Oh, if only it were so easy.
Unfortunately, she feared her relationship with Marsdale would never recover from what had occurred.But how could she have acted any differently?To confide the truth in him could have proven disastrous.
Adding distance had truly been the best course of action.Until she’d returned to England and Edward had kissed her, a few hours before he’d seen her running through the slums while dressed as a boy.
What were the odds of him being part of a separate effort to rescue Samantha from Finn O’Leary’s clutches?The Irishman had captured her in an effort to bring about Croft’s destruction, and Marsdale had come to Croft’s aid.
Until that moment, when moonlight fell on Melody’s face, and she’d become aware of Marsdale’s presence, she’d imagined simply declining whatever offer he made her.In order to ensure a permanent break between them, she might have had to return to Italy, where another promising future waited.Alessandro, the Italian gentleman she’d met during her stay there, would never have her heart the way Marsdale would, but he was a realistic choice.An option with whom she could have been happy.
But now?
The only future she could glimpse was one of gloom.
Perhaps that was what she deserved for hurting Marsdale?
She’d not yet found a way to cope with the endless guilt carving its way through her breast.
Stop it.You’re no simpering miss but a highly skilled government agent.
The reminder put things in perspective.She was strong and could face this, a realization that smashed through the fear and the doubt and the insecurities both these emotions fostered.
So she left her bedchamber and descended the stairs.Squaring her shoulders, she stepped off the last step.It was time for her to face the consequences of her actions with the same kind of determination she’d faced the men guarding Samantha.
Yes, but you didn’t care about them in the way you care about Marsdale.
They didn’t threaten to turn your comfortable life upside down.
No, they’d merely attempted to kill her, until she’d killed them instead.
Inhaling deeply, she approached the dining room.
Sensing her presence, Lady Heathbrooke was looking directly at the door the moment she entered.One eyebrow shot toward her hairline, and then she said, “You look awful.What’s happened?”
Melody stared at her entirely too long while trying to decide how to respond.While she dearly wished to avoid revealing the truth, her ladyship would discover it sooner or later.Best then not to have lied.
“I encountered Marsdale yesterday,” she began, approaching her spot at the table.“If you recall, I went for a walk in the park together with my friends, Miss Greene and Miss Burley.”
“Oh?”Lady Heathbrooke’s gaze sharpened.Astute as she was, she realized the encounter had not gone as well as one might have hoped.
A knot formed in Melody’s stomach.She felt slightly ill at the prospect of having to tell the dowager marchioness that all her attempts at preventing her companion from wedding her godson had been a spectacular failure.
“He, um…”
“Yes?”
“An incident occurred and…well…the fact of the matter is…”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, child.”Lady Heathbrooke produced an impatient sigh.“You’ve never struggled to make your point known before.Just tell me what happened so we can get on with the day.As it is, I’ve already had to wait nearly half an hour to share the latest gossip with you.”
“I know.I’m terribly sorry for—”
A knock at the door cut Melody off.
Lady Heathbrooke gave her a disgruntled look before turning toward her butler.“Yes?”
“The Earl of Marsdale has come to call,” said Jarvis.
Melody dropped onto her chair with a soft gasp.Not now.Not yet.She wasn’t ready.