“Blackthorne? He is one of the men who served with you?”
“He is. Apparently, he mentioned my newly engaged status to his wife, and she’d like to meet us both. She is the daughter of our former commander, a man we all admired.”
And whose death we caused.
He had hoped he had his guilt well under control by helping Audrey, but perhaps it would never go away, he thought bleakly. It was a shameful secret that sometimes haunted his dreams.
Audrey was still hesitating, perhaps dissecting his words too much.
“And you can bring Blythe, of course, and who knows what men she’ll meet? And Audrey,” he added in a more thoughtful tone. “I’d like you to meet them.”
“Very well,” she said reluctantly. “We will come to you tomorrow.”
“Then I will head home to make the arrangements. Go enjoy your new puppy.”
He knew he’d not been quite fair, luring her with things she could not refuse. She’d probably realized it. But all was fair in love—or at least in courtship.
20
That evening as they sat in the drawing room doing their needlework, Audrey told Blythe about Robert’s invitation.
“Invited to Knightsbridge Hall?” Blythe said, excitement laced through her voice. “My friends have described it, and it sounds practically royal in size and decor.”
Audrey didn’t like the uneasiness that rattled her. She had faced and overcome so many challenges in her life. She concentrated on the fact that Robert wanted her to meet one of his closest friends. She shouldn’t feel such a softening in her heart over this. But she couldn’t help thinking that he was a man who was never embarrassed about her, not since the beginning. And he’d continued to prove it over and over, escorting her to her new village, to a stranger’s house for dinner, and now to his own ancestral home.
And each day they were separated, she yearned to be with him and only felt truly happy when she could hear his voice, consult him about her estate—her very life.
Was she making a mistake by denying him?
Had she been so focused on her past, and on what one shallow man had done to her, that she couldn’t be open-minded,openhearted, about Robert? Just the thought that she was willing to entertain these ideas showed her he meant more to her than she’d ever planned. She wouldn’t have Blythe forever, nor even Molly, who seemed more and more in love with her footman as he helped her back to health.
But she could have Robert—and perhaps a family.
The thought seemed to paralyze her with fear, and something must have shown on her face.
“Audrey, is something wrong?” Blythe asked. “You look … I don’t know how you look. Oh, dear, I’ve been so selfish once again. You don’t want to visit Robert’s home, do you?”
Audrey licked her suddenly dry lips. “I admit I have my concerns, but I wouldn’t have mentioned it if I hadn’t already decided to accept the invitation.”
“You like being with him, don’t you?”
“He is a nice man.”
Blythe actually laughed, and Audrey tossed a skein of yarn at her.
“Nice man?” Blythe repeated, still giggling. “Oh, Audrey, you are falling in love with him. Why is that so terrible? He is nothing like your first husband.”
Falling in love with him? She wouldn’t even consider such a weakness, such an open avenue to heartache.
“I know he’s not Martin. But this is in my home, where he’s a guest. Perhaps … perhaps I want to see what he’s like in his own home, with his friends.”
“Ah, because you’re finally giving some real thought to becoming his wife.”
And that was true. And frightening. And—she didn’t know what. It was as if now that she’d come to terms with Martin and what he’d done to her, she was able to put it behind her, to see a future uncluttered by betrayal. Could she find love—real love—with Robert?
When Audreyand Blythe arrived at Knightsbridge Hall early the next afternoon, Audrey had already listened impassively to Blythe’s glowing description of the castle exterior, the oldest wings to the newest, and her imagination wasn’t able to produce an image in her head. It all felt … unreal. When they arrived in the entrance hall, she could hear their footsteps echo away into vastness. Blythe gave an awestruck gasp. It was all Audrey needed to know about the impressiveness of Robert’s country seat.
“Good morning, Audrey.”
