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Peter nodded. “Of course we will,” he said in a gruff voice.
“Certainly,” Lenora said with a smile.
Clara leveled her cousin with a firm look. “And you shall not blame Quincy for this. It was entirely my doing.”
Although a low growl issued from Peter, he gave a reluctant nod. “Very well.”
Lenora rose, her green eyes sparkling with suppressed mirth. “Perhaps it’s best to end this on a positive note.”
Quincy was of the same opinion. Not due to his friend’s possibly reawakening anger—though he was certain that, had they been alone, Peter would have gladly punched him in the eye.
No, it had everything to do with how Clara was beginning to change in his mind. There was a depth to her he hadn’t expected. And to his consternation, it intrigued him.
A dangerous thing, indeed. Physical attraction he could handle. But this was something more.
Peter speared Quincy with a glare as he rose to stand beside his wife. “Don’t think this gives you leave to be alone with her. With women, I still don’t trust you as far as I can throw you.” He extended an arm toward his cousin. “Clara?”
A rather brilliant opinion, Quincy thought. Clara rose and gave him a small smile that made his heart lurch.
As Clara linked arms with Lenora and the trio made their way out into the hallway, Peter, not finished punishing Quincy, threw out over his shoulder, “And you’re the one telling Lady Tesh.”
***
Clara had never been so tired in her life.
Once the rest of the family had been told, she realized that she had not properly prepared herself for their abundant enthusiasm. Between squeals of glee and tears of happiness and loud—and constant—declarations of joy, Clara had been hard-pressed to keep the mask of the blushing bride in place.
Finally, however, it was time to retire. As Aunt Olivia approached her, a beatific smile on her face, Clara inwardly winced, maintaining her own smile by sheer will alone. Truly, her cheeks couldn’t take much more of this.
“Oh, my dear,” her great-aunt said, reaching up with a gnarled hand to pat her face, “I cannot begin to tell you how happy you’ve made me.”
Which was not remotely true, as it was the only thing the woman had talked about all the night long. As Clara watched Aunt Olivia join Lenora and Margery, she reached deep down for the sweet relief she should be feeling at finally being free of her great-aunt’s matchmaking. There at the center, though, was a surprising bitterness. Like biting into a decadent dessert, only to find it rotted within.
She could not regret what she and Quincy had planned. It was the only way she could retain her sanity. But she had not realized how much it would hurt knowing that this was how life should have been. How many times had she dreamed of just this when she was a girl, finding a man she could love, starting a life with him?
Yet this was all an act. Some cruel pantomime of the future she should have had, when instead she had been so impatient to start a life of her own that she had latched onto the first man to show her a promise of that dream. And in the process of soaring for the stars, her wings had been clipped forever.
Phoebe sidled up to her, wrapping a slender arm about her waist.
“My goodness, Clara,” she said in her ear, the delight in her voice apparent. “The way that man looks at you.”
Without meaning to, Clara looked to Quincy. He was talking quietly with Peter in the corner—or rather, Peter was talking and Quincy listening. But his eyes were on Clara. When their gazes met he smiled, that sensual curve of lips turning her insides molten.
That expression shouldn’t affect her so. She knew it was an act. They had to pretend to an affection neither of them felt to make this engagement at all believable.
Her body, however, had yet to get that particular message.
Face flaming, she busied herself with smoothing her shawl.
Phoebe chuckled low. “Truly, I had no idea you had formed a tendre for one another last year; you never let on. I might be angry at you for keeping it from me if I wasn’t so very happy for you.” Phoebe gave a happy sigh, her arm tightening about Clara’s waist, her eyes glowing with emotion. “I worried how my engagement would affect you. You’ve given so much of yourself to all of us, and to me especially.” She frowned, shaking her head almost mournfully. “No, that isn’t true. You have given your whole self. Your entire life has been in service to us. I didn’t want you to feel you had been left behind.”
She smiled again, her eyes shining bright with unshed tears. “Now I can rest easy knowing you’ll be taken care of. And by a man you love so very much.”
Phoebe embraced her, which was a blessing. Clara didn’t think she could hide her dismay just then.
She was not upset at her sister’s concern, however, though Clara was certain that would come when she had the peace and quiet to think of it again. No, it was Phoebe’s certainty that Clara was in love that weighed on her.
Wasn’t this what they had hoped to convince everyone of? But even though it had worked in their favor, she couldn’t help but wonder why there had been no doubt of her affection for Quincy. Had she revealed her attraction to the man before this, making the quick jump to love so believable? Or had she spent so long concealing her true self that her family didn’t even know who she was? How could they believe she would so quickly fall in love with Quincy?
