you know there is a but?”
Abigail fought the urge to crow at even this small bend in her hesitant future sister-in-law. Ophelia was a tough nut to crack, though Abigail understood the reasons and had no intention of giving up on her attempts to win the young woman over.
Abigail squeezed Celeste’s arm. “I’ve known these two long enough to know the little lilt of concern in their voices. Plus they just gave each other the most meaningful look. Oh, there it is again!”
Ophelia’s eyes went wide. “I did see it. They glanced at each other so seriously. Should I step away and let you three talk alone?”
“No,” Abigail insisted, and held her stare evenly. “You are part of our little circle now. There is no escaping.”
Ophelia’s lips parted a fraction, and for a brief moment Abigail saw how much that statement meant to her. But then she straightened her spine and glanced away. Still, Abigail had won a little ground, it seemed. She would celebrate it.
“Go ahead, you two, I have nothing to hide from Ophelia,” she said. “Give me whatever bad news you’ve been hiding all day. I’m ready for it.” She sounded so brave, though her heart had started to race. She was so tired of waiting for another shoe to drop. A year of it was too much.
Celeste sighed. “Did you…did you happen to see the Scandal Sheet paper this morning?”
Abigail caught her breath. “You know, I didn’t. Paisley must have hidden it from me. Which means there was something about me in it. Oh God, what now?”
Pippa took a step toward her. “There was a blind item and it implied…it implied that Gilmore might be marrying you so hastily because he wanted to make sure your child was legitimate.”
Abigail dropped Celeste’s arm and stared. “They implied I was pregnant?”
Celeste nodded. “I’m so sorry to upset you.”
Abigail glanced up at the terrace again and her mouth twitched with a smile as she found Nathan. After three tries, the man had finally won one of their wagers. “Oh, he is going to be insufferable,” she muttered.
“What was that?” Ophelia asked.
Abigail shook her head, trying not to think about what they had agreed he would win if the rumor about them was this. She wasn’t sure she could keep the wickedness from her expression.
“Nothing,” she said. “And I’m not upset. Gilmore and I already discussed that this was a possibility. I assume he knows?” That he hadn’t come crowing to her the moment she arrived showed restraint.
Ophelia shrugged. “I don’t know. He never said anything. But we also didn’t get the paper. I wonder if Gardner hid it, as well.”
“Well, I will tell him,” Abigail said, and tried to think of the best way to reveal it. She had an idea. A very sinful idea. “We will be married soon, though. And when no child is produced in less than nine months, I suppose everyone will know the rumors weren’t true.”
Celeste sighed, as if pleased she hadn’t upset her friend. “Speaking of the wedding, are you excited? We are just days away.”
There was no mistaking the light of interest that brightened Ophelia’s gaze. Abigail would have to tread carefully in her answer if she wanted to continue to chip away at the young lady’s defenses.
“I will be glad to be done with the waiting. It’s only been a few weeks, but it has felt interminable. I am a little…nervous. The future still seems uncertain, I don’t know what my life will be like.”
Up above, Rhys waved to them and Pippa smiled. “I think they’re saying we should join them.”
Abigail nodded and followed as Pippa and Celeste started up the stone stairs that led up to the terrace on the second floor. Ophelia stayed behind the others and fell into step beside Abigail.
“Comfortable,” she said, staring straight ahead as they reached the top of the stairs.
Abigail stopped there and shook her head. “I’m sorry?”
Ophelia faced her. “You said you cannot picture your life. It will be comfortable. My brother will ensure it.”
“I’m sure you are right.”
Ophelia held her gaze a moment. “He is a good man. Don’t let him down,” she said softly, and then turned to join the others.
Abigail blinked at the edict. Don’t let him down? She didn’t intend to do so. She didn’t want to. But how to do that remained to be seen.
The group of friends stood in the foyer together hours later, servants rushing coats and gloves to them, carriages being brought around. It was