“He won’t lose you,” Anne said. “Or me. Or Lorcan.”
Deborah pursed her lips. “That is not the same, and if you can’t see that, you are incredibly naïve.”
Jane rose to Anne’s defense. “No, she isn’t. Anne is trying to focus on what’s truly important—people and family.”
“I suppose that is important to the both of you, what with your parents all but turning their backs on you.”
Anne blew out an exasperated breath. “Good Lord, Deborah, sometimes you can be so thoughtless.”
“I prefer to think I’m realistic.” She smiled benignly, seeming untroubled by Anne’s assessment. “I’m only asking you to think of Papa. You must do as you must. Marry my cousin or don’t marry him. Just don’t be surprised if Papa can’t be happy about it.”
Jane touched Anne’s arm. “We should go. We’ve arrangements to make.”
“When is the wedding?” Deborah asked before they could make their way from the drawing room.
“The twenty-sixth.” Anne pulled the date out of her head simply because it was after the twenty-fifth. She hoped that day would be amenable to Rafe. If not, they could move it, but she preferred not to now that she’d told Deborah.
“Lovely. I’ll look forward to it.”
Anne and Jane left, remaining quiet until they were seated in the coach.
“I suppose you must invite her,” Jane said, gritting her teeth. “But how I wish you didn’t have to. I never liked her, and I admit I couldn’t see how you could.”
“She didn’t always show her less appealing side to me. I think she knew how much her father cared for me and sought to ensure we were close.” Or somewhat close anyway. “She was a good chaperone at least.”
“She was not.” Jane laughed. “I suppose it depends on how you define good. She was helpful to you but a complete failure in her duties.”
“Yes. But without her failure, I would not have met Rafe, so for that I must be grateful.”
“Speaking of Rafe,” Jane said. “What you said about him is true?”
“Yes.”
“He and his sister both support orphans, which makes sense given their own history.” But it was more than that. He specifically helped children who had no one and were at the mercy of their environment. “He built everything he has on the kindness of one man, the owner of the bookshop Rafe now owns. It’s astonishing, really.”
“Mmm, yes,” Jane said softly.
Anne wondered if Rafe truly would come to walk in the park today. Since he hadn’t confirmed, she wasn’t sure if she ought to expect him or not. It might be that he was busy. With her godfather rushing to Westminster, things might be happening quickly regarding the earldom.
“Was I too quick to judge my godfather?” Anne mused aloud. “Deborah, for all her faults, did make a valid point about how he must be feeling.”
Jane patted her hand briefly. “You are too kind. But yes, I thought the same thing. It’s scary how often we do that.” She flashed a smile. “He is likely in a turmoil and now one of the people closest to him—you—is aligning herself with the man he perceives as the architect of his destruction.”
“That’s not at all hyperbolic,” Anne said drily.
“Not at all.” Jane flashed a grin. “I actually think that may be how this seems to him. As Deborah said, from his perspective, he’s losing everything.”
“I am trying to see his side, truly. I suppose a part of me is clinging to him as my godfather since, well, our parents…” She couldn’t seem to find the words to say what their parents were.
“I can understand that. I would probably do the same. In fact, perhaps I would hold on even more tightly since I think you at least have the chance for reconciliation with our parents.”
Anne shook her head. “There is no chance for me. Not unless they apologize to you.”
“You are the kindest, most loyal person. I hope your betrothed knows how lucky he is.”
Did he? Anne certainly felt as though she was fortunate. She just hoped she could keep both her godfather and her husband. Even so, she would choose Rafe if she had to. “I hope my godfather will be able to come to terms with Rafe being the earl. I would hate for them to be at odds forever.”
“It is going to take time, I think,” Jane said. “The question is how much.”
“However long it takes, the earldom will be Rafe’s. Of that I’m certain.”
Rafe walked from his house on Upper Brook Street through Grosvenor Square to Colton’s house on Grosvenor Street near Bond Street, arriving at half past four. Since his claim had been submitted that morning, he’d received a flurry of invitations for the final events of the Season.
Wasn’t that what he’d wanted when he’d moved to Mayfair?
The butler admitted him into the foyer. “I’ll inform Lord Colton you’re here,” he said.
“And Miss Pemberton, if you would. Thank you.”
The butler passed Anne as she came into the entry hall, her steps light and her face breaking into a wide smile. “Finally!”
He couldn’t help but grin at her reaction to his arrival. He hadn’t realized how much he’d been looking forward to seeing her until that moment.
She didn’t stop coming toward him until she was close enough to touch his chest. “Did you come to walk in the park?”
“Among other things. Would it be all right if we spoke for a few minutes? In private?”
“Yes.” She led him into the library and closed the door behind them.
“Will we be disturbed?” he asked from the center of the room, where he turned to face her.
“Hopefully not, since I closed the door.”
“Well, I’ll be brief.” Which was too bad, because now that he was alone with her, he only wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her. Maybe lay her down on the settee and lift her skirts…
He reached
