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Beatrice tumbled into the carriage, and very nearly landed on the cloaked woman huddled in the corner.

She gave a muffled shriek, but the coachman slammed the door shut behind her, seemingly oblivious.

“Ouch,” Anna complained, pushing her cloak off of her.

Flustered, Beatrice tossed a strand of hair from her face. “What are you doing, Anna? You nearly scared the life out of me. Why are you here? How did you get here?”

“It’s my carriage,” Anna retorted. “It was easy enough to order the coachman to come back home and collect me after dropping you off. Do you really think I’d allow you to come and visitStephen, of all people, without checking up on you?”

“If you’re trying to save my reputation, I must inform you that it’s too late,” Beatrice snapped. She knocked on the roof of the carriage, and the vehicle lurched forward.

“I’m not here for that. I’m here to tell you that striking a bargain with Stephen is never worth it. He requires too much in return, and having himknowthings about you is like making a deal with the Devil.”

Beatrice bit her lip, looking away. “You seem very uncharitable. Isn’t he your husband’s dearest friend?”

“Yes, he is, and while Stephen isfond of Theo, I can warn you now that he is not fond of anyone else.” Anna leaned forward, her eyes narrowed. “Stephen had all ordinary human feelings knocked out of him at a very young age. He is full of hate and anger and resentment, and he is frankly a dangerous man. I would never have let you strike any bargain with him if I had known about it.”

“Well, it’s too late now.”

“No, Beatrice, it is not! Whatever he has roped you into, it can be undone.Ican help you undo it. He cannot be trusted. Other women have thought they could make a hole in his heart before, and they were proved wrong again and again.”

“And why should I succeed when they have failed. Is that what you’re saying?” Beatrice snapped.

Anna sighed, leaning back. “Don’t be so prickly. I am not saying that, Beatrice. I am saying that he is not capable of love. I am sure of it.”

“Well, would it make you feel better to know that I am not trying to make him love me? In fact, love is very much off the table. He was very clear about that.”

There was a brief silence after that.

“Beatrice,” Anna said carefully. “What agreement have you made with him?”

“The one I told you about. I am going to marry him, Anna.”

“Oh, Beatrice, no! You can’t do that.”

“What should I do?” Beatrice retorted, feeling anger surge up inside her. “Try and convince our friend Henry to marry me? Henry, who has never looked longingly at a woman in his life? Ought I blackmail him or pressure him into agreeing to a marriage he has no interest in, only to have him jilt me at the altar? I already had one ruined wedding—I’m not sure I can manage another.”

She knew she was speaking out of turn. Anna was only trying to be kind, and bringing up the chaos that had broken out before she married Theo—Henry’s brother, no less—was nothing short of cruel. Anna’s scandal rivaled Beatrice’s own, since a jilted bride was the sort of story that the tonadored.

So long as they or their loved ones were not the ones being jilted, of course.

Anna flinched and turned towards the window. The dim light meant that her face was shadowed, and Beatrice could not read her expression.

They sat in stony silence for a minute or two, until Beatrice nervously cleared her throat.

“I am sorry, Anna. I don’t know why I said any of that. I only meant… Look, I only meant that I am in a bad situation, and marrying the Duke is a reasonable way out, just like you married Theo.”

“It is not the same,” Anna responded distantly. “And I would have helped you, Beatrice. You know that. You only had to ask.”

They were reaching Beatrice’s street now. She could see her house in the distance, the windows mercifully dark. Her absence had not been noticed, then.

“I’m sorry,” Beatrice repeated.

Nerves jittered inside her, not allowing her to sit still. There was plenty of regret in there, too. Would things have been different if she’d trusted her old friend? Most likely. Apologies meant little, since the damage was already done.

The carriage rolled to a halt.

“You’re decided, then?” Anna said, sounding more tired than ever.