Page 58 of Bad Luck Bride (Scandal at the Savoy #3)

He pulled her close, bent his head and kissed her, hard.

Then, he let her go, picked up his hat, and turned abruptly away, walking toward the door.

He opened it and started to walk out, but then he paused again to look at her one last time.

He didn’t speak. He just stared at her for what seemed an eternity, then he said, “I will come back to you, Kay. However long it takes.”

“I know.”

He didn’t reply. Instead, he stepped backward into the corridor. And then he was gone, vanishing from her life once again.

Kay stood there long after his departure, staring at the empty doorway, his last words echoing through her mind like a dismal dirge.

However long it takes.

She feared it was going to take a long, long time.

Suddenly, desolation swamped her, and all her courage vanished into the wind. She sank into her chair, folded her arms on her desk, and buried her face in the crook of her elbow. She would have burst into tears, if a beloved voice calling her name hadn’t stopped her.

“Kay?”

Josephine’s voice came floating to her along the corridor, and she sat up, grabbed her pen, and assumed the pose of the efficient secretary as her sister came into her office.

“Where have you been?” Josephine demanded.

She paused in her nonsensical scribbling and tried to look surprised. “Here, of course. Where else would I be?”

Josephine waved a hand impatiently and crossed to her desk. “I mean last night,” she clarified, pulling up a chair and sitting down across from Kay. “I woke up in the middle of the night and you weren’t in your bed.”

Kay felt a jolt of alarm. “You didn’t tell Mama, did you?”

“Tattle to Mama?” Jo gave her a censorious look. “What do you think?”

Reassured, she tried to smile. “Thanks, Jo. You’re a brick.”

“But where were you?”

Kay opened her mouth to invent a lie—she couldn’t sleep, she’d gone for a walk, gone to the bathroom, she’d been sleepwalking, anything—but memories of where she’d actually been swamped her, and she couldn’t utter the words of a fabricated excuse.

The pain she’d been holding back ever since leaving Devlin at dawn could suddenly no longer be contained, and a sob erupted from her before she could stop it. “Oh, Josephine!”

“Oh, my God!” Jo jumped out of the chair and came around her desk. Bending down, she wrapped Kay in a fierce hug. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” she choked, shaking her head, trying to regain her control.

“Stuff!” Jo cried. “Tell that to the marines!” She straightened, hauling Kay to her feet, shaking her fiercely. “What is wrong? Tell me, this instant, and don’t lie. Not to me.”

Echoes of Devlin.

“He’s leaving,” she blurted out before she could stop herself.

“Who’s leaving?”

“Devlin. His hotel caught on fire and he has to go back to Egypt. Now. Today. He’s already gone.”

“And that’s what’s got you crying like your heart’s going to break? Sharpe?”

Kay stared into her sister’s face, noting the girl’s understandably confounded expression. Biting her lip, she nodded.

“But… but…” Jo paused, studying her. “You’re still in love with him.”

It wasn’t a question, but she nodded, answering it just the same.

“And you’re sure of that? In spite of everything?”

She nodded again. “And he still loves me,” she said, though she didn’t know why, for there was no point in telling Jo all this. But somehow, she couldn’t stop herself. “He asked me to go with him. He wanted us to elope. Again.”

“Heavens!” Josephine paused, digesting this bit of news, then to Kay’s complete astonishment, she said, “Well, then, what in blazes are you doing here? Why didn’t you go?”

Kay stared back at her. “You know why. It’s your season. You have to be presented. If I elope—”

“Don’t you dare!” Josephine scowled. “Don’t you dare turn down his marriage proposal because of me!”

“Goodness,” cried another feminine voice from the doorway before Kay could reply. “I could hear your voices from halfway down the corridor. What’s the fuss about?”

Josephine turned as Delia came in, answering her question before Kay could regain her composure enough to do so. “Sharpe has to go back to Egypt. His hotel caught on fire.”

Delia nodded. “Yes, I know. I was with Simon when Devlin gave him the news. Terrible. But at least no one was killed.” She waited, giving Kay an inquiring look, but again, it was Josephine who replied.

“He asked Kay to marry him. To elope and run away with him to Egypt, but she was a complete noodle and said no! Because of me, she says. I ask you, Dee, what can one do with such an impossible sister!”

“I had to say no,” Kay cried. “Otherwise your season would be ruined. You haven’t been presented yet, and you wouldn’t be if I eloped. The scandal would ruin your chances.”

“Hang my chances,” Jo said fiercely. “This was your chance. Your second chance to be with the man you love. How could you let it pass by?”

“He’ll be back,” Kay said. “By spring, he’ll be back. Maybe summer. And we’ll get married then.”

“Will you?” Jo gave an inelegant snort. “Given your history, I very much doubt it!”

Kay took a deep breath, calm settling over her, replacing her momentary hysterics. “We will get married when he comes back,” she said again. “And your reputation remains intact. And mine, too,” she added as Jo opened her mouth to fire off a reply. “Devlin and I will wait.”

“Wait?” Jo echoed. “Good heavens, haven’t you two waited long enough?”

Kay turned, appealing to Delia for support. “You agree with me, of course.”

“No,” Delia said to her complete astonishment. “I don’t agree with you at all. Or you,” she added, turning to Josephine. “Neither of you can be trusted to have a bit of sense on this topic, it’s obvious.”

Kay was too dumbfounded to reply, and Josephine seemed to feel the same, for they both stared at her, speechless.

Delia made a sound of impatience and crossed the room, halting before Kay’s desk. “Your problem is easily solved, because I—” She paused, pressing a hand to her bosom and giving an exaggerated bow, “am here to be your problem-solver, my darling friend.”

Kay shook her head, her wits too scrambled to even try to figure out what Delia was talking about.

“Of course Josephine’s reputation needs to be protected,” Delia went on.

“And,” she continued, overriding the girl’s protest, “she absolutely needs to be presented, especially given your rather checkered past. And it’s true that you eloping for the second time would ruin that prospect and probably also ruin her chances of a good marriage. ”

“Thank you!” Kay said. “That’s what I’m saying.”

“But,” Delia went on as if she hadn’t spoken, “that’s where I come in. Kay, you do not have to elope. I’ve been married three times, and I’m about to get married again, so trust me when I say I know all the ways, respectable and not so respectable, that a girl can tie the knot.”

“But—”

“Listen, will you? As I said, you don’t have to elope.

I’m a countess, darling. I will take over for your mother and present Josephine at court.

Especially fitting, since I’m the one who submitted her application in the first place.

I will see that she is properly presented, and I will chaperone her for the rest of the season.

Meanwhile, you, Kay, darling, will pack your bags and your mother’s, too, and the pair of you will go off with Devlin to Egypt. ”

“But when can they get married?” Jo asked before Kay could speak.

“A British woman who is over the age of consent can get married to a British man anywhere under British control. You just have to establish residence and read the banns. I happen to know this because I ran off to Italy with my soon-to-be second husband and we got married in Gibraltar.” She turned to Kay.

“Egypt is currently a British protectorate. You can be married from there. And with your mother along, it’s all perfectly acceptable.

Your mother sails home in time to join Josephine and me at all the autumn house parties and you and Devlin live happily ever after. ”

Kay caught her breath, hope and joy rising within her. “Oh, Delia, you’ll do that for us? Really?”

“Of course I will, you goose. What are friends for?”

“But what about Mama?” Jo put in. “She’ll miss seeing me presented. Will she agree to go?”

“To see your sister finally be respectably married, of course she’ll go,” Delia replied. “And if she doesn’t, well, I’ll chaperone Kay and your mother can stay here.”

“But what about your own wedding?” Kay cried.

“Simon can come, too, and we’ll all get married in Egypt. Now, go.”

Kay laughed and started for the door, but she’d barely taken a step before she stopped. “Money,” she said. “Heavens, what do I do for money?”

“I’ll loan you the money,” Delia said. “Now do stop throwing obstacles in the path of my brilliant idea, because we don’t have much time and you still have to pack.

Knowing how your mother dithers, that will take forever.

Devlin’s already gone, of course. I saw his cab leaving twenty minutes ago, but you can take your own cab and follow him to Victoria.

And you can get your tickets at Cook’s there.

I’ll see the hotel cashier and cash a bank draft for you while you pack.

You can purchase your traveler’s checks at Cook’s when they issue your tickets. Now, go. What are you waiting for?”

Kay needed no more urging. “Delia,” she said, circling around her desk and racing for the door, “you are the best friend in the world. Jo, get me a cab.”

Not waiting for a reply, she ran for the lift. It seemed to take forever, but it was probably only a few minutes before she reached the top floor and raced for her suite.

“Mama?” she cried as she came in. “Mama, where are you?”

“In bed, Kay. Having breakfast. Where else would I be at this hour?”

She ran for the bedroom and paused in the doorway. “Well, get up, Mama, right now. And Foster?” she added to her mother’s maid. “Fetch our trunks and suitcases and start packing. Summer clothes, the lightest ones. I want Mama packed and ready to leave in fifteen minutes.”

“But where are we going?” Magdelene cried. “We can’t go anywhere just now—”

“Egypt, Mama,” she said and laughed. “We’re going to Egypt.”