What could he be doing here?
A wave of emotion crested over Isabel, and she fought every feeling. The first spark of missing her elder brother. The guilt that followed, to care for someone so shameful. There was thatlonging and that confusion and the familiarity of her family being so close.
“I don’t…” Isabel let out a shaky breath. “Are you certain? Perhaps it was someone else. I believe I have cousins. Distant cousins elsewhere.”
“We talked.”
Isabel felt a lump forming in her throat. Grabbing for her teacup again, she filled it to the brim and drank. “Emilia, whatever did you do that for?”
And why had Thomas spoken to Emilia and not her? But Isabel knew better than to ask that question. It hurt her heart terribly to lose her brother in this way. But he had been selfish. He had admitted to the crime. He hadn’t stolen money to help the family or to aid anyone but himself.
It’s not as though he were ever a perfect sibling. We argued or ignored each other more often than not. And yet, he is family…
Emilia scooted closer with an earnest and eager look in her eyes. “Please, Isabel, listen to me. Thomas Ravenshaw is surely still a good man. He was polite and gracious when we recognized one another. Then he asked after you.”
“He did?”
“Of course! He misses you most of all.” Emilia’s eyes brightened as she carried on. “When he saw me, he was thrilled. Because he wants to speak with you.”
The joy inside suddenly deflated as worry overcame her. Isabel clutched her teacup with shaking hands.
Why would he wish to speak with me now? He left without a farewell. There is no reason for him to return at this time. What is he doing? I was alone in London for months. He could have come to me then…
“Yes?” Isabel struggled to keep the smile on her face. “Is that so?”
Her friend was too distracted to notice. “Yes! Isn’t that lovely? He told me he wants to find you. That he wants to make amends.”
“No!” Isabel put her cup down so hard and so quick that hot tea splashed all over her hands. She jerked away, standing. Her legs itches and her mind was racing. Shaking her head, she tried to understand what this was supposed to mean.
But it was the confusion that kept coming back. The feeling of betrayal. His abandonment. And she didn’t understand the timing. What was her brother doing?
“No?” Emilia slowly rose. “But Isabel…”
Too much had happened. Too much had gone wrong. If her brother could have been a better man, then Isabel wouldn’t have suffered. Recalling all of the social events she had attended where no one would acknowledge her, the shame her parents felt that was so heavy they were willing to abandon her like Thomas has, and the loneliness of seeing how no one was willing to stand by her side.
“No.” Isabel clutched her hands together when she realized how badly they were still shaking. She tried to smile at her friend to offer comfort. “I’m sorry, Emilia, but I never wish to see Thomas again. Not after what he did.”
The redhead was bewildered with her wide eyes and parted lips. “Oh.”
“Please, you must understand.”
With a slight shrug, Emilia confessed, “I’m not sure that I do, I’m terribly sorry, Isabel. But I care for you. You know that. You must know that. I may not entirely understand, but I trust you. I hear you. I’m only sorry to have upset you.”
“I’m not upset,” Isabel lied. She swallowed hard again and smoothed out her dress. “If anything, I’m only upset to be losing you so soon. When you visit again, you must stay at least a fortnight, Emilia. I won’t settle for anything less.”
Giggling, Emilia nodded. “I promise you.”
Through smiles and hugs, they pretended like nothing had happened. Soon Emilia was bundled up in her carriage on the journey home.
Isabel was left on the front steps of the estate, suddenly alone again, and thinking too much of her brother.
CHAPTER 12
“No.”
“No!”
He kept hearing it in his head. While a voice in his mind told Sebastian he shouldn’t have been eavesdropping, because if he hadn’t, he wouldn’t be bothered with this, but he couldn’t help it and now there he was. With Isabel’s shaking voice in his mind.
