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“She is your best friend,” Isabel interrupted.
“She is,” Sam agreed.
“She deserves to know that you are hurting.” Sam started shaking her head. “Do you think she will forgive you that easily when she does find out? And she will find out, you know. You are her best friend. Knowing that she is the reason for your misery, she will hate herself, and eventually resent you for lying. You don’t want this to come between you, do you?”
Sam heaved a sigh and tilted her head back, looking up at the ceiling. She found no answers there either.
“What choice do I have?” she said through her teeth, then looked back at her sister. “If I say nothing, she will hate me. If I do say something, she will suffer, andIshall hate me.”
“I think she deserves to make that choice for herself,” Isabel said evenly. “What if things were reversed? Wouldn’t you want to know?”
Sam blinked. She’d never thought of it that way. Of course, she’d want to know. She’d never marry anyone Evie was attracted to. And once she found out, she’d be furious at Evie for not telling her. But what if the attraction was not mutual? John would have said something to Sam, wouldn’t he? Although he couldn’t break the betrothal, even if he wanted to. He’d ruin Evie, and under current circumstances, he wouldn’t come out unscathed from the scandal either. Then she remembered their morning rides, his intense gazes, their conversations. She couldn’t be sure about his feelings, but Isabel was right. She owed Evie the truth.
“You don’t need to be the martyr here,” Isabel continued. “You can either save your friend just to lose her, or you can discuss it with her and come up with a solution together, like partners. Friendship is a partnership.”
Isabel was right. But it wasn’t as simple as that. Evie had too many problems as it was, Sam shouldn’t be dumping her problems on top. But what if she realized her feelings for John were more than a simple attraction? What if they grew out of control when he married Evie?Well, there is only one way to find out.
* * *
The ball was a crush. The scents of flowers mixed in with burning candle wax and people’s sweat made Sam nauseous. The nerves weren’t making it any easier for her either. She tried to speak to Evie several times, but every time, they got interrupted. Sam wondered if it was even worth speaking to her friend. This was nothing but a slight infatuation. She was certain it was going to pass. Should she endanger Evie just because of that?
She saw Evie weaving her way through the crowd back to her. She’d finished a dance with yet another suitor, smiling and acting as if nothing was amiss. Isabel and Lady Clydesdale were chatting up Lady Montbrook nearby, her brothers were somewhere in the card room, and John was nowhere in sight. Sam thought this would be a perfect moment to talk with her friend.
“I shall be happy if I don’t dance anymore tonight,” Evie said as she reached her side. “It is too hot in here. Why doesn’t Lady Wakefield open the doors and make it habitable?” She fanned herself vigorously.
“I think people will start to swoon quite soon.”
Evie gave a short laugh. “I am sure of it. Where is Lady Wakefield? I don’t think I’ve seen her in a while.”
“I don’t know, perhaps she is the first victim of the heat of her own making.”
Evie smiled at her. “You are in a sour mood. It is my wedding tonight, not yours; you are still happily unattached.”
Sam gave her a queer look. “Are you regretting the decision?” Perhaps the talk with her friend would go easier than she thought.
“No.” Evie shook her head. “Yes… Maybe.”
Sam widened her eyes and looked at her friend in inquiry.
Evie heaved a sigh. “I’ve been re-reading the letters from Grandpa. He left me a string of them in his will, something to read when I am feeling down.” She paused and fiddled with the fan in her hands.
“What did the letters say?” Sam leaned in closer to Evie.
“The same things as he always said.” Evie smiled tenderly. “That he loves me, that he wishes me only the best. That love is more important than anything… Do you know that he was buried in debt and in need of an heiress too when he inherited? Just like Ashbury. He chose love instead and everything worked itself out.” Evie said the last almost to herself, her gaze distant. “Perhaps I should take a leap of faith. Maybe if I follow my heart, it will lead me to happiness.”
Sam took a deep breath. This was it. It was her chance to speak up. Perhaps they could both set each other free.
“Evie.” Sam bit her lip. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
“Truly?” Evie looked up at her. “Because there’s something I wanted to tell you too. But please, you go on.”
“All right.” Sam took another deep breath. “I th—”
A high-pitched scream followed by something breaking interrupted Sam’s speech. Evie and Sam both looked at each other before following the crowd that had now assembled outside of the ballroom.
“You dirty old harlot, how dare you? He’s mine!” The words flew across the hall. Sam and Evie exchanged a startled glance before weaving their way through the crowd. Sam craned her neck to see what was going on. She squeaked as she ran into someone and realized she’d bumped into Evie’s back. Her friend stopped short in her tracks and stood there motionless. Sam craned her neck again to see what Evie was looking at.
Inside the room, two women were yelling and hurling fragile items at each other. The next moment, one of them lunged and grabbed the other by the hair. Sam’s jaw dropped open. She had never seen such open hostility, in front of so many onlookers, no less.Is it Lady Wakefield?She had to give herself a shake. Her gaze shifted a little to the side where Viscount St. Clare stood in the corner, nonchalantly buttoning up his falls as if the entire ordeal didn’t involve him at all.
