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So very wrong. He had not meant it. He had not come to her as he had promised.
Was it all a lie?
Her throat felt tight, and her chest ached. There seemed to be no other reasonable explanation for it. She had been wrong—so wrong. What could she do now? Her future and hopes had just fallen to pieces around her.
The clatter of hooves on stone reached her ears. She turned her head. A sleek, black carriage rumbled towards her. Choking back a sob, she slowly rose to her feet and tried to gather her composure once more. The carriage halted before her, and the door opened. A woman peered out from the plush interior. Her eyes were cold and sharp. “I hope you know now what he istrulylike.”
The young woman fidgeted with her skirts. “Yes,” she admitted quietly.
A low, exhausted sigh came from the carriage’s occupant. “Get in.”
The young woman had no choice but to obey.
Chapter 1
Several months earlier
Miss Liliane Ward leaned forward. Her eyes sparkled, and her coral lips curled upwards into a delighted smile. She wore a green gown embellished with tiny, shining pearls. Her red-blonde curls caressed her rosy cheeks and curved around her pointed chin. Liliane knew that there were some who claimed she was a great beauty, but she herself had never thought so. Women who were great beauties looked more like her dearest friend, Eleanor.
Lady Eleanor Wesbrook, Liliane’s oldest and dearest friend, was in high spirits, elegant and attentive to the guests at her soiree. She was a woman who spoke not only with her voice but with her hands.
As she regaled the gathered ladies with her tales of Scotland and marriage, she emphasised each word with flicks of her slender wrists and waves of her fingers. For her part, Liliane was content to watch and listen. It had been some time since Liliane had seen her friend who, after marrying Lord Henry Wesbrook, had settled in Edinburgh.
“I am beginning to think,” Lady Mummert, one of the many ladies who kept an estate nearby, said, “that it is a miracle we managed to get you for even a little while here in Kent. You sound so attached to Scotland that I am surprised you were willing to leave.”
“I do feel freer in Scotland than in England. I feel like there are fewer expectations for me there. I’ve made it no secret that I’ve always felt myself too imperfect for London society,” Eleanor admitted, “but I shall also confess that I am half-starved for good company.”
In truth, Eleanor was a vicar’s daughter, and her marriage to one of thetonhad been something of a scandal. Liliane greatly suspected that her friend’s fondness for Scotland stemmed from her desire to be free of the gossip which surrounded someone of common blood marrying a lord.
“Will you be in London for the Season?” Liliane asked.
When she had last asked, Eleanor had not been certain of her plans. Lord Wesbrook had business partners in Edinburgh forever vying for his attention. Being a new bride, Eleanor was loathe to be apart from her husband. It was terribly romantic how deeply in love the pair of them were.
“No,” Eleanor said, her easy smile fading a little. “Unfortunately, we cannot be away for that long. Perhaps, we’ll be able to stay in London for the next one, though.”
“A pity,” said Lady Henrietta.
Lady Henrietta was Liliane’s stepmother. She was a stately widow of fifty years with thick, dark hair and striking grey eyes. Her face was curiously expressive, capable of both softness and sharpness. Today, her countenance was gentle and graceful. She carried her years well, her smooth face affected by only a few spiderweb-thin lines around her eyes and her forehead. Liliane had heard that her stepmother had once been a great beauty. She still was.
She had also heard of how her stepmother was so generous and kind, andsometimes, she still was. Liliane felt a pang in her heart and looked away. She needed to pretend that all was well. Even if Eleanor knew the truth of it all, this washerday. Her event, her last soiree before she returned to Scotland for so many months. Liliane would’ve felt wretched if she had allowed her own feelings to cast a shadow upon such a bright event.
Still, Eleanor’s polite smile became a little strained. Liliane curled her fingers into the fabric of her skirts and silently prayed for her friend to remain quiet. One day, Liliane feared that her friend would no longer be moved by her pleas and entreaties. One day, Liliane feared Eleanor would revealeverything, all the secrets that had burned inside both of them for so long.
“It is a pity that I cannot stay,” Eleanor said at last. “But I will try and return as soon as I can. Perhaps, when I do, we can turn our attention to finding our dearest Lily a suitable husband.”
“Unless we find one this Season,” Lady Henrietta said. “Itwouldbe wonderful if I could find husbands for all three of my girls this Season.”
“Oh! WhereareJane and Paulina?” Lady Margaret asked.
“Regrettably, they’ve both taken ill,” Lady Henrietta replied.
Lady Mummert’s eyes widened. “Is it very serious?”
Lady Henrietta waved a dismissive hand. “No, not at all. Our physician has it well-in-hand and has assured me that my girls will be well enough soon.”
Liliane felt a bit of pity for Doctor Smith, the family’s favoured physician, and the staff. Jane was especially vicious when she was ill. She was doubtless running the staff ragged with her demands.
“I am certain they’ll both be well by the time we’ve returned home,” Lady Henrietta said. “I fell ill before they did, and as you can see, I have recovered nicely. You were quite fortunate not to be home, Lily, or you might’ve fallen sick, also.”
