Page 52 of The Gilded Heiress

He didn’t answer, merely continued through the now open door. Sunlight swallowed up his tall form as the heat of the city wafted inside. Why hadn’t he answered me? Why had he come here, and why had my father wished him luck?

I turned to my father. “What on earth was that about?”

My father held up a piece of paper. It was a bank draft. “He returned the reward money.”

Returned it? My jaw fell open. Leo Hardy, giving up such a huge sum? And what of Ambrose? “I don’t believe it.”

“He said it was wrong to use you in such a scheme and he never meant to hurt anyone. This Ambrose character apparently went

behind Hardy’s back to arrange the meeting at Maillard’s.”

My mother descended the rest of the steps and came to stand on the parquet floor. “Yes, but if not for that meeting, we wouldn’t

have Joséphine back with us.”

“Which is the reason I paid Mr. Lee in the first place,” my father said. “But Hardy explained the whole story, that he’d found

Josie in Boston, planned to use her to trick us. He said he then developed feelings for her and abandoned the plan here in

New York.”

“He said that?” I asked.

“Yes.” My father lifted his head to study me. “He said he fell in love with you.”

Leo said the same the other night when he snuck in, yet I hadn’t believed him. Was he telling the truth?

“Love! He’s a swindler,” my mother said. “As if we’d ever allow our only daughter to—”

I couldn’t stand to hear anymore. I needed answers from Leo. About the money, about us. About everything.

I ran for the door. Ronald blocked my way, so I called, “Move!”

“Josie! You need a hat and gloves,” my mother said. “And an escort!”

I dodged around the butler, propriety be damned. My father’s voice trailed after me as I descended the front steps. “Send

a footman out after her!” he ordered.

Looking up and down the walk, I searched for Leo. Unfortu nately, there were too many people out and about. A maid was sweeping the side stairs. I asked her, “Did you see a tall man leave here? Navy suit, black derby. I need to know which way he went.”

“He went that way, miss.” She pointed to the left, so I thanked her and started running.

I found him three-quarters of the way up the block. Head down, Leo was staring at the ground as he walked. I grabbed his arm

and pulled him to a stop. “Leo, wait.”

When he faced me, his blue eyes were polite but flat. He tipped his hat. “Miss Pendelton. Was there something you needed?”

Panting, I tried to catch my breath. “I need to know why.”

“Why what?”

“Why you took that check from Ambrose and returned it.”

“Ambrose had no right to the money and neither do I. If anyone deserves it, it’s you.”

This was unbelievable. It went against everything I knew about him. “But your family, your sisters. Making good for your father.

How could you give up such an exorbitant amount?”

“Ambrose didn’t give it up.”

“What does that mean?”

“Never mind,” Leo said. “It’s not important. In the end neither of us knew you were the real heiress. The credit is yours.”

Hardly. Leo had been the one to make the trip happen. Without him, I’d still be singing on street corners in Boston. He’d

taken me to see Lotta, to meet with Melvin.

He believed in me.

Me , Josie Smith. An orphan with hardly two cents to scrape together.

I never would’ve come this far without him. Every time I was nervous, he’d been there to reassure me. True, he used me as

part of his swindle, but Leo had bolstered my faith in my abilities, too.

And he hadn’t gone through with the swindle. He returned the money.

Movement nearby caught my eye. One of our footmen hovered nearby, watching over me, so I lowered my voice. “I never would’ve come to New York if not for you.”

“Nah,” he said, the side of his mouth hitching. “You would’ve ended up here eventually. With your voice? You were destined

for Broadway one way or another. I’m just sorry I let you down.”

“You told my father you fell in love with me.”

A flash of something crossed his face, the first crack in his calm exterior. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared. “It

can hardly come as a surprise. I said the same to you the other night.”

“And yet I am surprised.”

“You shouldn’t be. You’re remarkable, Josie. And for what it’s worth, I’ve never uttered those words to anyone outside my

family. I’ve done a lot in my life, but I wouldn’t lie about that.”

“Then why are you leaving?”

He lifted his arms and let them fall to his sides. “Because this is the right thing to do. You don’t trust me and I ruined

any chance we had together. And look at where you live! Your dress, your hair.” His gaze swept the length of me. “You’re too

fancy for the likes of me, sweetheart.”

“I’m the same person. I haven’t changed just because of my parents.”

“You’re famous now. Haven’t you seen the papers? You are all anyone can talk about, a miracle.” A muscle jumped in his jaw

as he stared out toward the street. “An association with me will only hurt you.”

“You’re wrong! Don’t leave me. Stay and be my manager. Or my friend. Something. I-I miss you.”

Leo stared at me, his blue eyes serious as they searched mine. “Do you honestly believe your parents will allow me to remain

in your life?”

“If I wish it, yes.”

Head shaking, he wore a sad smile as he stared at the street. “Honey, you don’t have any idea how your new world works. Men

like me don’t associate with unmarried women like you.”

“You’re wrong. All I’m asking is for you to stay. You can be my manager—”

“Josie,” he snapped. “I said I love you and you want me to hang about and be your friend? It would crush me, being close to

you day after day, yet knowing I can’t have you. Watching you marry some uptown swell. I’m not strong enough for that.”

Tongue tangled, I wasn’t sure of what to do or say. How did I feel about him? I knew I missed him and I liked having him in

my life. I wanted to kiss him and touch him, tell him every single thought in my head.

But love ?

What did I know about love?

I hadn’t seen much of it in my life, and even with my parents, love was a fragile undertaking. My heart wasn’t used to allowing

others in; I’d protected it since I was a child. Perhaps I wasn’t capable of love. How would I know? I went so long without

it that such pieces inside of me might be permanently broken.

And if they weren’t...

Was I ready to risk loving someone and then losing them?

Helpless, I stood there as pedestrians and carts passed by, regular people doing everyday, normal things. Time stretched,

yet I wasn’t ready to lose Leo. I wanted to prolong this as best I could until I figured out what all these feelings meant.

The wind gusted around us, ruffling the edges of his too-long hair under his hat as he said softly, “I should go and let you

return inside.”

“Wait.”

He didn’t move, but I could sense his impatience with me. “Josie, I’m trying to be honorable for once in my life.”

Wrong. Leo had honor. I’d seen examples of it, from the way he looked after his sisters, to the careful manner in which he’d

treated me during our intimacies. And he returned the most money he’d ever see in his life because he didn’t deserve it. “So

you’re giving up on me? On us?”

“There is no us. You’re...” Trailing off, he shoved his hands in his pockets and lifted a shoulder. “Look around you. This is your world, not mine.”

“That isn’t true. We’re from the same world.”

“Hardly. You may have visited mine for a short while, but this is where you belong.”

“I belong on a stage. And once upon a time you were going to help me get there.”

“Nah.” He ran his knuckles under my jaw. “You don’t need me for that. Knock ’em dead, sweetheart. I’ll be watching from Boston.”

When he turned to walk away, I couldn’t bear it. I put my hand on his arm. “Leo, wait. You should’ve kept the money. Let me

speak with my father. I’ll ask him to write you another check, a different one with your name on it.”

He gently removed my hand from his coat, but he lessened the sting by pressing a kiss to my knuckles. His lips were warm and

soft, his hot breath tickling my bare skin. “I don’t need it. Some things are worth more than money.”

I couldn’t believe those words had come out of his mouth. “Like what?”

He dropped my hand. “Like you.”

His gaze studied my face, carefully, as if memorizing every detail. Then he tipped his hat, turned around, and walked away.

I watched his broad shoulders shift as his long legs ate up the walk, his form growing smaller and smaller.

I didn’t move. I waited, hoping.

But he never glanced back over his shoulder at me, not even once.