Page 49 of If the Duke Dares
“Persey!” Pandora jumped up from the settee and tossed the book aside before barreling toward her. She wrapped Persephone in a fierce hug. “What are you doing here? Tell me, what happened at Loxley Court?” She pulled away and grimaced. “Are you betrothed?” Her face paled. “Are Mama and Papa here too?”
Aunt Lucinda swept toward them. Elegant as always, with her stunning red gown and her golden-brown hair styled impeccably with ruby combs, she looked as if she were going out instead of staying at home with her niece. “Pandora, let her breathe. Persey, I can’t imagine your parents are here or they’d be with you. Which raises many questions, but since your sister has already bombarded you with several, you must answer hers first.” She put her arm around Persephone and gave her a squeeze. “Come, Persey.” She’d started using Pandora’s nickname shortly after it had been instituted. Besides Pandora, she was the only one who called her that.
And now Acton.
Or he had, when they’d been acquainted. They weren’t any longer. At least, that was what she was telling herself.
“I am not betrothed.” Persephone took her sister’s hand, and they walked to the settee, where they sat down together.
Aunt Lucinda returned to the chair opposite the settee. “You and the duke didn’t suit?”
Persephone braced herself for their reactions. “I didn’t even meet him. Indeed, I didn’t even make it all the way to Loxley Court.”
Pandora gasped. “What do you mean?”
“I realized I couldn’t marry the duke, so what was the point in even meeting him? I left Mama and Papa in Cirencester.”
Again, Pandora gasped. “You justleft?”
“I did leave them a note that I’d returned to Radstock Hall.”
“And did you?” Aunt Lucinda asked. “You would have left them some days ago, and it wouldn’t have taken you that long to get here.”
Persephone considered telling them she had gone home before deciding to come here but decided it would be too easy for them to discover the lie.
“It’s such a ridiculous tale.” Persephone stalled a moment as she tried to think of what she could say. She couldn’t make any mention of taking the wrong coach, her stolen valise, the violent brigand, the rats, and most certainly not the rogue.
Rogue?
Perhaps he wasn’t that to her anymore. Regardless, he was in the past, and she was best off forgetting him entirely.
“Is that a new gown?” Pandora asked. “I don’t remember it.”
“Um, yes. I had to buy it because I left Cirencester without a thing,” Persephone fibbed. “I stole away before dawn and had to be quiet as I was sleeping just a few feet from Mama and Papa.”
Pandora’s brow creased. “Did something happen to the gown you were wearing?”
“It got very soiled. Thankfully, I was able to have it cleaned at the inn where I stayed in Gloucester.”
“That’s where you went, then,” Aunt Lucinda said. “Why didn’t you come back here?”
“I wanted to, but I thought it best to depart on the first coach leaving Cirencester that morning, and it took me to Gloucester. Then there were issues with transportation that prevented me from arriving until this evening. It’s been one thing after another,” she said wearily. “Today the horse threw a shoe on the way.”
“Goodness, this all sounds expensive,” Aunt Lucinda surmised. “However did you pay for everything?”
“I took along my pin money.” Not enough to pay for all that, but Aunt Lucinda wouldn’t know. Indeed, the reason she had a decent amount of pin money at all was because Aunt Lucinda gave her and Pandora money at Yuletide and on their birthdays.
Aunt Lucinda gave her an approving smile, her slender brows slanting gently. “Such a clever girl.”
“I can’t believe you managed to do all that on your own.” Pandora blinked. “I mean, I can believe it, but it’s fortunate you are unharmed.”
“I have been very fortunate.” All thanks to Acton. That acknowledgment would have annoyed her a few days ago, but now she was incredibly grateful he’d come after her.
“I’m so glad you came to your senses about marrying the duke.” Pandora gave her a sheepish, apologetic look. “I’m so sorry I was terrible when you agreed to go with Mama and Papa. I just didn’t want you to sacrifice your future for my mistake.”
“It wasn’t a mistake,” Persephone said vehemently. “You were swindled. You thought that blackguard loved you and had every reason to expect he would marry you. That he didn’t do either of those things ishismistake, not yours.”
“Why did you come here instead of going home?” Aunt Lucinda asked. “Not that I’m sorry to have you here. You know you are always welcome.”
