“The servants say she’s going to be sent away. Possibly up north.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Possibly to marry. Do you think she would still marry Wykeham?”
She paused halfway through a sip, then finished and set her cup down. “You think I would know? I have not exactly been out and about.”
“But Rose has.”
Emalyn grinned and wagged a finger at him. “It should be our shecret why I know so much about the undershide of theton. Did you know that Clara and Rose were good friends?”
He shifted in the chair. “I knew they were acquainted—”
“Closhe friends. It was Rose who... orchesh... contrived your afternoon at the modi—dressh shop.”
Michael leaned forward, intrigued. “Why would she do that?”
“Because we all thought Clara was what you needed to finally heal.”
“Heal. From alcohol.”
“From Eleanor.”
Michael sank back against the chair. “Eleanor.”
“She poisoned you.”
“Is Clara any different?”
“Do not be a fool.” Emalyn hesitated and adjusted her left hand with her right. “How did it feel, sheeing her like that? Truth.”
“Like Copper had kicked me in the gut.”
“Do you shtill think she intentionally betrayed you?”
Michael scowled. “Why do you say ‘intentionally’?”
Emalyn lowered a stern look at him. “Because you have been paching this housh like a madman. I have heard you leave at midnight. Know you have been pushing Copper hard. I thought maybe you had realized that Clara ish not and was never Eleanor. That not all women are like Eleanor. Clara was deshparate, not cruel. And you were a fool to think sho.”
Michael jerked back as if he had been slapped. And perhaps he had been. “Mother—”
She waved a hand at him. “Do not. For once in your life, listen to reason. You loved her. You shtill do, or it would have meant nothing to you to shee her on that horsh.”
Michael crossed his arms, pressing back against his chair. “I told her I never wanted to see her again.”
“Grovel.”
He blinked. “What?”
She gave another impatient wave with her right hand. “Do not be daft. She loved you. Probably shtill does. But you crushed her.”
“I did not—”
Another wave. “Shtop defending being a fool. If you want her, you will have to beg forgivenessh. Grovel.”
“I doubt she will see me.”
“Then I will invite her and the dowager to tea.”
“I doubt they will come. Especially if she is about to marry the duke.”
Emalyn shook her head. “There are times when I realize that Philip and I coddled you children too much. Did not teach you enough about protocol.”
