Page 48 of Air Affair

“But I’m not waiting a month,” Edward said. “She marries me before a judge today. We’ll still have the grand affair in a month, but I want assurance that she is legally mine if I’m going to move forward.”

The floor dropped out from beneath her and swallowed her. The rest of her life stretched out before her like the gullet of some dark beast trying to consume her whole. “What makes you think I’ll change my mind and marry you now?”

“I caught you red-handed.”

“You caught me? What were you doing spying on me in the first place?”

“I wasn’t spying on you. The Pinkerton was. And it’s a good thing I hired him to keep tabs on you.”

It was all so twisted and wrong. She had no idea Edward was capable of going to such lengths.

“I can’t say I approve of spying, Edward,” her father said, “though I now understand why you were distrustful. But in the end, none of this matters. Aurora, you’re marrying Edward today, and that’s final.”

She felt something welling up inside her, something big and powerful that she could not deny. “No,” she said, stepping around the chair so that it was between her and Edward.

“Did you just say no?” Her father’s voice was quiet, deadly calm.

“I won’t marry him, Papa. No punishment you could dole out would be worse than spending my life tied to him.” And it was true. She would far rather be cast out and disowned than marry Edward after all that had transpired.

“You know what this means, Aurora. I told you what would happen.”

“I understand.” She was proud of herself for keeping her voice calm and even. She felt as if she were being pummeled by an enormous, dark wave that was going to pull her under any moment.

“I don’t understand,” Edward said. “August, you said she would marry me.”

“I can’t legally force her, Edward,” her father hissed, emotion finally breaking through into his voice. “But trust me, she’ll be back begging. Give it a week, two at most.”

“A week or two of what?” Edward demanded. “I want this deal sealed right now.”

Her father quelled him with a look, then turned his fury on her.

“Aurora, as of now, you are cut off. You won’t receive a penny from me, and you are no longer welcome in this house. If you don’t come to your senses in a month’s time, I will remove you from my will and permanently disown you. You will no longer be a member of this family. It will be as if you were never born.”

Tears dripped down her cheeks. Dammit. She intended to stay calm. “I understand. I’ll go pack my things.”

“You may take your clothes and personal effects, but you may not take anything of value. All jewelry, art, and antiques stay here. I’ll send two servants to oversee your departure and see that you leave the house as soon as is practicable.”

With as much dignity as she could muster, she turned and walked out the door.

As she packed, she thought through where to go to stave off panic. Aunt Alva or one of her brothers might take her in, but she didn’t want to subject any of them to her father’s wrath. Her brothers all worked in the family business, and Alva’s husband was a close friend of her father’s. She could try Evelyn, but she wouldn’t be able to provide any open assistance without putting her own reputation in jeopardy. Did she dare go to Hank?

She needed to see him anyway. If Edward would stoop this low, it was only a matter of time before he worked out that Hank and Albert Jones were one and the same. What he would do, she wasn’t sure, but she had to warn Hank.

As she headed out the door with four suitcases, her maid, Kelly, surreptitiously handed her ten dollars. “You’ve always been generous to me, Miss. I don’t want you going out the door with nothing.”

Rory stared down at the money in disbelief. The reality of what she was doing suddenly came crashing down on her. She had nothing. Not a cent. No roof over her head, no promise of the next meal, and no family she could turn to. She was a charity case as much as any of the women she’d spoken to for the PBA. Not that she deserved charity. This was all the result of choices she’d made, risks she’d taken with eyes wide open. All her life she’d been cocooned in luxury and privilege. For years, she’d yearned to break free. Well, now she had her wish, and it was devastating.

“Kelly, I don’t want to take this, but I can’t pretend I don’t need it. I’ll repay you and more as soon as I’m able.” She had to pay for a cab somehow, and it was a long ride out to Mineola. She’d never been more humbled. Throwing her arms around Kelly, she sobbed. Kelly’s generosity wrecked her in a way her father’s words had not. For the first time in her life, she was ashamed of who she was. What had she ever done to deserve her coddled existence? Kelly was the better woman by far.

It took her several minutes to compose herself so that she could walk out the door with her head held high. Kelly helped her with her bags and flagged down a cab for her. No one else was there to see her off. Rory wondered what all of this might mean for Kelly. Would she lose her job with Rory gone?

Rory’s stomach lurched at the thought. “Kelly, I’ll make this up to you. I’ll make everything up to you, I swear.”

“Don’t worry about me, Miss. I’ll be fine,” Kelly said as if she could read Rory’s thoughts.

“Not ‘Miss.’ Just Rory.”

Kelly shook her head vigorously.