“He has the day at Whitehall, and then he will be dining with Lord Blayne and a few others,” Thea said. “He warned me it would be a late night. That gives me time to leave London.”
“And then after that?” Margaret wondered.
“I’d best leave the country,” Thea answered, not willing to divulge her plans to either of them.
Margaret nodded.
“This is all rot,” Harry said, jumping to his feet. He gestured wildly. “I don’t want you to leave. I don’t want your sons to leave. You are family now. You belong here.”
“Even if it means your brother’s life?” Thea asked gently.
He let his arms drop in defeat. “I can’t take this,” he said. “I can’t stay here. I don’t want to think of this.” He lurched for the door.
Margaret called after him. “Going for the bottle, Harry, or more opium?”
He paused, looked back at her. “You are cruel, Margaret.”
“No, your excesses are cruel, my brother. Go. Lose yourself.”
“I don’t want her to go,” Harry said sadly. “I don’t want her boys to go.”
“Sometimes we must make hard decisions,” Thea said.
Harry seemed to waver, then he opened the door, slamming it behind him.
“He must change,” Thea said.
“Aren’t you the one who said he would whenhewanted to make the change?” Margaret reminded her.
“It’s hard waiting for that moment, if it everdoes come,” Thea replied. She ran her hand thoughtfully over the handle of the bag. “I do love Neal. I want his happiness.”
“How good you were for all of us. But you are right. We must protect Neal and the child you carry. At least he will have his brothers.”
Thea nodded, feeling hollow inside.
“Do you have money?” Margaret asked.
“I have my pin money.”
“Let me add mine. I never spend it.” Margaret left the room and came back a few minutes later with a heavy leather purse. “Whenever you need money, contact me. Harry and I will see you are cared for, and we won’t let Neal know.”
“Thank you.”
“How are you going to leave?”
“I will sneak this bag outside. I’ll collect my sons after their lessons and we’ll walk off. After that, it’s best you don’t know my plans or my direction.”
“The boys won’t want to leave.”
“I know,” Thea admitted. “This is going to be so hard.” She broke down.
Immediately, Margaret threw her arms around her. “I won’t lose track of you. We can’t. You and your sons are part of us now. And, Thea, I believeyou are doing the bravest thing I have ever witnessed.”
Thea nodded. Margaret’s support meant a great deal to her. But now was not the time to linger. “I must go.”
She didn’t look back.
Neal was relieved to finally return home. The dinner meeting had gone overlong, and it was now well past midnight. He had wanted to leave hours ago, but there had not been the opportunity to excuse himself gracefully.
