anything. She shifted her weight from one foot to another, asking herself once again if she really, really wanted to go on.
Why she was so upset, she wouldn’t know. Perry wouldn’t see her tonight. She had plenty of time to prepare a speech to explain to him why she’d lied. Her relentlessness started to annoy even herself, and the constant water dripping grated on her nerves.
The doors inched inwards, revealing a rather normal and cosy sitting room. The view was nothing exciting. She’d imagined something more Gothic or outrageous.
“Finally.” Daphne took her hand in excitement.
“Welcome.” A man in a dark suit similar to that of a butler bowed to the small group.
The others filed inside, whispering in thrilled tones. Edith instead dragged herself forwards.
When the butler locked the doors behind them, she tugged her capelet more tightly around her shoulders as a sudden chill slithered down her back.
