Chapter Sixteen #2
Oh, he’d been to the house. He’d come to visit Sophia or speak with Edward nearly every day, but other than dinner the night he arrived, she hadn’t so much as caught a glimpse of him.
Probably because whenever she was not expected to be somewhere else, she was in her room. Under the covers. She glanced longingly at her bed.
Kaitlin sat down on the bench next to Violet, wrapping her arm around her. “Remember when we used to talk about a night like this? Back at Lady Satterlee’s? A glittering ballroom. Handsome men vying for our attention? Dancing until we were breathless?”
A tear leaked from the corner of Violet’s eye. Those had been the stupid dreams of a child.
“Now, now. None of that.” Kaitlin dabbed at her cheek with a lacy handkerchief. “Chin up, Violet. You need to be happy tonight. You need to smile.”
There was nothing to smile about.
Kaitlin blew out a breath and gazed at their reflections. Her shoulders slumped. “You’re nervous because he will be here, aren’t you?”
Violet started and shot her friend a frown.
“Don’t worry.” She smoothed a strand of Violet’s hair. “Edward and Ned will be there too. You’ll be safe.”
This reassurance earned a snort. She wasn’t afraid of Ewan. Heaven have mercy. The last thing she felt when she thought of him was fear.
Kaitlin leapt to her feet and paced. “I wish he wasn’t coming. He has to be there. It’s his sister’s party. But if you like, I will stand by your side all night long.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
“He will stick out like a bruised thumb, a man like him. I’ll be surprised if someone doesn’t mistake him for a groom.”
That comment lanced Violet’s heart. Because he had been a groom. Once upon a time. “Please, Kaitlin...”
Her friend ignored her, continuing to pace. “Imagine the gall. After everything that happened, coming here. Asking Edward for favors. Thank God Edward was able to keep that mess with him quiet. No one knows what happened in Scotland—”
“It wasn’t a favor.”
Kaitlin stopped short and spun around. “What do you mean?”
“It wasn’t a favor. It was an agreement. Didn’t Edward tell you? He agreed to host a season for Sophia in exchange for Callum’s debt. And to let us both go.”
Kaitlin plopped down on the bed, her mouth agape. “H-he forgave the debt?”
“Every penny.”
“It was an enormous amount of money.” A whisper.
“He’s really not such a bad man, Kaitlin.” Violet didn’t know why she felt the need to defend Ewan. She certainly didn’t know why it was suddenly so important that Kaitlin accept him.
It wasn’t as though he was anything to her. He would never be anything to her other than a sweet, painful memory she kept locked away for those precious hours in the deep clutch of night.
Kaitlin studied her for a moment and then became suddenly fixated on the folds of her gown. “I’ve been wondering about something,” she finally murmured.
“Yes?”
Her friend’s gaze flicked up, intent, searching. “How do you really feel about Ewan McCloud?”
Violet tried desperately to keep her expression completely blank. Apparently she failed. She saw it in Kaitlin’s face.
Her friend came up off the bed and then, though she was dressed in a priceless gown, she dropped to her knees at Violet’s feet. “Oh, darling. You care for him. After everything that has happened?”
Violet didn’t mean to put out a lip. It went out all on its own. Tears welled.
“Don’t cry. Why are you crying?”
“B-because. He d-d-doesn’t feel the same.”
Kaitlin sat back on her haunches and stared. “He doesn’t?”
“N-no.”
“Has he told you that?”
“No. I-I haven’t talked to him since we...since we...since Scotland.”
Kaitlin fixed her with a mock glower. “That’s because you’ve been hiding. Oh! That’s why you’ve been hiding. And here I thought you were afraid of him—”
“I’m not afraid of him—”
“Because he wants to court you.”
Violet stilled. She stared at Kaitlin in shock. “H-he wants to court me?”
“Oh.” Kaitlin clapped a hand over her mouth. “Did I say that out loud?”
“He wants to court me?” Joy, utter joy, sang in her veins. Feet that had been so heavy now longed to dance. Her heart soared. “He wants to court me!” And then her spirits plummeted. “How do you know he wants to court me?”
Kaitlin stood and brushed out her skirts. “He asked Edward’s permission.”
“Edward told you this?”
A snort. “Don’t be silly. I overheard him and Transom talking about it. Edward said he thought it was a good idea...considering—which I did not understand in the least.” She pinned Violet with a searching glance.
She turned her head to hide her blush.
But one could not hide much from Kaitlin. She settled on the bench at Violet’s side once again. “You really like him? A lot?”
“I...love him.”
“Ah.”
“Why do you say it like that?”
“Like what?”
“Like ah, as in what a pity.”
Kaitlin shook her head. “Not a bit of it. If he’s the man you want, then we shall win him for you.”
“Even though he’s a brigand?”
“He is that.”
“He’s trying to be better.” And glory. He wanted to court her.
“I know.”
“Then what is it, Kaitlin? Why are you frowning?”
Kaitlin sighed. “It’s just, if you do marry the McCloud you will probably move to Scotland and I shall never see you.”
Violet laughed, delight dancing in her soul at the thought. If she married Ewan, she would live wherever he wanted. “You’ll see me. I shall always turn up. Like a bad penny.”
Kaitlin kissed her cheek. “Darling,” she said. “There’s nothing bad about you at all. Now. We both look divine. Let’s go have a wonderful evening and catch you a husband.”