Still, she could not marry him. She would be making the same mistake Adam did not want to make—marrying someone he did not love. He said it would be a disservice to both parties involved. John deserved more.
Besides that, she suspected John didn’t really love her either. At least not passionately. He was proposing to her because she was the only single woman in Cumberland, and he was afraid someone else was going to snatch her up before he had the chance to.
Madeline reached for his hand. “I’m sorry, John, I can’t marry you.”
He blinked a few times. “But why?”
“Because I’m not in love with you, and you deserve to be adored by the woman you marry. I’m not the right one for you.”
“But you’re theonlyone,” he replied.
Madeline smiled gently. “That’s because I’m the only unmarried woman in Cumberland above the age of twelve.”
He managed a laugh. For a moment, they both sat on the bench without saying anything.
Madeline stood and hugged John. “I’m sorry. I hope we can still be friends.”
“I guess that’ll have to do,” he replied.
She took some comfort in the fact that she had not broken his heart. She could see it in his eyes.
She said good-night to him and turned to go back inside. Stepping into the front hall, she peered into the parlor.
There was Diana, all smiles and laughter, playing her heart out on the pianoforte while Lord Blackthorne turned the pages for her and sang along. What a silly little ditty it was that they played. Madeline had never heard it before.
Contrarily, Adam sat in the chair by the fire with one leg crossed over the other, gazing dolefully into the flames.
Madeline’s knees went weak at the sight of him in the firelight, looking so handsome and elegant. So somber. She longed to throw all her foolish caution to the wind and go to him. Pull him to his feet and tell him nothing mattered more to her than he did, for no one in her life had ever treated her better, or managed to open her eyes to what real love truly was.
It wasn’t about loyalty or duty, she realized. It was about tenderness and affection and kindness. It was about how you treated someone.
Madeline took a deep breath and slowly approached her sister. She didn’t even wait for the song she was playing to come to an end. Madeline tapped Diana on the shoulder.
“I need to talk to you, Diana. It’s very important. Would you gentlemen excuse us, please?”
Chapter Twenty-Two
The men retreated to Adam’s study for brandy, and Diana glared up at Madeline from the piano bench. “That was very rude, Madeline! What did you think you were doing? Lord Blackthorne is an important man.”
Madeline sat down beside her. “Yes, and I like him very much, but this could not wait.”
“What could not wait? La, you’d think the house was on fire.”
“It is, in a way.”
“What in the world are you trying to say? As usual, you’re making no sense at all. Selfish, selfish, selfish.”
Madeline held up her hand. “Diana, stop.”
To Madeline’s surprise, Dianadidstop. She gazed at Madeline with surprise, waiting for her to say what she wanted to say.
Madeline tried to speak clearly and confidently. “I know that you’ve been through a difficult time, and you’re still not entirely better yet, but there is something you need to know about the day of your accident. Something happened, and there was a reason you went riding onto the marsh alone. This may come as a shock to you, but you were looking for me to tell me something, and—”
Diana wiggled on the bench to face Madeline. “Wait, wait. Since we’re being honest with each other, I have something to tell you, too. I was afraid to tell you, because we have been growing so close lately…”
Growing so close lately?
“…and I know that you stayed here with Adam all this time to wait for me to finally arrive to marry him.”
