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“Where’s Amber?” she whispered when he was close.

“I’ll tell you later. Can you go tell her cousin that she wasn’t feeling well and went to lay down in her room? I think it would be better if it didn’t come from me.”

“Yes, of course. Is she all right?”

“Not yet, but she will be.”I’ll make sure of it.

“Then I’ll take care of it.”

“Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. I might not know the situation, but I do know she needs all the help she can get.”

* * *

Amber walked back to her room, emotions still warring inside her. Since it was still so much earlier since she was expected to be there, Rose wasn’t there yet, but that was all right. She could use a moment or two to herself.

Sitting on the edge of her bed, she sighed, squeezing her eyes shut against the burning rising behind them.

It was amazing how even after how much she had cried, she still had more tears to shed.

Before she could let any of it out, Rose came in with a deep frown on her face. “I heard you weren’t feeling well. Are you all right?”

“I just needed to get away from everything,” she said, unable to lie but unable to admit what had happened.

Rose frowned. “Did something happen?”

She shook her head. “It's nothing I shouldn’t have expected.”

“So that’s a yes then. Is this about the man Earl Heathfield wants you to marry? I thought you had a plan for that. Did something go wrong?”

“Rose, please. I can’t do this right now. Can you just help take my hair down? I think I want to get ready for bed.”

“But it’s still so early.”

“So?”

“So, will your cousin be all right with that?”

Amber couldn’t help but smile through her unshed tears. “I have been assured, I don’t need to worry about him.”

“Really?” Rose grinned at her. “Did your accomplice tell you that?”

“He might have.”

“Then it sounds like all hope is not lost, regardless of how you feel right now.”

“He seems to think that. He told me that enough times after all.” She rolled her eyes.

“And?”

“And what?”

“Do you trust him?”

“Does it matter?”

“It matters to me, I bet it matters an awful lot to him, and I am willing to bet it matters to you.”