Page 78 of The Wedding Challenge

“I am sorry. That is the second time I have cried all over you,” she told Francesca. “You must think me dreadfully prone to tears.”

“No. I think you are going through a very trying period. Believe me, there have been times in my life when I have done nothing but cry, it seemed,” Francesca replied and patted her hand. “There is no need to apologize.”

“Thank you.” Callie summoned up a watery smile. “And thank you for what you did in there earlier. You saved me. I was afraid Brom and Sinclair were going to kill each other.”

“I am just glad that I arrived in time.”

“How did you?” Callie asked. “I have never been so surprised as when you walked in.”

“Well, when I returned from my visit to the Duchess of Chudleigh, Fenton gave me your note, saying that Rochford had been hurt and where you had gone. So I had my carriage brought ’round, and I set out after you.”

“So you did not come because you had figured out it was a trap?” Callie asked.

“No. I hadn’t the slightest idea. I had realized that Daphne was behind Lady Odelia’s invitation. She let it slip as we were driving home. Lady Odelia said that ‘dear Daphne’ was right. She had not thought I would like to go, but then Daphne had assured her that I would doubtless want to see my mother’s godmama. Well, you can imagine how I felt. If Daphne had been there, I would have slapped her. Of course, I just had to swallow my bile and smile. But I did not realize that Daphne had a larger plan to get me away from the house when her message arrived. I simply assumed that she had done it in order to have a good laugh at my expense.”

“I see,” Callie said, a smile curving her lips. “Then you came rushing up to the cottage just because you thought Sinclair was hurt. You care for him, don’t you?”

Francesca seemed for once at a loss for words. She looked at Callie for a moment, then pulled herself up as straight as possible and gave her a cool look, saying repressively, “Of course I care about Rochford. After all, I have known him all my life. Besides, I assumed that you might need my help in caring for him if he was injured. I feel sure that he is a terrible trial when he is ill.”

“Oh,” Callie said, with a knowing smile. “I see.”

Francesca frowned at her and continued, “We had slow going. It was night by then, and sometimes, in the darker patches, a groom had to walk in front of the horses with a lantern. When we finally pulled into the yard this morning, I saw Rochford’s horse tied up in front. I thought that was most odd, since he was supposedly laid up in bed with broken bones. And the instant I got out of the carriage, I could hear him shouting and all the noise inside, so I knew that he wasn’t hurt after all. That is when I realized this was all some sort of plot—doubtless of Daphne’s making.”

“It was quick thinking on your part to send your carriage round to the stables.”

“I hadn’t any time for considering things. I knew I had to convince Rochford that I had been with you the whole time, so the carriage could not be sitting in the yard. I told the coachman to go to the stables and take care of the horses, and I ran around to the back and came in the back door. Then I pretended to have just come downstairs.”

“Thank goodness you did,” Callie said fervently and reached over to squeeze Francesca’s hand. “You saved us all from disaster.”

“Well, I did promise to help you in any way possible,” Francesca responded lightly.

“You have done more for me than I ever could have imagined,” Callie told her. “And I appreciate it so much.” She hesitated, then said, “But I think that I will return to Marcastle with Sinclair. I thought that I would stay through most of the Season, just to keep everyone’s tongues from wagging, but it does not seem that important anymore.”

“Oh, Callie…” Francesca’s face was filled with sympathy. “I am so sorry. I wish you would stay. Not just for the company, although I confess that I will find the house quite empty without your presence. But I hate to think that you are giving up…”

“On finding a husband?” Callie supplied the ending to her sentence. “I fear that I am no longer interested in that. I rather doubt now that I shall ever marry.”

“No. I meant giving up on finding love,” Francesca corrected her gently.

“I do not think that I am meant to do that.” Callie smiled faintly. “Do not look so sad. I do not regret the past few weeks. I would not give up what I have done and learned and felt for the world. I did not think that I was capable of great love, and I was willing to settle for something less—comfort and companionship. But I discovered what it is to truly love. I have experienced that. Now I know that nothing less would be enough.”

“Callie, pray do not give up entirely on the earl. It is clear how much you love him.”

“Yes, but it is not enough for me to love him.” Callie’s smile was sad, her tone resigned.

Francesca knew that there was nothing more to say. She nodded, aware of an old ache deep in her own heart.

After that, the two of them fell silent. As the carriage moved slowly onward, they sat, sometimes raising an edge of the curtain to look outside, but most of the time simply lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Callie, worn out from her tears, slept, wedged into one corner of the carriage.

They traveled slowly at first, for the horses were tired, and they soon stopped to change horses. Rochford even decided to leave his horse at the inn where they made the change, reluctantly handing over the care of his prized mount to Francesca’s groom, with orders to bring the animal on to London the following day.

With fresh horses, their pace picked up, and by evening they were once again in London. Callie had told her brother that she wanted to return to Marcastle with him, so he left her at Francesca’s house to pack while he went to Lilles House to arrange for their departure.

“I will send the carriage for you tomorrow morning,” he promised Callie. “I presume that you and Lady Haughston will want to spend this evening together to make your goodbyes.”

“Thank you,” Callie said, going up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek.

He looked at her, surprised. “Does this mean that I am out of your black books?”