Anne swallowed. “What if nothing changes?”
Dorian was quiet for a moment. Then he offered a small smile. “What if it does?”
“I dislike optimistic people.”
“You married one.”
“No, I married a reckless man with a terrible reputation.”
His smile widened. “Those things are not mutually exclusive. I am not going to force you to leave or stay, but I will remind you that you spent years regretting things left unsaid with your father.”
Anne’s breath caught slightly. She had only said that to Eleanor.
“How did you know that?”
“Your friend is not particularly good at keeping secrets, not when she thinks it is important that you are helped through something.”
Anne groaned. “I knew it.”
“Anne, you know better than most that time does not always offer second chances. I am not suggesting that you go and insist on making things right, but I am hoping that you will go with an open mind, at least.”
Anne stared out across the grounds for several moments before finally speaking. “If I go and it ends badly, I will blame you.”
“Naturally.”
“If she irritates me, I will also blame you.”
“I accept that risk.”
“If the entire visit becomes unbearable?—”
“I will still be blamed. I will accept that.”
Anne glanced at him. His expression was entirely sincere, and the sight of it made her laugh.
Dorian smiled. “There she is.”
Anne shook her head. “You are impossible.”
The warmth between them lingered. Then, after one final moment of hesitation, she nodded.
“Very well, I will go.”
Relief crossed Dorian’s face so quickly that she almost missed it. Almost.
“I think,” he said quietly, “you will be glad that you did.”
For reasons she could not entirely explain, hearing him say it made her believe it might actually be true.
* * *
Anne arrived at Rosemere House later that afternoon with a heaviness in her chest that had little to do with the carriage ride and everything to do with the fact that she had not stood on the doorstep willingly in a very long time.
The house looked unchanged. That somehow made it worse. The door opened before she could force herself to turn back.
“Your Grace,” the housekeeper greeted, sounding both surprised and carefully polite, as though unsure whether the visit was an attempt at reconciliation or a catastrophe.
“I have come to see my mother,” Anne announced.
