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Chapter 52
A week had passed. Lucy remained in the house, mourning Silas’ betrayal. She tiptoed about, avoiding Aunt Joan and her friends. She spent most of her time snuggling the kitten, until Jocasta would wiggle out of her arms and disappear down the hall, her tiny paws making no sounds as she went.
Lucy felt bad for lying to Aunt Joan about the mouse in the larder. Silas wasn’t worth the exertion and pains that she had taken to hide that he had been there while her aunt was out. Though, she was pleased to have Jocasta. It had been a while since they had owned a cat. She’d forgotten how much she loved having one.
For the past few days, Lucy would pick at her food, her mind agonizing over the fact that she’d been tricked, again. She wondered if and when Silas would return. It was starting to become agonizing, half expecting him to come to the door, half dreading it.
Finally, there was a knock on the door, and Lucy passed a few very tense moments before she heard Susan answering Aunt Joan’s greeting.
She was standing in front of her current painting, feeling frozen. The joy had slipped out of her life. She was attempting to get it back and failing. Lucy removed her smock, setting it aside, then cleaned her hands of paint.
By the time Aunt Joan and Susan had come up the stairs, she was presentable. She hadn’t been taking much pains with how she looked. Her hair was pulled back in a neat bun, without the modish curls framing her cheeks. Heating up the iron was beyond her these days. She was dressed and neat, nothing more. There was no one to impress but herself, and she was not interested.
“Lucy! Are you well?” Susan asked. She was wearing a beautiful black hat, which was tilted jauntily on top of her elaborately done hair. It had a cockade of brilliant sunny feathers. She had on a golden-coloured dress with a matching Spencer jacket. In her hands, she held a black sable muff.
“No,” Lucy replied, swallowing. She felt washed out beside Susan, who was always dressed brightly.
“What’s happened?” Susan asked, seeing how unhappy Lucy was. Her brows were furrowed in concern. Lucy knew that she should have written, but she had been too miserable to reach out.
“Silas has betrayed me,” Lucy said, the words hurting even more now that she’d said them. Again, the world blurred as tears filled her eyes. She swallowed, refusing to cry again.
The two friends sat down and Susan took both of Lucy’s hands in her own. Her hands were warm; only then did Lucy realized how cold she felt.
“Oh, Lucy,” Susan said. “Tell me.”
“He made a bet,” Lucy explained, “that if he didn’t bag a buck, then he had to court me.” There was still an ache in her chest, a yearning for him—or at least for who she had thought him to be.
“Oh, Lucy.” Susan’s eyes were wide.
“He lost the bet to Mr Stalton,” she went on, “and apparently, he has been fulfilling it to the best of his abilities.”
“What an absolute scoundrel! And he never came to explain himself?” There was fire in Susan’s tone. Lucy realized that she had two very loyal friends who would, in a battle, fight for her. She was lucky to have Susan and Dinah. It wasn’t often that someone was so blessed.
“Well, he did. But Aunt Joan made him leave.”
“What did he say to Miss Joan?” Susan asked.
“That the bet was true. But that there was an explanation, and he loves me.” Lucy swallowed, for she was near to tears again. She took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. She had cried enough over the past week.
Susan tilted her head to the side. “It sounds like he fell in love with you, Lucy.”
“No, it sounds like everything that I thought was true was all a cruel joke and a lie.” She reached for her handkerchief, which she kept close to her at all times.
“Well, if he really loves you, then what does it matter how it started?” Susan asked. Lucy looked at her, surprised to hear her say it.
“You think I should give him another chance then?” she asked, incredulous.
“I do. Wholeheartedly.” Susan took her hand. “Not everyone is perfect. Look at us! We sacrificed our friendship over Edward Russ.”
“He certainly wasn’t worth it.” It seemed that Lucy was doomed to repeat her past transgressions with men over again. She wasn’t sad anymore. Her anger flared within her. She wished that she could fight back, an avenging angel against men with impure intentions.
“No, but we’ve both given each other a second chance, haven’t we?” Susan pointed out.
“That’s different, Susan. We were both mistaken. Silas knew he was pursuing me for a cruel bet. He hid it well.”
“At least hear him out,” she replied. “What have you to lose?”
“My dignity. My self-respect,” Lucy stated.
