Why had it taken me so long to realize I love him?
Her heart ached terribly with every bump in the road as she recalled the soft kisses and all of the stolen glances. If she had not been so stubborn, she could have had more memories to hold onto with him. Yet as things stood, she would live alone in New York while Julian carried on with his life in England.
There were plenty of aristocratic marriages in which the husband and wife lived apart; she and Julian would just be another one of them.
A single tear slipped down her cheek, and she quickly used the back of her hand to wipe it away. “There is no use in crying over spilled milk,” she said out loud and tried to put on a brave face.
She had woken up early that morning after a sleepless night and packed her things. She would not hurt Julian by asking him for an annulment, but she would stay as far away from him as possible. She had reasoned with herself that if she were in America and Julian were in England, none of the stories could touch him.
Nobody would care what Oliver had to say once she was out of England. He would have no outlet and no way of blackmailing her if the rest of thetonlost interest in where she was. Oliver was an untitled man of thetonwith little to nothing to hold over their heads if she was no longer implicated in his scandals.
It was a long gamble to think that he would simply let Julian and his family be, but it was a chance that Lily was willing to take.
I have to save them as Julian saved me.
A faint smile touched her lips in the reflection of the carriage window as she thought of all the way he had saved her. He had not only saved her from Oliver but from the loneliness she had felt leading up to their marriage.
Without even realizing it, he had begun to fix the things inside of her that Oliver had broken. And for that, she was willing to give up the rest of her life.
The carriage came to a stop in front of her aunt’s house. The building seemed almost strange and unfamiliar to her as she gazed out the window. She had been an entirely different person since the last time she had set foot in the halls. It almost seemed like years had passed, when in truth, it had been much shorter than that.
A footman hurried forward through the fine rain and opened the carriage door, helping Lily to alight before showing her inside.
Her cloak was covered in droplets by the time they entered the front door. The butler greeted her politely and took her cloakand gloves before informing her that her aunt and mother were receiving guests in the parlor.
“Shall I announce your presence, my lady?” He stood tall with his expression unreadable.
“No, thank you. I shall sneak upstairs to my old chambers and wait until Lady Brewster’s guests have left.” She thanked the butler and headed in the direction of the stairs, pausing when she heard the sound of a familiar voice drifting down the hall.
“Papa?” She stopped with her foot on the bottom step. Nobody had told her that her father had come to England, but then again, there was every possibility that her tired mind was playing tricks on her.
Allowing her curiosity to get the better of her, she turned from the stairs and headed in the direction of the downstairs parlor. Her shock was amplified when she stepped into the room and saw not only her mother, father, and aunt, but the Duke and Duchess of Archibald as well.
Lord, save us all.
She stood silently in the doorway, wondering if they had come to confront her or, even worse, hold her accountable for the rumors.
“Lily!” Her mother announced in shock, coming to her feet before crossing the room. “We were not expecting you.” She drew Lily in for a hug before looking her in the eyes again. “Your father wanted to surprise you.” She stepped aside and allowed her father to come forward.
Daniel Prescott smiled broadly at her as he came to his feet. His thinning brown hair had been combed to the side, and his round belly was just beginning to place a strain on his shirt. He was a small man of short stature, and it seemed as if the time alone in New York had plumped him up considerably. “You look as if you have seen a ghost, my girl.” He said as he drew her into his arms, his light brown eyes filling with tears.
Allowing her father to embrace her, Lily let out a sigh before speaking. “Papa, I do not understand why you are here?” She looked from her parents to the duke and duchess, who seemed to be just as stunned as she felt.
Drawing away, her father’s bushy brows knit together as she frowned. “I wanted to come and surprise you, but I also wanted to make certain that you were safe. Your mother wrote to me weeks ago and told me of Mr. King’s letter. I hear he has since arrived in London.”
All the color drained from Lily’s face as she felt herself going pale.
But why are the duke and duchess here?
Her hands began to tremble slightly as she sucked in a sharp breath. If the rumors had already begun to spread, then it was almost certainly too late for her to escape and save Julian’s reputation.
As if the duchess could read her thoughts, Lady Archibald came to her feet. “It is good to see you, Lady Barnard. I am sureyou are wondering why we are here.” She smiled softly, yet the concern in her eyes stayed fixed in place.
The duke simply nodded at her with a furrowed brow, seeming more grumpy than usual.
Coming to her feet, her aunt cleared her throat. “I think you had better have a seat, Lily, dear. The duke and duchess have heard some very disturbing rumors.” Her aunt's voice was filled with concern as she gestured to one of the settees.
Breaking down, Lily began to sob as her father caught her and stopped her from collapsing. “I am so sorry. I have done everyone such a great injustice by not telling the truth from the start.”