The two went back and forth until Miss Hale appeared to cave with the promise that her companion—fine! Mr. Oshea—would fetch her each morning.
“She has a carriage,” Geneva whispered.
“She’s staking her claim,” Abra whispered back. “I’ve met her before, you know. In London. She attended my debut.” Abra grinned. “She reminds me of you.”
“What?” Geneva smacked her friend’s hand. “What a horrid thing to say.”
“It was quite the scandal,” Abra went on. “She’d put it about that Pender’s son was to marry her.”
Geneva’s mouth dropped, and she’d never be able to explain the manacle squeezing her chest.
“Not that one. The other one. Viscount Perlsea,Lucius. The current earl.” She emphasized his name and titles as if Geneva were an imbecile of low intellect. “It was all before Meredith learned her father and the previous earl had contracted a betrothal agreement.”
Geneva scowled. “I know that. But the bastard sent her to Cornwall and won’t let her leave. She’s a prisoner.”
“Don’t be so dramatic. You know as well as I no one can force her to remain in Cornwall. She’s chosen to remain due to the school she’s set up for the children.”
“That was a couple of years ago. Something else is going on. We haven’t heard from her in months.” Geneva jumped to her feet and dashed to the windows. “Lud, all we can see is the sea from here.” She spun back to Abra. “Surely, she’ll accompany her father to the memorial service.”
Abra drummed her fingers on her knee. “It’s difficult to say. The duke, as you might recall, has a reason behind everything he does. She’ll be here if it suits him.”
Geneva paced from the hearth to the window and back, her head down, the thoughts pricking her skin like a ping of arrowsfrom Caligula’s massive army. Abra wasn’t wrong. “We should ascertain what chamber they assign Miss Hale. If it faces the drive, perhaps we could offer to trade.”
“Geneva!” Abra’s exasperation brought her up.
She stopped, her eyes shooting to her friend. “What?”
“I’m in a horrible position here.”
Geneva hurried over, lowered next to her, and took her hands. “What do you mean?”
“I know this will come as a surprise, but as a debutante, I was not well received.” Abra’s attempt at being witty, of course. Geneva understood in a way different from Hannah and Meredith. Abra had been singled out from the moment they’d met because Abra was not lily-white like other English debutantes, and Geneva hadn’t peerage on her side.
The night after Abra’s come-out ball—which Genevahadn’tattended—the four friends had stayed the weekend at Lord Westbridge’s mansion in town with Abra, where she’d cried her heart out at the injustices of it all. How petty all those other young women were. Geneva had spent the weekend thinking how fortunate she’d been at her own lot in life. It had taken all her resolve in not voicing that stroke of luck.
“You must have forgotten the weekend after,” Geneva countered.
“No, I haven’t forgotten.” Abra spoke softly. “Some of thetonwill likely be making the trip north to acknowledge the late earl’s passing.” She leaned in. “That includes my father and stepmother.”
Groaning, Geneva dropped her face in her hands. “Your stepmother?” She adored Lord Westbridge. Lady Westbridge not so much. The woman could have stepped straight from the tale ofCinderella. The heroine’s stepmother personified.
“He could hardly leave her behind,” Abra bit out.
Geneva’s shoulders slumped. “And that means—”
“Yes. Lord Ruskin will likely be among them. So, you see? I can’t possibly get caught up in the least bit of scandal.”
“If indeed they appear, perhaps Hannah will be with them?” An inkling of hope trickled through Geneva. Hannah would help stave off any looming fiascos.
“Doubtful. Ruskin is too traditional. He wouldn’t allow Hannah to attend the funeral.” A frown furrowed her forehead. “If Papa and Stepmother do attend, Stepmother will insist on accompanying Papa, and she’ll drag me along for sure.”
Blast. Her foot tapped the floor, more thoughts inundating her. “How are we to explain we’re in Northumberland and not Cornwall?” Geneva’s voice trilled higher with each word. “I shall ask to be removed to a smaller chamber. Your father shouldn’t know I’m here. Or that we are here together.” That went double for Lady Westbridge. The woman hated Geneva.
“Geneva, think! How do you propose I explainmypresence in Northumberland? No. Like it or not, we are in this debacle together. Papa will never cause a scene.Ifhe shows, I’ll speak with him. You know he will forgive me anything.” She heaved in a deep breath. “Almost, anyway.”
She stood and took Geneva by the upper arms and shook her. “I came here for you and I shall tell Papa so. If Lord Ruskin can’t accept you as my dearest friend, he may find himself another woman to take as his wife. If he even bothers to request my hand,” she whispered with a sense of hopelessness that broke Geneva’s heart.
“He can’t possibly be that daft,” Geneva assured her. Abra’s loyalty and friendship brought tears to Geneva’s eyes. “He’ll ask. If he doesn’t, the fault shall lie at the feet of your stepmother. Hannah is certain of her brother’s regard for you.” She squeezed Abra’s hand. “You are the dearest friend one could ever have and I shall do my utmost to be worthy. Now, about Meredith…”
