guiding hand of your elders.
—Lady Druthers’s Guide to Perfect Deportment and Etiquette
Use your own hand to guide your fate.
Chapter Fifteen
Prim was a prisoner.
A prisoner in her own home and in her own bedchamber. A prisoner in her head, in her thoughts and worries and misery.
A full day had passed since Mama locked her in her room, and no one had come to let her out. Gertie or the maid would bring her trays of food and take out her chamber pot. That was something to be grateful for, she supposed. Basic needs had become small blessings. She read from her books. Daydreamed about Jacob, playing over their conversations, their touches, their kisses.
Anything to stop herself from falling into the dark.
She often looked out the window, gazing across the street to Olympia’s house, hoping to see her friend. She spotted Mrs. Zaher leaving once, but no other activity. Perhaps Olympia was in trouble, too. Prim felt awful for any difficulty she might have caused her friend.
On her second night locked away, the house was eerily silent. Or perhaps her isolation was starting to gnaw at her and chip away at her sanity. Dinner had been brought to her hours ago, and she felt certain everyone was in bed or out on the Town. She would not know. No one was apprising her of the comings and goings of the household occupants.
Prim tried to sleep. Except sleep would not come to her.
She was sprawled on her bed, staring at a crack in the plaster ceiling, when she heard a scratching against her door.
The sound of her name hissed through the wood. “Primrose.”
Prim bounced up from the bed at her sister’s voice. Dropping on her knees before her door, she pressed her hand flat to the cool panel of wood. “Aster?”
“Are you well?”
“How long are they going to keep me locked in here?” Her hand moved for the latch as though it might suddenly not be locked. As though her sister might have the power to free her.
“They’re letting you out tomorrow. You’re leaving for Aunt Bernice’s in the morning.”
The information rushed through Prim like a deluge of icy water.
She had hoped for more time. More time for a solution to come to her. More time for Aster or Violet to possibly sway Mama. More time for Papa to find his backbone and say no to Mama. More time for a miracle to happen.
She dropped her forehead against the door, fighting against a swell of defeat.
“We tried to convince her to let you stay through Violet’s wedding at the very least . . . but Mama doesn’t care.” Regret hummed in her sister’s voice.
Aster continued, “I’ve tried talking to her. So has Violet. She can’t be persuaded. I’m sorry, Prim. Perhaps Begonia can get through to her. I sent her a letter and told her what is happening. I’m certain she will pay a call soon.”
Prim had not realized until now that she could count on all three of her sisters to be so loyal. It might be the one good thing to come out of this—discovering that her sisters supported her more than she would have guessed. All this time she had believed she was truly alone, but perhaps that was not the case. Perhaps she should have realized that sooner and reached out to them to bridge the gap.
Unfortunately, she would not be allowed to stay in London to appreciate this newfound realization.
Inexplicably, Jacob’s face swam before her eyes.
She’d done her best to keep her thoughts away from him, but she had to admit to herself that she was grateful for their one night together more than ever.
She would have a sweet memory to comfort her in the long years ahead.
* * *
The key scrabbled in the lock, sending Prim’s heart into palpitations. Was it time? Had Mama come for her?
Prim had been working through possible plans of escape. Though none was very sound. All less-than-rational thinking she blamed on her forced isolation. If she remained locked away much longer, she’d be fit only for a cell in Bedlam.
She had dismissed jumping from her window. It was a long way down to the pebbled walk and definitely not a soft landing. She would not get very far with a broken leg. She had also considered barreling from her chamber the next time the door was opened. Although how far could she actually get? Legally, her parents were her guardians. She had no rights. They could ship her off to Yorkshire or