Chapter Twenty #2
‘I enjoyed it,’ Alistair said, nodding, trying to stay calm.
Inside, his emotions were roiling. Last night had devastated him; today had rubbed salt in those wounds, and there was still more to bear.
It was deuced hard to sit there and be pilloried for a lie.
He wanted to shout that this wasn’t him, it wasn’t who he was.
It might have been who he was in March, but it was not who he’d become between his journey, his time in Florence with Hayes and his months here.
But such rantings would serve no purpose but his own.
To save himself, he’d have to betray Ismay, and he simply wouldn’t do it.
He wondered whether that would even be enough at this point. Why would Sir Thomas believe him?
Sir Thomas pushed a key across the desk to him.
‘I have taken the liberty of securing you lodgings until you can depart. The house off Piazza Vittoria has been rented for you. If you are amenable, I’d like you to stay and finish the projects at the warehouse that require your specific attentions before you leave.
That shouldn’t be more than a few weeks.
If you could be gone by Christmas, that would be best. I want Ismay to start the new year fresh.
’ And the Roses would need the holidays to rebuild her social standing, to tell their narrative of the courtship with him in absentia.
Alistair took the key and put it in his pocket. ‘And the engagement? I believe the party was slated for tomorrow night.’
‘My wife will send a note to guests in the morning.’ It would happen immediately, then. Once that note went out, Naples society would be abuzz with the news.
‘May I ask what you will tell everyone? Perhaps for the sake of your business, you might wait until I am gone to ruin my reputation thoroughly.’
‘Yes, I had thought of that. We will tell people initially that you were called away on family matters as soon as you could settle affairs here, and that it was not possible for Ismay to go with you, so the engagement was postponed. And then we will slowly reveal that in the interim we revisited the wisdom of the match.’ Alistair knew what that meant.
Later, it would come out that Sir Thomas had been concerned about his gambling, his risk-taking and his inability to be the head of his house. So be it.
‘And Ismay?’ Alistair asked quietly. ‘How will she fare in all of this?’ Sir Thomas had seen them today, hugging, and that kiss he’d given her had not been the kiss of a couple who were politely neutral about one another.
‘Does she know you’re breaking the engagement on her behalf?
Without her consent?’ The ruse demanded he play his part and give nothing away at the last.
‘She will come to understand,’ Sir Thomas said firmly.
Under other circumstances, Alistair wondered if she would.
Did Sir Thomas understand his daughter so little to think that she would allow him to make such a decision for her?
Only in this case, unbeknownst to Sir Thomas, Ismay had made the decision for him.
‘I prefer you not see her again. I will do all explaining necessary in the morning.’
‘As long as Ismay is taken care of and not made to suffer socially for your decision, I will abide by it.’ Alistair rose, taking his cue to graciously bow out.
‘I held her in genuine affection and your family in sincere esteem. I am sorry that it is ending this way. I will be gone before Ismay awakes.’
He ought to be elated. The ruse had come to fruition.
He was free of his father’s machinations to see him wed and tamed to a life of purpose, of direction.
But his footsteps paused outside Ismay’s door.
The temptation was strong to knock on her door and tell her all that had transpired.
But there was no point. She would know all that already.
It was what they’d planned. He had nothing new to add, and he’d be breaking his word to her father within minutes of giving it.
Alistair moved on to his own chamber. The key was heavy in his pocket.
He had a long night ahead if he was to leave at dawn.
Sir Thomas had said he wasn’t to see Ismay before he left, but he’d said nothing about leaving her a note.
It would have to be carefully worded since he was sure it would be scrutinised, but Ismay would know the meaning beneath it all.
She would play her part publicly as a disappointed fiancée at the postponement of her engagement, which she would be told behind the scenes was entirely off.
Her parents, none the wiser and thinking this was their decision, might worry for a week or two about her eloping, and then that, too, would pass.
As the sun rose, Alistair took a final look about the room.
It seemed emptier, more sterile now with his things tucked away in his trunk.
Two footmen had hauled it downstairs for him a few minutes ago.
The carriage was waiting. Sir Thomas had been generous in expediting his exit from their lives.
On the desk was a sealed note and a leather pouch, his parting gifts for Ismay.
He shouldered his satchel and tried to muster his usual sense of anticipation whenever change loomed. What an adventure this had been. Now it was over. Time to move on to the next one. But the usual anticipation didn’t come.