A Lily Among Thorns(108)

“So soon they forget.”

Solomon took a step closer and tilted her chin up so that she could not keep her eyes averted without seeming afraid. He knew her too damn well. His fingers were warm on her chin. She met his gaze defiantly. “You’re not my mistress,” he said with finality. “And my mother will like you. So will Susannah.”

He didn’t say anything about his father, she noticed. She wanted to beg him to change his mind, to spare her this final humiliation. But she couldn’t. At this point she doubted she could refuse him anything.

So she would do this last thing for him. She would go to meet his family, and when he saw how they despised her, when he saw how he had tainted his pure, sweet sister and his respectable mother, when he realized at last how impossible it was for her to ever be anything but his mistress—then she would not refuse him his freedom.





Chapter 26


“You’re going where?” Sophy asked.

Serena felt herself flushing. “Mr. Hathaway asked me to—he invited me to meet his family.”

Sophy’s eyebrows flew upward, but she only said, “I hope you have a lovely time.”

Serena rubbed at her forehead. “Oh, don’t be ridiculous, Sophy, it’s going to be awful. But it’s only for a few days, and I know you’ll do a fine job of managing things while I’m gone.”

“Thank you.” But Sophy looked a little uncertain.

Serena felt suddenly selfish. “I’m sorry, I know it’s a lot to ask—I’ll pay you extra, of course.”

Sophy’s dark eyes lit with amusement. “So I’d assumed.”

“And—Mr. Hathaway told me you kept his brother away from the tunnel today. I—thank you.”

Sophy nodded. “This is my home, too. Of course I wanted to do my part.”

She didn’t sound resentful, but guilt smote Serena anyway—guilt, and regret. “I—I’m sorry,” she said. “You’ve been here from the beginning. I don’t know why we—that is—I wish we were better friends.”

Sophy shrugged. “You don’t have to be sorry. You came back and got me from Mme Deveraux’s when you started the place up. You protected me here. You protect us all. That’s enough.”

“Yes, but—” She did not know how to say the truth, one she had forgotten until now; that she had wanted to be friends at first and hadn’t known how. She had been afraid Sophy wouldn’t like her. “I might have made more of an effort.”

“You were busy. You and monseigneur were thick as thieves. It didn’t bother me.”

“I suppose we were,” Serena said slowly. “It was easy to be friends with René. He never demanded confidences.” She’d shown him what she wanted him to see, too: a girl who was frightened but game, who needed his help but could pull her own weight. He’d probably seen more than that, but he’d kept his mouth shut about it. No one had ever demanded confidences of her until Solomon.

Sophy laughed. “Are you saying I’m nosy?” she teased.

Serena smiled with an effort. “I only meant I was afraid.” Christ, this was difficult, like wading through treacle filled with shoals of stinging jellyfish. But it had been too long coming already. And Sophy was listening. She was being friendly.

The Arms was going to be Serena’s forever now. She had to begin as she meant to go on. “I meant that I’ve never—women don’t like me. I don’t know how to—I. Damn.”

Sophy frowned, her face suddenly suffused with pity. No, Serena decided, I won’t call it pity. With compassion, then. “I like you fine, Serena.”

Tears pricked at Serena’s eyes. She blinked, embarrassed. “Perhaps in future—”

Sophy’s eyes crinkled warmly. “It’s never too late. At least, not if you come back from Shropshire.”

“Of course I’m coming back,” she said, startled.

Sophy looked unconvinced.

“I’m coming back,” Serena repeated. It was Solomon who likely wouldn’t be coming back. She swallowed. Then a thought struck her, such an obvious one that she was ashamed she’d never thought of it before. “Would you be interested in part ownership?”

Sophy’s mouth dropped open. “Part—ownership?”

“Of the Arms. René’s gone, and it’s too much work for one person to manage this place.”