Page 53 of What a Scot Wants
Suspicion warred with longing in Rory’s eyes. “And what of yer duke? What will he say?”
“We won’t have to worry about him much longer.” At that, Rory shot her a strange look, as though Imogen was missing something important, but then she smiled shyly and nodded. “You’ll have to make some changes,” Imogen went on, her heart feeling lighter than it had in weeks. “No stealing, and you’ll have to learn to act like a young lady, which means no swearing, and you’ll have to use napkins when eating.”
Rory scowled adorably. “Will I have to learn my letters?”
“And your numbers,” Imogen said.
The girl pursed her lips and frowned in thought. “Will there be biscuits?”
Imogen laughed. “Yes, there will be lots of biscuits to reward good behavior. Do you understand, Rory? It won’t be easy, but you have to promise me you will try your best, no matter how hard it might be.”
“I promise,” Rory said and spat a glob of saliva onto her palm. “Spit shake on it?”
Thankfully, they were interrupted from the spit shaking by a footman who came to the door of the room, and Imogen tried not to react as Rory rubbed her saliva-covered hand on her pinafore.
The footman bowed. “My lady, there’s been a delivery for you and a message from Lady Kincaid, who has arrived in London this morning. She will be here this afternoon for your outing to Bond Street.”
Imogen stood with a sigh. Her mother had been due to arrive from Scotland for the impending engagement ball and to shop for a wedding trousseau. Imogen had hoped to have had a reason to deter her by now, but it was proving more difficult than she’d anticipated to make her wretched betrothed cry off. Then again, she’d had to deal with the appearance of Silas, which had shaken her plans.
“Why don’t you go get ready for your lessons, Rory,” she said. The girl rolled her eyes, opening her mouth to protest, but Imogen smiled and patted her head. “Remember your promise.”
After Rory scampered off, Imogen went to the foyer to retrieve the delivery. An anxious part of her was expecting more white lilies, but, to her relief, there were no flowers in sight. If any had been delivered, the staff had been efficient in carrying out her wishes and sending them to the nearest hospital or orphanage. What waited for her instead was a flat white box tied with silver ribbons.
Her heart skipped a beat. Had Ronan sent her a gift?
Why would he send you anything?
Shaking her head, she unwrapped the ribbons and opened the box. Nestled in black velvet was a strand of pearls. Nothing extravagant, but of exceptional quality, given their luster. Imogen had received something similar from her parents when she was sixteen, one with a diamond butterfly clasp. The bottom fell out from beneath her feet as her hands went cold and numb.
Imogen almost dropped the box but forced herself to pull the pearls from their velvet cradle. The sight of the familiar diamond butterfly clasp made her knees buckle. Good God, were theseherpearls? They couldn’t be! She’d thought them lost ages ago, but Silas must have had them all along. Imogen didn’t have to look to see the card stock with the note tucked on the inside of the box.
These are yours, as am I. -SC
She flung the strand of pearls back into their setting, her breaths coming in harsh pants when a deep-seated, bone-shaking fury took hold of her. How dare he be so bold? How dare he steal her treasured pearls and then return them to her like some illustrious knight?
The thought of him having these in his possession, touching them,caressingthem, was enough to make her stomach heave. She leaned heavily on the sideboard, the box falling from her hands to the surface, black spots dancing in her brain.
“My lady, are you well?” The voice came at her from a distance as she sank to the cool marble floor. “Mylady? Get Mrs. Desmond, now!”
Minutes passed, or hours, perhaps, before a sharp scent filled her nostrils. Imogen’s eyes snapped open to see the vial of smelling salts beneath her nose and the concerned faces of the housekeeper, Rory, and the rest of the staff surrounding her.
“I’m fine,” she assured them. “Just an unexpected shock, that’s all.”
After more assertions that she was well and they went back to work, she accepted a glass of water from the housekeeper and drank it thirstily.
“Shocked fromthis?” Rory asked, peering into the box and eyeballing the pearls. “Cor, that’s nice, isnae it?”
“Don’t touch that,” Imogen shrieked and knocked it out of her hands. “Throw it away.”
Rory’s eyes were round. “Throw awaypearls? Are ye daft, Lady Im? These would have cost a fortune.”
“They’re paste.”
The girl looked between her and the pearls dubiously. “They dunnae look like paste.”
“They are worthless, trust me.”
Her heart ached at the lie. The gift from her parentswasn’tworthless, but Silas had sullied them. Just like he’d sullied everything else in her past.
