The Davenports(82)

“You do love him!” Helen grasped her wrist with both hands. “You should see your face right now.” Her sister grew wistful. “You look just like Mama thinking about Daddy when he’s away. Mopey and happy at the same time.” Helen’s expression became serious. “Olivia—what are you going to do?”

“I don’t know,” Olivia said. A sudden wave of nausea hit her. “Everyone expects me to marry Jacob Lawrence. Or someone just like him.”

Helen turned Olivia toward her, their legs crossed and knees touching like they used to when they were younger, only she remembered there being a lot more room on the couch. “I’ll take care of it,” Helen said. She squeezed her sister’s hands. “You’ve always done the right thing. If you have to commit to marriage before the end of summer, you deserve to see what’s out there in the meantime. And have a little fun too.”

Olivia gasped. “Helen!” Again, her eyes darted to the door.

Helen shrugged. “Think of it as my way of saying sorry for leaving you to weather the brunt of the matchmaking pressure.”

“You’re here now, and it’s hardly your fault.”

“Ugh, just let me do this,” said Helen, smacking Olivia’s arm with a pillow.

“You don’t have to make up for it. I’ve enjoyed it.” Then Olivia thought of all the chores and outings she was saddled with when Helen failed to show. “Mostly,” she added.

More than anything, Olivia had just missed her sister. It was only a matter of time before she did marry and had to leave this house and her sister behind. Her future was as uncertain as Helen’s. There was no telling when or where the Davenports’ youngest would find love and where it would take her. How many moments like this do we have left? She pulled Helen into a fierce hug.

Helen tolerated it for a while and then pulled back, averting her eyes. “I think I’ve fallen for someone too.”

Olivia hid her shock, and smiled instead. The day she had warned Helen about, the day Helen had so dreaded, had finally come and caught Olivia off guard. She pushed aside her surprise for a moment to gloat. But her outspoken, rebellious sister suddenly seemed shy. Olivia really looked at Helen and the I told you so died on her lips. “Oh no, Helen, does he not feel the same way?”

“I think he does. Only, he’s attached to someone else. Or maybe he’s not anymore?”

“Well, who is it? Maybe it’s not as serious as you might think.”

Helen looked up, eyes bright with unshed tears.

Olivia squeezed Helen’s fingers and pressed their foreheads together. “Oh, Helen! You can tell me. Who is it?”

Helen took a shuddering breath. “It’s Jacob Lawrence.”

Olivia’s hand slackened around Helen’s. She sat back hard against the couch. She had so many questions without any ability to voice them.

Helen eyed her warily. “We met at the Tremaines’ party . . . because I missed that lunch.”

“You always miss lunch,” she said; she couldn’t help it.

“Hey! If I’m remembering clearly, so did you,” Helen said. They both glanced at the door. Then Helen continued. “He gave me a cigarette. I gave him a light and we talked about faulty electrical wiring and . . .” Helen trailed off. “He admires that I follow my interests. We make each other laugh.” Helen exhaled loudly. “I’ve never felt this way before, Livy. And he—I know he feels the same.” Olivia listened in stunned silence as her sister caught her up on the brief but intimate encounters shared with the man her parents had chosen for her. Helen was hiccupping by the time she finished. She covered her face in her hands. “Are you mad at me?”

Mr. Lawrence’s distant behavior began to fall into place. It was never anything Olivia had done. It wasn’t who she was—it was who she wasn’t. As good a match as she and the British bachelor made in theory, the spark Olivia had hoped for was not there. A weight felt lifted from her shoulders. She cupped Helen’s tear-streaked face and lifted it so their eyes met. “Helen, I could never be mad at you.” She wrapped her younger sister in her arms again and held on to her tight, the pressure in her own chest dissolving as Helen relaxed against her. “At least, not for long. Anyway, Mr. Lawrence and I are not attached.”

Helen leaned back. “You’re not?”

“I panicked after Mama and Daddy made it sound like our marriage was a done deal. We decided to let them think that a proposal was imminent. I needed more time, and he was nothing but a gentleman. I swear, if I’d known how you felt, I would have never asked him to do that. Why didn’t he say anything to me? He must have felt so caught in between.” Olivia frowned, then laughed. “I can’t believe you’re in love.”

“Neither can I.” Helen looked dazed.

Olivia brushed her sister’s cheek. “Tell him I want you to be happy. Both of you.” She watched her sister’s face brighten, and she savored their weightlessness.





CHAPTER 36


    Helen



There was no time to think about the scandal of her actions. Helen knew where Jacob Lawrence was staying from their conversations, from back when she thought she had no chance.

She dressed quickly that morning in a simple white blouse under a dark blue jacket and skirt. She removed the pins Olivia had placed in her hair and secured it as neatly as she could.