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After what Matthew did to her tonight, she could never show her face in Society again. She had ruined her family’s name by hiding the truth about John’s death. Her options had run out, it was time to leave.
As she packed her money away, she thought about what to do. There had to be ships leaving sooner. Maybe even with the morning tide. Unfortunately, most of the ships leaving London were trade ships, not passenger vessels. She prayed there would be at least one ship that would allow her passage. The trip to Portsmouth where she could find a passenger ship would take too much additional time.
While she’d always thought Florence would be the perfect place to live, too many of her friends knew her destination. Perhaps it would be better to try a different country, farther away from England. She returned to the linen-press and picked out a black hat with a veil. She hadn’t worn this hat since her father died.
Glancing in the mirror, she knew she looked the part she would need to play. The grieving widow moving to be closer to her…her…cousins, she decided. With tears still welling in her eyes and her heart in pieces, she felt every bit the part.
Never had she imagined a pain like the one she felt tonight. She’d been so sure of his love.
She looked over at the small clock on her nightstand and pressed her lips together. If she didn’t leave now, her family would find her. Now, she just had to sneak out the back door.
Knowing Grantham would not leave his post by the front door until her mother returned, she would have to opt for the servants’ staircase. She peered out the door of her room and noticed no one in the hall. On tiptoes, she raced to the small rear staircase. Stopping at the top step, she listened for voices from below. Most of the servants should have retired for the night by now.
Her luck held as she walked down the creaky steps. Entering the study, she released her breath when she found no one around. An eerie silence filled the entire house tonight.
A commotion at the front door indicated her mother, if not Avis and Banning, had returned home. Her feet refused to move forward. Instead, with one hand on the doorknob, she listened.
“Yes, ma’am. She returned home an hour ago,” Grantham said.
“Thank goodness,” her mother said. “I will go to her now.”
“Ring if you need anything, my lady.”
“Thank you, Grantham. We shall be all right, you may retire for the night.”
Jennette desperately wished she could give her mother a hug before she left. She wanted to see her mother one last time. But she could not. For all she knew, the investigators would be knocking at the door any minute. Because of her actions, she would never see her family or friends again.
She opened the door, looked back, and whispered, “Goodbye, Mother.”
Chapter 24
After pacing his dusty study all night, Matthew could not wait another moment to see her. He’d spent the night chastising himself for telling Vanessa what had really happened five years ago. He should have known better. A mistress wasn’t always discreet no matter how much money lavished on her.
Especially a mistress who thought she was in love.
He’d had no idea what love truly felt like until Jennette. Now he almost understood why Vanessa acted as she had. He would do anything to get Jennette back into his life.
He hadn’t seen her since last night and it felt as if it had been months. He missed her smile, her sparkling eyes dancing with humor, the sound of her laugh.
But before he could see her, he had to make himself look decent. He raced up the stairs to ready himself. After quickly shaving and changing into decent clothes, he splashed more water on his face. Hearing the front door open, he assumed it was Somerton. He was the only one who ever called on him…except the one visit from Jennette.
“Who’s there?” he shouted down the stairs, hoping it was Jennette and not Somerton.
“Selby. Is Jennette here?”
Matthew raced down and almost skidded into Selby. “What do you mean? Isn’t she at Lady Elizabeth’s?”
“Dammit!” Selby yelled, throwing his hat across the hall. “You were my last hope. I thought she might have come to you for an explanation.”
“I haven’t seen her since last night. You told me to stay away until morning.” He never should have listened to Selby. Speaking with her last night would have calmed her.
“She left Lady Elizabeth’s around eleven and returned home. Then, a short while later, she departed out the door in the back of the house.” Selby cursed again.
Matthew grasped the banister for support. How could she have left? Fear and embarrassment, you idiot, his mind reminded him.
“Where else might she have gone?”
“I haven’t been able to check with Miss Seaton or Miss Reynard. She might have gone to one of them last night.”
