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Anna felt like crying. She didn’t meet Mrs. Haunt’s eyes.

Martha lingered in the doorway, quietly gasping for breath, and met the housekeeper’s eyes. A look passed between them, but no words were exchanged.

Swallowing past the lump in her throat, Anna lifted Kitty up, settling the two of them on the edge of the bed.

“I’m not going away,” she said quietly.

“But your bags are all packed!” Kitty sniveled. “You promised we’d look at the stars again.”

“And we will.”

“Where are you going?”

Anna sighed. “I’m going back to see my mama for a bit. And my sisters. You remember Daphne and Emily, don’t you? You liked them.”

The worst of Kitty’s sobs died down, and she was able to breathe normally again. She eyed Anna with suspicion. “I did like them. Why can’t I come with you?”

“Because you have to stay here with your papa. Listen, Kitty. My sisters are going to debut soon. You know what it means to debut, don’t you? You know how important it is?”

A reluctant nod.

“Well,” Anna continued, “your papa and I are helping them to buy dresses and go to nice places and host parties. I should be there for them when they come out. Don’t you think that will be nice?”

“It might,” Kitty answered, sniffling, “but I will miss you. I don’t want you to go, Anna.”

The lump, lodged in Anna’s throat, showed no signs of fading away. Swallowing hard, she looked over Kitty’s head at Mrs. Haunt, whose expression was blank.

“I’m not going forever, Kitty. It’s not goodbye, I promise.”

CHAPTER 26

The coachman eyed Theo curiously when he gave him the address of their destination.

“I beg your pardon, Your Grace?” he said carefully.

Theo bit the inside of his cheek. “The house of Kenneth Jenkins, Ruffian Road. You know the place.”

The coachman nodded shortly. “I do, Your Grace. I should warn you that the roads in that area are poorly maintained. A great deal of potholes and so on.”

“I can handle a little jostling.”

“It can be dangerous, too,” the coachman persisted.

Theo smiled mirthlessly. “You have your truncheon, have you not? I think, between the two of us, we can scare off any would-be robbers.”

The coachman allowed himself a narrow smile at that. “I believe so, Your Grace.”

Theo settled back in the carriage, and they lurched forward. Silence descended, broken only by the rattle of carriage wheels on the cobbles. He twisted to look back out the window, at where Stephen’s home was disappearing into the distance.

He found himself wondering whether Stephen would ever marry. Unlikely, really. Duke Blackheart was too frightening a figure for most Society ladies, and unfortunately, his reputation was very well earned.

It was hardly any of his concern. Sitting back with a sigh, Theo did his best to focus on the journey ahead of him. It wasn’t a long one, and he couldn’t decide whether he would like more time to prepare or whether that would only delay the inevitable.

Closing his eyes, he conjured up an image of Anna. She was so beautiful, so much more than he deserved.

I should have been kinder to her.

No, I should have been honestwith her.