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“I’ll not abandon you,” I said. “If your father casts you aside, I’ll help you find a new way. A job, perhaps? You could stay here in Emerson Pass with us. You could send for this man of yours. Start a new life. Alexander will help you.”
Her eyes brightened for a fleeting moment before dimming into a hue of hopelessness. “No, I don’t think that will work. He’ll not be able to take care of us. Not the way I need him to.”
“What will you do?” I asked.
“I have a plan, don’t you worry.”
My chest ached. “I wish there was more I could do.”
“Ah, James, such a sweet man,” Lena said. “It’s not your job to save everyone, especially not me. You’re a good and kind person. I’m better for knowing you.”
We were quiet for a moment. I took her hand, examining the cuts and bruises. “We’ll need to tend to these.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Lena said. “None of it matters anymore.”
“What do you mean?” I didn’t like the listless tone of her voice.
She gave me a wide smile, one that I knew was fake. “Nothing at all. I’ll find a way. People always do, you know.”
I stood and held out my hand. “Come on, let’s get you inside and cleaned up.”
Lena took my offered hand and rose to her feet. “Don’t look at me that way. I can’t stand your pity.” She tossed her hair before throwing her arms around me. I held her for a few seconds before pulling away.
“You’ll be fine,” I said.
“Yes, indeed.”
18
ADDIE
Upstairs in my bedroom,Mama paced back and forth between the bed and chair. Delphia was on the window seat, her face redder than I’d ever seen it. I glanced behind her to the outside. James and Lena were headed toward the house. He held her hand as they crossed the gravel driveway.
What did it mean? My heart sank as the reality of that gesture between them worked its way fully into my mind. He was choosing her and his family. Despite Lena’s behavior today, he would make her his wife and solve everyone’s problem but mine. If it came down to it, I suppose I would have done the same and chosen my father’s wishes over everything else. I could not blame him, yet I did. I’d wanted him to choose me. To give up everyone and everything for me. How could I be so selfish? Love made a person do things one never imagined they would.
Hot tears gathered at the corners of my eyes and escaped down my cheeks. I turned away from my mother and sister, hoping to hide my distress. It was over. I would have to figure out a way to go on, starting with convincing everyone I was fine.
“Addie?” Mama asked, pulling my gaze toward her.
“Do you see?” I asked. “He’s choosing her. What happened today means nothing to him.” I swallowed a sob that rose up from my belly.
“The evil fox,” Delphia whispered. “How does she do it?”
“It’s not about her,” Mama said. “Not at all.”
“You have to change his mind,” Addie said. “One of you could, you know. I tried.”
“Yes, speaking of which, am I understanding this properly?” Mama asked Delphia. “You gave him money to take her up to the loft? To try to prove that she was not worthy of James?”
“She was happy to go,” Delphia said. “I saw the whole thing. She was all fluttery and ridiculous. He said silly things that made her giggle. It was enough to make me lose my lunch.”
“Delphia Barnes, never in my life have I been as surprised or repulsed by the actions of my child. And I raised Cymbeline, if you recall.”
Delphia looked crestfallen, but she remained combative. “I thought you’d all be pleased. We’ll be rid of the fox, and Addie can have James.”
Mama sank onto the edge of the bed. “Poor James.”
My sister crossed her arms over her chest, huffing. “It may not have occurred to either of you that they were already headed that way, even before my nudge. I saw him sniffing around her yesterday like one of our animals in heat.”
