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Mirabelle made a small cry of dissent, the color draining from Anna’s face. Anna’s voice whispered, “But he’s secured the club.”
“That provides for us,” Mirabelle replied. “And our brothers. But it does little to protect him.”
Emily winced. That was the truth.
Anna clapped her hand to her mouth, tenting over her face. “You have to help him.”
Emily blinked in surprise. What could she do?
But even as she thought the words, she knew. She’d thought it already. They could leave…go to Paris or Florence or… “The only way that I could help him would mean he’d have to leave England. For good.”
The two sisters looked at one another. Mirabelle closed her eyes. “And what are the alternatives? If he stays here, we get to keep him, but he could be caught.”
“He might not,” Emily said, hoping to be helpful.
“But then you said he won’t wed because of the threat of being discovered.” Anna pressed a hand to her stomach. “Has he really given up his entire future for ours?”
Emily’s heart ached for them. For Ace too. And for herself.
Silence fell over the women and seconds turned into minutes, each lost in their own thoughts. “You have to do it,” Anna finally said. “You have to marry him and take him away.”
Mirabelle shook her head. “That would mean Emily would have to leave her family too.”
“Oh. Right,” Anna said, wincing. “Sorry. Clearly, I need to work on thinking these things through. I’ve never had to before.”
Emily smiled. “It’s all right. You’re doing your best.”
“You’re always so kind, Emily.” Mirabelle rose, taking her friend’s hand in hers.
Anna rose too, coming to her other side. “I didn’t mean to overstep. I never seem to say the right thing…”
Emily’s heart lurched in her chest and she rose, grasping Anna in her arms. She knew that exact feeling and her heart went out to the young woman. “Speak your heart, Anna. You’ll learn more about it that way.” As she stepped back again, she took a deep breath. She loved Ken very much, but Ken would marry, start a family of his own.
This decision was about her future and she knew precisely what she needed to do.
