"Why not?" Abbie wanted to know.
I waved my hands, "Where would I go?"
Abbie's voice was almost hushed, "America."
I placed my hand on top of hers. "Oh, Abbie."
America was her dream. Had been since she was a little kid. I thought for sure that one day she would off and leave for the other continent. But then she met Callum and fell madly in love with him. Callum was a pragmatic man, very much unlike her,who thrived on dreams. Moving from London was the furthest thing on his mind, especially not to another continent.
"Women do it all the time," Abbie insisted.
I shook my head, "Widows, missionaries, or governesses perhaps, but not single women like me."
"Alright, hear me out. You wouldn't be a single woman; just wait until after you're married. It's not like Thomas can have you arrested for running to America."
My fork dug into the cake and leveled a piece like a kid playing in sand. "The scandal," I lowered my eyes.
"So what?" Abbie raised her hands in exasperation. "Ro, please, listen to me. Most likely, Thomas will wait a few months before he has you locked up. In that time, you buy as much jewelry as you can. Anything that can be turned into money, understand?"
Abbie's eyes were on fire now as I stared at her. "I will keep your jewelry safe for you here. Nobody will suspect. And then once you have enough, you just leave," her hands opened to the kitchen as if she was setting a bird free.
"Just like that?" I asked in utter disbelief.
"Just like that," she nodded.
"It will be scandal," I objected.
"So what?" Abbie shrugged. "What do you care? You'll be gone and free. You'll be free, Ro. It's not like Thomas is going to send someone after you to kidnap you and bring you back. Nowthatwould be a scandal."
Her words rang inside my head. Could it really be that easy?
I had dreamed about seeing the world forever. I would still be a countess. Abbie was right; there was nothing Thomas would be able to do about it—not without an even bigger scandal. I would lose my reputation, but wasn't that a small price to pay for my freedom?
"Make sure he buys you a lot of pretty jewelry," Abbie winked. "Oh Ro, it will be such an adventure. Just make sure to write."
My hand shook when I took a bite of the cake and brought it to my mouth to give me time to consider Abbie's outlandish plan. There would be no going back from it. Just like there would be no going back from St. George's Fields. I would much rather live a new life somewhere else than be locked up in a mental institution.
"But what if I'm too late? What if he locks me up right away?"
"Then we'll get you out," my friend simply said.
"How?"
"The guards are easy to bribe. We have to do it all the time if we want to see Adam or bring him something."
Adam was her brother, who'd lost his mind.
"Oh, Abbie."
She blinked back a tear. "It's alright. I've come to terms with having lost my brother a long time ago. As far as I'm concerned, he died at Waterloo. But I still need to go see his body, make sure he gets nourishment, you know. Sometimes I can hug him... and that makes it all worthwhile."
I couldn't even imagine what that was like, but I nodded. Abbie was the bravest woman I knew. She wouldn't hesitate for one second to do what she was suggesting I should.
"Money is the most important part of this plan," she took my hands in hers. Her eyes beseeched me, "You understand this, right?"
I did. Whatever jewelry I could put away would have to last me for the rest of my life. Neither my father nor Thomas would send a penny to me.
"I do. Thank you, Abbie. I don't know what I would do without you."
