“I know. I’m sorry.” Between compiling a short list of potential husbands and wasting time daydreaming of strangers, I hadn’t been myself. “What was it you were saying?”
“Robert asked me to go for a drive to town with him tomorrow.”
Much to my dismay, he had called in for her every day this week, bringing presents and flowers. If I didn’t know better, I’d believe he was actually trying.
Keelynn had been over the moon, floating around on a cloud of happiness. What would happen when she realized reality wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine? “Are you sure that’s wise?”
“You worry too much, sister.” She gave my shoulder a playful shove. “I assure you, it will be perfectly respectable. His aunt is accompanying us.”
On what grounds could I protest if she had a chaperone?
“Robert told me he wished for the two of you to be friends,” she added soberly. “I hope one day you’ll learn to like him as much as I do.”
Robert and Ihadbeen friends. More than friends. Then Eithne had sauntered across that ballroom and asked him to bring her for a stroll through the gardens. Little did I know, “stroll” was code for “fondle me near the lilacs.”
Keelynn’s soft hair tickled my cheek when she rested her head against my shoulder. “I don’t want the two most important people in my life to be at odds with one another.”
It would take a miracle for Robert and me to ever be anything but at odds. Still, there was no point telling her that. She lived in her own fairy tale world, where everything was black and white, while I was stuck in a sea of grays.
This was my punishment for not being forthcoming about Robert. If she’d known the type of man he was, she would’ve avoided him from the beginning. Now I was in too deep. She wouldn’t see the truth as Robert’s betrayal. She’d see it as mine.
“You may have to be content with it,” I sighed. The unfinished embroidery in my hoop felt too taxing. I set it aside and hugged her close, wiggling my feet to keep them from falling asleep.
How long had we been sitting here? I’d played a few songs on the pianoforte, stared at the painting, poked a few threads through my embroidery . . .
I glanced over my shoulder to the grandfather clock in the corner.
How was it only half one?
I was ready for dinner, and we wouldn’t be eating for seven more hours.
There were buns on the coffee table leftover from our tea. The cream on top had melted onto the serving dish. As much as I wanted to eat another, they had been sprinkled with cinnamon.
Cinnamon made me think of strangers and kisses and all manner of dark, forbidden things.
How would I keep myself and my wandering mind occupied for seven bloody hours?
I could go into the gardens but would end up a sopping, muddy mess from the week’s worth of rain. My father had been on edge since delivering the ultimatum, and I was too tired to deal with his irritation.
Perhaps Meranda would have Keelynn’s dress ready. One thing was for sure, I needed to get out of this house before I went mad. I tapped Keelynn’s shoulder, and she raised her head to give me a confused look.
“I need to go.” I stood and adjusted my wrinkled skirts where they’d twisted about my hips.
“Go where?”
“The market.”
She pushed herself upright, shoving her hair back from her shoulders.“Why?”
“I want to see if Meranda has any new ribbons.”
* * *
The carriage ride into town took so long, it left no time for me to wander the closing stalls on my way to the modiste. Meranda gave me a peek at Keelynn’s dress, and it was even more stunning than I remembered.
Knowing my sister’s penchant for flash and sparkle, Meranda had added extra beading to the bodice and dyed ostrich feathers to the hem of the overskirt. Keelynn would look like she was floating on a magenta cloud. Meranda assured me it would be ready the day before the party, and I bought a silver ribbon to embellish one of the dresses I already owned in case Keelynn asked me about my trip.
The bell over the door gave a happy jingle when I left. I wasn’t paying attention and ran smack into Lady Eithne on the steps. As always, her makeup was flawless, and the tight curls at her temples bounced like tiny springs. She was the picture of fashion in a dusky blue silk gown. In contrast, her ancient husband was still stuck in the last century, with his handlebar mustache, top hat, and garish gold cane.The man waited at the bottom of the steps, checking a gold pocket watch hanging from a chain.