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“She is feisty, I will give you that. I can see why you like her,” Richard said. When Arthur opened his mouth to protest, Richard held up a hand. “Save it.”
Arthur frowned. Was he really that obvious? Well, anything that had been between them was effectively over now. She must hate him now.
He walked to the place where Carmen had dropped the pendant while leaving and picked it up. He ran a hand through its smooth surface and turned it over. He had never examined it so closely but now that he did, he saw the initials C.S. engraved on it. “Carmen,” Arthur softly whispered to himself. It was proof enough that she had been telling the truth.
* * *
Carmen wiped the tears with her sleeve. It hadn’t taken Arthur more than a few seconds to discard her. He hadn’t even flinched when he told her that she couldn’t claim Nora for her own. Her feelings meant narry to him. She was a fool to think otherwise.
“Are you going to be okay?” Ramon asked.
“I’m fine,” Carmen said. Her voice was scratchy, and she felt everything inside her collapsing. Her daughter was so close, and yet so far. “I want to see her.”
Ramon hesitated. “I’m not…”
“Please,” Carmen said. “Let me see her.”
He nodded and let her pass into the next hallway. Carmen found her in the lesson room with Mrs. Cooper. “Can I have a moment with her?”
Mrs. Cooper seemed surprised at her request, but she nodded anyway and stepped out of the room.
Nora dropped her quill and turned to her. “Is everything okay, Miss Black? You look like you might have a fainting spell soon.”
“I’m fine, Nora.” She knelt next to her and took a deep breath. “Do you like me?”
“Of course, I do,” Nora said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Carmen took a deep breath and took her hands in hers. “Can you see me as your mother?”
Nora’s eyes widened and she stepped out of her grasp. “What do you mean? I love my mother.”
Carmen’s heart grew heavy. Of course, she already knew the answer. Nora had known the Duchess as her mother. How could she give her place to Carmen?
Carmen stood up. This was a mistake. “I’ll take your leave now, Lady Nora.”
Before Nora could say anything, she left the room.
When she reached the foyer, Ramon was waiting for her. “I’m sorry about what happened between you and the Duke.”
Carmen didn’t blame the older man. He was just doing his duty. She glanced at her back in an odd hope to see Nora, but she was probably still playing in the garden, oblivious to everything that was happening.
“I’ll hail a hack for you. You’re in no position to walk home,” Ramon said. The older man led her out of the house. The Mayfair crowd with their elaborate hats and dresses were out enjoying the sunny day. She had once belonged here but not anymore. She could never come back to this world again and Arthur had just proved that to her today.
“Thank you,” was all that she could muster. As the hack turned the corner and Davenport manor vanished from her view, she knew that she just couldn’t give up on her daughter. She couldn’t lose her again just as she had found her. But what was she going to do? She had already lost her opportunity to find her way back to her daughter. She already had a family, knew who her parents were. Expecting a mere child to rethink otherwise would be shifting the entire axis of her world and Carmen wasn’t sure she wanted to do that to her daughter. That would be selfish of her.
* * *
Lily knew there was something wrong the moment Carmen walked in through the door. She hurried towards her. “Is everything okay?” Around them men bustled about, working on the repairs. Time was slipping away from her fast.
Instead of answering her, Carmen collapsed against the wall. Her stomach felt heavy as if somebody had poured lead down it and all she wanted to do was to run to Nora and take her in her arms. “I’ve found her,” she said.
“What are you talking about?” Lily asked. “Wait. Let me take you back to your room.” She led her by supporting her shoulders and then slowly sat her down on her bed. “I’ll bring some tea for you.”
As she stood up to move away, Carmen caught her hand and shook her head. “I don’t need any tea. I’m fine mostly…I just saw my daughter.”
“What?” Lily’s eyes widen in shock. “Where?”
“She is the Duke’s daughter. I don’t know how he found her, but I know that she is mine.” Carmen narrated everything that had happened, including the pendant.
