The Wicked Wallflower by Maya Rodale

Author:Maya Rodale
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2013-11-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

“You should tell Emma the news about Benedict,” said Prudence.

“Or you can,” Olivia said.

“No, you can,” Prudence countered.

“No, you,” Olivia replied.

And so on and so forth.

THE FORTUNE GAMES were over. All that remained was goodbye.

The others left immediately after breakfast, their departure marked by the explosion of cannons on the front lawn. Blake lingered; he wouldn’t, couldn’t, say goodbye, and wouldn’t, couldn’t, say why. It had something to do with the madness that happened last night, what awaited his return to London, and what he would leave behind today.

Blake linked his arm in Emma’s and together they watched as Agatha slowly climbed the stairs whilst holding onto the arm of her ever faithful footman. Her solicitor, Eastwick, followed behind, ready to draft yet another version of her will. Blake hoped it wasn’t her last will and testament, but perhaps second to last, or third, or more. He could get by without the fortune. He wasn’t sure that he could get by without Agatha, the one person in the world who knew him and who didn’t fuss preciously over him.

Agatha and her men paused for just a moment, a few stairs from the top.

Blake felt something tighten in his chest, as if a pugilist’s fist clenched his heart and squeezed hard. He wanted to call out to her, had to tell her . . . Well, he didn’t know what to tell her. His mind went blank. Any words died in his throat before he could give voice to them. But he knew that this moment was incomplete, and that if he got in the carriage and drove off now, he would regret it forevermore.

He dashed across the foyer and bound up the steps two at a time, meeting Agatha at the top. He pulled the frail old woman into his bearish embrace.

“Last ditch attempt to win the games,” he said, stepping back. When of course it wasn’t that at all. It was Thank you and I love you and I will never forget you.

“I am undone by your sentimentality,” she said dryly. Of course, she meant Thank you and I love you and I will never forget you. He knew because he knew her. Also, he saw the slick sheen of tears in her eyes.

Afterward, in the carriage, Blake knocked hard on the roof, signaling it was time to go. The carriage jolted to life and rolled down the drive, away from his only family, Agatha, who was probably dying. Away from the only place he had called home, which would soon belong to someone else.

If he couldn’t stay forever, then he wanted to leave immediately.

Emma sat across from him, dressed in a green traveling dress. Though her eyes were full of questions, she had the good sense to stay quiet and leave a man to his brooding.

Or so he thought.

“Is everything all right?” she asked in a small voice.

“Of course,” he replied, settling his gaze out the window.

“We have survived the Fortune Games,” she remarked.

“Survive is one way to put it,” he said.

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