more beautiful in a dress. I would miss that if I left. Though dresses were not completely uncommon in my own time, they were nothing like the gowns I wore here.
When I found the right dress, I took it out and thought how strange it was that I hadn't chosen to wear it again since I had arrived. While there were plenty of clothes in the wardrobe, I had worn other dresses multiple times, yet I overlooked this particular one. Would it have worked? If I had put it on randomly, would I have found myself home, lying on my bed and wondering if it all had been a strange dream?
I shook my head. Because I'd never know. I carried the dress over to my bed. After I laid it out, I ran my hand over the beautiful fabric, then closed my eyes and took a deep breath before I began to undress. With each layer I removed, the tension in my belly grew. Perhaps it was fear or maybe an instinct telling me I was making the wrong choice, but I paused as I lifted up the heavy material.
I wanted to say goodbye. As my mind quickly brought up pictures of Libby, Mrs. Trimbleton, Amelia, even Lord Rake and the Dannberry brothers, I realized how cowardly it was to leave them all without even saying goodbye. The final face that my memory displayed sent a sharp pain through my chest. Morgan. Could I simply walk away without any regrets? No. Because even the barest hope was enough. I thought I had given up completely. My heart whispered that I still was holding on to a thread of hope that somehow the mess would work out. Love truly does conquer all, even fears… especially fears. And regardless of what Morgan had said, the truth was I loved him. I couldn't give up yet.
After lowering the dress back onto the bed, I laid down and rested. With my eyes closed, I tried to sort out my conflicting emotions before I fell into a dreamless sleep.
Chapter Sixteen
Again I awoke to a pounding I was sure originated in my head. The sensation was oddly familiar. Rolling over, I decided I would simply stay in bed for the rest of my life. My legs were numb from the odd way I had lain down the night before. Almost too late, I realized if I rolled any farther I'd fall off the bed. After adjusting my position, I tried to go back to sleep, still working through the dilemma from last night. I saw no reason to get up and face the same questions.
Pound, pound, pound, knock, knock, knock… the noise prevented me from falling back into blissful unconsciousness. "What?" I yelled, irritated.
"Miss Westin!" came Libby's voice.
"Come in, Libby. Please stop your incessant knocking before it kills me…" My voice trailed off when she opened the door.
"You have to get up, miss, he's here! You have to get ready! He's waiting in the green salon!" She tried to pull me out of bed, but I stubbornly refused.
"Who?" I mumbled into my pillow.
"Lord Ashby!" she all but shouted.
That got my attention. I raised my head and stared intently at her. "No." I knew I should have said yes, but fear began to choke me again. I plopped my head down.
"No?" Shocked, she let go of me.
"No," I mumbled into my pillow.
"But, but…" she sputtered. "He's here to talk with you."
"I think he's done quite enough, thank you," I replied sarcastically.
"Miss Amelia and Lord Heath are here as well," she added.
I raised my head again. "Excuse me?"
"Miss, I highly suggest you get dressed."
After a moment's hesitation, I accepted my fate. Libby would simply pester me till I got out of bed, and the absolute worst that could happen was that I'd be humiliated, again. I was growing used to the sensation.
I slid off the bed, noticing the sage green dress lying in a heap on the floor. "Miss, what happened to your dress?" Libby asked as she picked up the garment.
"I was just… setting it out for later." It was the truth, in a way.
"I see. But I doubt you could wear it now, it's quite wrinkled. I'll send it to be pressed."
"No!" I shouted. There was no way I was letting that dress out of my sight. If Morgan had come to put the final nail in the coffin holding my hope for our future, I wanted a way out of here, and fast.
Libby blinked and