The door clicked softly shut behind her.
Only then did she lean against it, her breath fleeing her in a rush she had not realized she’d been holding. Slowly, she slipped down to the floor, knees drawing up, and her hands pressed to her heated cheeks. If only the color would retreat. If only her pulse would cease its wild gallop.
She let her head rest against the wood for a moment longer, willing herself still.
But then, a jolt of alarm struck her. She was in the corridor. Anyone might pass by and see her there, crouched in front of the duke’s room.
Heavens!
Gathering herself quickly, she pushed to her feet and all but fled from the corridor, her footsteps muffled against the carpet as she darted back to her room. Her heart pounded the entire way.
She did not stop until the door to the room was shut behind her. Locked, and only then did she allow her back to slide against it again, hand pressed to her chest.
Don’t think too much of it. New plan. I need to come up with a new plan.
CHAPTER FOUR
“What do you mean the duke has left Hampshire?”
Cecilia’s voice cut through the quiet of the bedchambers, sharp enough to make Emma jerk at the suddenness of her outburst. Emma set her teacup down gently and pulled Cecilia by the arm, beckoning her to sit down.
“He departed before dawn,” she explained.
“The wedding is truly canceled?” Cecilia asked Emma with furrowed eyebrows. “Truly?”
Emma hesitated, as if weighing whether her words might splinter what composure Cecilia had left. “Cecilia, the matter has already been settled. His Grace spoke to Papa and Aunt Marianne this morning before parting. I do not know the full content of their discussion, but it’s done. The wedding will not go forward.”
She reached for Cecilia’s hand. “We are returning to London today,” Emma added softly. “To prepare for yours.”
Cecilia turned slowly, as though her limbs had suddenly doubled and now felt heavier. Her eyes found the far wall and fixed there, unseeing, just as her shoulders dropped as though the fight had drained out of her.
“Lucy must despise me now,” Cecilia said, her voice scarcely above a whisper. “She begged me to come, Emma. She wrote again and again; she said she needed me here. As the wedding drew closer, the more anxious she became. I thought I could help settle her nerves, lend her a steady hand. But look at this!”
She paused to draw in a shallow breath. “Instead, I arrived and ruined it all.”
Emma sighed. “Come now. You need to freshen up and prepare for the journey back to London. Thinking like this won’t help anyone.”
“You don’t understand, Emma,” Cecilia whined and rose to her feet. “This could have been such a graceful escape from the Season for Lucy. No need for the endless parade of gowns and suitors, no need to meet awful men like Lord Pearlton. She might not have liked the idea of it, but this turn of events would hit her even worse. It would do something to her spirit. To her confidence.”
“Lucy is not a child,” Emma said, rising to her feet as well. “You’re older than her by scarcely two years. Yes, she has onlyjust debuted, and yes, this match would have spared her the burdens of the Season, but that does not mean she is incapable of surviving disappointment. It is unfortunate, but there is nothing that can be done now. Think of yourself, would you, Cecilia!”
Cecilia spun around to look at her sister, and for a moment, she could do nothing but stare, puzzled by Emma’s tone.
“I love Lucy, too, you know,” Emma continued. “Like a sister, and I would have wanted nothing more than to see her happy. But Cecilia–” her voice dropped to a whisper now “–between what could have been and what very nearly was, I would choose this outcome a thousand times.”
Cecilia blinked, confused.
Emma continued, “Do you not understand? If anyone had seen you in that room, if word slipped, if even one sharp-eyed maid had something to say...” She exhaled sharply. “You know how little the truth matters once gossip takes hold. You would be ruined. Not Lucy. You.”
“Emma, it hasn’t–”
“It’s safe,” Emma continued softly. “If the only way to shield you from possible ruin is for you to marry him, then you must understand. I will not risk your name being dragged through scandal sheets. I will not let them call you compromised, and see you bartered off to some unfeeling gentleman desperate for a title and nothing more. I know it was a mistake, and I know thisis not what you want. But this is safe, Cecilia. You cannot afford to be stubborn now.”
Cecilia lowered her head, fighting back the urge to argue any further. It felt like she had been arguing with everyone since the moment she arrived. Apparently, everyone else could see the truth clearly. Everyone but her. There was no use fighting it.
“Very well. I shall do as you say.”
Emma offered a small, reassuring smile. “Thank you. Now, I’ll leave you be. Prepare yourself for the journey home to London. There is much to be done.”
