expressed your interest from the first, but he has also said to me he is losing his patience with your ill-temper tonight. Either you wish to be with Emily or you do not. If you do not, you should let her go. Harry would make her happier than you have tonight, and all week, from what Mary has said.”
“When I came to see you, you told me to drop Lillian, or you would tell Emily.”
Drew moved a chair out of the way and leaned his buttocks back onto the empty dining table with a sigh as he also folded his arms over his chest. “I know. But perhaps I gave you the wrong advice. You were always better at advice than I.”
Peter shook his head.
“See, the Peter that I know would have laughed at that and agreed and mocked me. This Peter… Who are you? You remind me of who I was when Mary left me.”
Yes. Drew had been sullen and unsmiling and bloody miserable. That was how Peter felt. Heartbroken, empty inside, and half fucking dead. I miss Lillian .
“Perhaps I did not listen hard enough when you came to visit me. Were you seeking someone to give you permission to find a way out of your engagement? If I had said it is fine for you to keep the actress, what would you have done?”
“I do not know.” Peter walked across to the table, moved another chair then leaned his buttocks against the table too. He lifted one foot onto the chair and gripped its back. “I did not listen to you anyway. I was going to set her up, buy her a house, lead a double life, and keep it secret from you all. But someone showed Lillian the announcement. I did not even make the offer; she threw me out of her dressing room, and the next day she sent everything I have ever given to her back.” He glanced sideways at Drew. “So you were wrong, she had sold nothing. She even sent me all the cash I had given her.”
“Does she have feelings for you too then?”
“She’s never said so, but then nor have I told her how I feel. It is not the sort of conversation you have with a woman in her situation.”
“No. But if you did decide to have that conversation?”
“Lord. Are you encouraging me now?”
“If it would make you bloody smile again, and stop looking so sour, yes.”
“She will not have me.”
“Have you? You would truly offer for her then…”
Good Lord, Peter had not even heard what he’d said, but he had been thinking of marriage when he’d thought of her saying no. He took a deep breath. “Is that possible?” It was a thought he said aloud.
“It is, I suppose, if you are prepared to work a dozen times harder for her. She will not be welcomed in society, you would not be able to take her anywhere and leave her, no one would speak to her. You would have to help her adjust to her position, with education and such.”
“You’re serious.”
“Weren’t you?”
Yes, he was. “But what of Emily?”
“You are not making her happy. Emily will cope with this. It would be a curse if you married her when there is no deeper feeling there.”
It was true, and damn if it did not make the weight on his shoulders lighter. The longer he’d spent away from Lillian, the more he’d known that what he felt for Emily did not compare. “Yes.” Yes, he would offer for Lillian.
Peter straightened. “I should be honest with Emily and tell her now.”
“You should be honest with her, but is now the best time, when she is in your sister’s home, and this is your engagement ball?”
“I cannot continue to lie. Will you tell Mary and ask her to support Emily?”
“Yes.”
“Do you think Mary will understand?”
“Of course. She chose me did she not? I was the worst damned person for her.”
Peter laughed and gripped Drew’s shoulder. “You are perfect for her. Will you come to the theatre with me tomorrow and meet Lillian?”
“Yes.”
~
Emily saw Peter leave the room with Drew as she danced with Harry. He had not returned when the next dance began, or the one after that. Drew must be quizzing Peter about
“When I came to see you, you told me to drop Lillian, or you would tell Emily.”
Drew moved a chair out of the way and leaned his buttocks back onto the empty dining table with a sigh as he also folded his arms over his chest. “I know. But perhaps I gave you the wrong advice. You were always better at advice than I.”
Peter shook his head.
“See, the Peter that I know would have laughed at that and agreed and mocked me. This Peter… Who are you? You remind me of who I was when Mary left me.”
Yes. Drew had been sullen and unsmiling and bloody miserable. That was how Peter felt. Heartbroken, empty inside, and half fucking dead. I miss Lillian .
“Perhaps I did not listen hard enough when you came to visit me. Were you seeking someone to give you permission to find a way out of your engagement? If I had said it is fine for you to keep the actress, what would you have done?”
“I do not know.” Peter walked across to the table, moved another chair then leaned his buttocks against the table too. He lifted one foot onto the chair and gripped its back. “I did not listen to you anyway. I was going to set her up, buy her a house, lead a double life, and keep it secret from you all. But someone showed Lillian the announcement. I did not even make the offer; she threw me out of her dressing room, and the next day she sent everything I have ever given to her back.” He glanced sideways at Drew. “So you were wrong, she had sold nothing. She even sent me all the cash I had given her.”
“Does she have feelings for you too then?”
“She’s never said so, but then nor have I told her how I feel. It is not the sort of conversation you have with a woman in her situation.”
“No. But if you did decide to have that conversation?”
“Lord. Are you encouraging me now?”
“If it would make you bloody smile again, and stop looking so sour, yes.”
“She will not have me.”
“Have you? You would truly offer for her then…”
Good Lord, Peter had not even heard what he’d said, but he had been thinking of marriage when he’d thought of her saying no. He took a deep breath. “Is that possible?” It was a thought he said aloud.
“It is, I suppose, if you are prepared to work a dozen times harder for her. She will not be welcomed in society, you would not be able to take her anywhere and leave her, no one would speak to her. You would have to help her adjust to her position, with education and such.”
“You’re serious.”
“Weren’t you?”
Yes, he was. “But what of Emily?”
“You are not making her happy. Emily will cope with this. It would be a curse if you married her when there is no deeper feeling there.”
It was true, and damn if it did not make the weight on his shoulders lighter. The longer he’d spent away from Lillian, the more he’d known that what he felt for Emily did not compare. “Yes.” Yes, he would offer for Lillian.
Peter straightened. “I should be honest with Emily and tell her now.”
“You should be honest with her, but is now the best time, when she is in your sister’s home, and this is your engagement ball?”
“I cannot continue to lie. Will you tell Mary and ask her to support Emily?”
“Yes.”
“Do you think Mary will understand?”
“Of course. She chose me did she not? I was the worst damned person for her.”
Peter laughed and gripped Drew’s shoulder. “You are perfect for her. Will you come to the theatre with me tomorrow and meet Lillian?”
“Yes.”
~
Emily saw Peter leave the room with Drew as she danced with Harry. He had not returned when the next dance began, or the one after that. Drew must be quizzing Peter about
Similar Books
