AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Hawk looked at her, eyes glittering.
She read her own meaning in his silence.
“I didn’t think you approached me again with the idea of a marriage proposal,” she scoffed, though she was willing the tears away with all her might.
Hawk searched her eyes. “You know why I approached you…”
Yes, to make amends.
“Pia—”
“I-it’s t-too late, Hawk,” she said, her voice agonized. “The cat’s out of the bag, and we’re finished. Our affair was going to have to end sometime, so why not now? Except this time, I’m the one walking away.”
Before Hawk could respond, someone called his name, and she and Hawk turned as one to glance down the hall.
Michelene was standing at the top of the stairs.
Not waiting for more, Pia turned and hurried down the hall in the opposite direction, leaving Hawk standing where he was.
Pia slipped inside her bedroom and closed and locked the door behind her. Then she leaned back against the wall of the darkened room, grateful for reaching sanctuary.
When all of this had started, Hawk’s motivation was to make amends. His motivation had never been, she reminded herself, swallowing hard, to love her or promise forever more.
She bit her lip to stop it from trembling, even as the tears welled.
The only question was how was she going to mend her heart when this was over and she’d truly gotten away—if she ever could?
Twelve
As it turned out, Pia managed to make her escape more expeditiously than she’d imagined possible. After collecting herself and drying her tears, she packed her few bags in a hurry and summoned one of Hawk’s chauffeurs to drive her to nearby Oxford.
She knew Hawk would remain occupied tonight with the engagement party, whether he liked it or not. She also knew Oxford would afford her a host of inns and hotels in which to stay for the night while she booked a flight back to New York—and planned her next move.
During the night at a small inn, however she remembered that the Earl and Countess of Melton were staying at their home, Gantswood Hall, in nearby Gloucestershire. So the morning, after a quick ring to Tamara, Pia used a rental car to drive to Gantswood Hall.
When Pia arrived after midday, Tamara greeted her inside the front door with a quick hug.
Before she’d left New York, Pia had mentioned to Tamara that she planned to be in England for Lucy Carsdale’s engagement party, so her friend was aware that she would be in the country.
But Pia had said nothing on the phone about the reason for her sudden trip to Gantswood Hall. And if Tamara had been surprised at Pia’s impromptu plan to visit, she hadn’t given any indication.
Now, as she and Tamara drew apart from their hug, Pia couldn’t help experiencing a pang. She’d noticed that her friend’s pregnancy had started to show. And Tamara looked happy and relaxed, dressed in a cowl-neck cashmere sweater and black tights, her red hair pulled back in a knot.
Pia knew her own situation was in startling contrast. She couldn’t be further away from Tamara’s happily-ever-after. She was sad and depressed, and she hadn’t slept well last night. No amount of makeup this morning had been able to disguise her pallor and the peaked look around her eyes.
Tamara searched her face, her brow puckering. “What’s wrong? You gave no indication on the phone. But I can see from the look of you that something is amiss.”
Pia parted her lips. What was the use in hiding the truth?
“L-last night was Lucy Carsdale’s engagement party,” she said without preamble.
Tamara’s eyes widened. “Did something go wrong? Oh, Pia!”
Much to her horror, Pia felt her eyes well with tears.
Tamara looked at her with concern for a moment, and then wrapped her in a hug again.
“It’s okay,” Tamara said soothingly, patting her on the back. “I’ve been prone to tears myself, what with raging hormones during this pregnancy. I’m sure whatever happened is not as bad as it seems right now.”
