This was never part of my plan. I thought to return home in a few months, retrieve my dowry, and gain my independence. I would be free to reenter Society on my own terms—and to marry, eventually, a man of my own choosing. I had even thought of hiring an investigator to find Mr. Long—just to ease my worries. But now what would I do?
I shook my head. “It will work out. It must. It’s not the order I wanted, but I could not have dreamed for a better man to come into my life. He cares so much about helping people that, surely, he can overlook my heritage—even if his mother cannot.” My feet stopped in front of the fireplace. “Oh, Nora!” I cried. “If you only knew the good he is doing right here in England. He is absolutely wonderful.” Hope swelled in my heart until it was ready to burst.
Nora’s shocked face melted into a sappy grin. She pushed up on her feet and crossed the room to me. “Oh, miss. I couldn’t be ‘appier for ye.”
We threw our arms around each other, and her sobs of joy pulled free tears of my own.
They were happy tears.
The first I could remember.
When Augusta caught me grinning over my breakfast for the third time, she slammed her fork on the table. “Enough! You must tell me what is so amusing. It isn’t fair to keep such gems of information to yourself.”
We were the only two in the breakfast room. Lady Camden was taking a tray in her bed, and I assumed Lord Camden had eaten already, since he had clearly been up early cutting flowers in the garden.
That thought made me smile again.
“Tell me!” Augusta insisted.
I leaned over the table. “I have much to confess.” I planned to tell Atlas about my true identity first, but soon I would reveal it to Augusta as well. It would be freeing to have my dearest friend in the world call me by my true surname. But first, the good news. “Your brother has asked to court me.”
“He did? What did you say? What about your stranger?”
“My dear Mr. Long?" I hesitated, glancing at my hands. "For months, he has dominated my thoughts. But now it is as if your brother has come in and filled every recess of my heart, and there is no room for anyone else.”
Augusta’s whole face lit up and she squealed. It was so loud that her mother had likely heard it upstairs. She darted around the table and dragged me to my feet. “I knew we were meant to be sisters.”
“Sisters?” I could not wrap my head around that wonderful idea. Did she care about me enough to want me in her life for that long?
Clasping both my hands, Augusta started skipping around the table with me, shouting, “Huzzah! Huzzah!”
My own peals of laughter mixed with her exuberant cheers.
“What the devil is going on in here?”
We both stopped in our tracks as a baffled Atlas strolled into the breakfast room.
I wasn’t entirely sure, but I would have guessed my cheeks were as red as beets. Mother would have expired then and there if she had not already passed. She had wanted me to present myself as a perfect debutante to my suitors. My antics were a better fit for a circus. Wide-eyed, I turned to Augusta. Her face was screwed up in a scared yet comical fashion. We took one look at each other and burst into laughter.
Atlas watched us for a moment before giving up and picking up a plate at the sideboard. He filled it with a few things and took a seat at the table. I wiped more happy tears from my eyes. I had never laughed that hard in my entire life. Indeed, I do not remember laughing much at all. But now it was all I wanted to do.
I had never imagined leaving home and finding two generous, kind, trusting people who would care about me. My future was still unclear, and yet, I had never been more hopeful. What if I could stay here and marry Lord Camden? What if Augusta and I could be sisters someday? It was too wonderful!
“In fear of sounding like Mother, do not forget to finish your breakfast.” He pointed at our half-eaten plates.
Augusta and I returned to our seats.
He eyed us both. “Dare I ask about the dancing and yelling?”
Augusta gave a mock gasp. “How dare you ask us to betray each other’s confidence.”
“A secret celebration?” Atlas’s gaze swung toward me, and he lifted an amused brow. “Interesting.”
“Miss Estelle is very interesting,” Augusta said. “Don’t you agree?”
Atlas smiled. “I would have to agree.”
“And very pretty,” Augusta added with a raised brow.
