She gingerly accepted it. “Thank you, Mr. Pike.”
He bowed and backed away.
She held it for a long moment, simply breathing, looking down at it, heart pounding sickeningly.
While it remained unopened, hope remained.
It rattled in her hands as she broke the seal.
Dear Miss Woodville,
The news about the vase is indeed disappointing, but I don’t think another discussion is worth my time or yours. I look forward to the fifteen-thousand-pound payment at the end of the month.
The countess and I send our best to you and your family.
Yours,
Lord Sydenham
She stared at it until the letters swam beneath her vision. Her head rang as if it were made of metal and had been whacked with a spoon.
It seemed she wasn’t constitutionally capable of accommodating the total eradication of hope.
“Miss Woodville,” Mr. Delacorte said gently. He sounded concerned.
Her expression must have told him something was amiss.
Possibly he’d said her name more than once and she was only now hearing him.
She looked up at him blankly.
“Would you like to come with me to visit your donkey?”
She blinked. Of all the things anyone might have said to her then, somehow it was the only right one. It was kind, it was ridiculous, it interrupted her despair, and she liked donkeys.
“Yes, please,” she said meekly.
Off they went.
The donkey seemed content in the livery stable surrounded by horse friends. Patting her and feeding her carrots restored Ginny’s spirits somewhat. Mr. Delacorte went off with his medicine case to visit apothecaries, and she returned to the Grand Palace on the Thames.
“Miss Woodville, you’ve a guest!” Dot greeted her at the door, her eyes dancing. She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial hush.
Ginny’s heart lurched again. What if it was Sydenham, having a change of heart?
And a guestwouldarrive when she smelled a bit like a donkey.
“Did he happen to volunteer his name?”
“Mr. Balfort.”
She sucked in a sharp breath.
Francis! But how?
Then she recalled that Cambrough had said that Francis was in London, too. How odd that she hadn’t bothered to retain that information.
Her head swiveled to look where Dot gestured.