“She’d hate to have a nurse or—”
“Not a nurse. We could hired someone to take care of things and call her a companion, like they did in the nineteenth century. Grandmama would love that. I’m sure we could work it out.”
“But that would be so expensive.”
“Rose and I can cover it. It won’t be any trouble at all. And you can contribute too, as soon as you and Peter start making a go of it.” When Kelly started to object, Deanna went on, “Seriously, Kelly. You’ve done so much for her, for so long. Far more than Rose and I have. It’s our turn now. Let us do something for her…and for you.”
Kelly couldn’t believe she was actually crying. She had to wipe a few years off her cheeks. “So I should really…really leave?”
She couldn’t remember a time when she hadn’t lived in this old house, surrounded by so many collected treasures from the Beauforts of the past. She loved them. All of them. She loved Savannah. And she loved her grandmother most of all.
“If that’s what you want,” Rose said. “If you want to stay married to Peter.”
Kelly stared down at the ring on her finger. Peter’s signet ring. Far too big for her finger. She turned it around so the Blake crest was showing.
There was nothing she wanted more than to be Peter’s wife, even if it meant leaving other things she loved behind.
“What is going on here?” Grandmama demanded imperiously, after throwing open the door to the parlor.
All three of the sisters looked up in surprise.
“It is late. You should all be in bed.” Their grandmother stepped into the room, her eyes pinning each of them in turn. Her gaze ended up on Kelly. “And I thought you had left me for that gad-about husband of yours.”
“He’s not a gad-about.” Kelly wasn’t even sure what a “gad-about” was, but it didn’t sound flattering, and she didn’t want Peter to be called it.
“Yes, he is. He’s a bad influence on you, young lady. He causes you to forsake all of the Beaufort heritage. You would do well to be rid of him.”
Kelly sucked in an indignant breath. “I’m not going to get rid of him. I love him. I’m not going to leave him. And you need to stop treating him that way.”
Her grandmother narrowed her eyes. “Is that what you’re telling me?”
“Yes, that’s what I’m telling you. He’s my husband, and he’s going to stay that way. You’re going to have to get used to it.”
“And I suppose you’re going to let him take you away from here, whisk you away from your home to some uncivilized region up north.”
“It’s not uncivilized. It’s just North Georgia. And, yes, I’m going to move. I’m going to move with him.” Kelly realized what she’d just announced to her grandmother. She shouldn’t have done it so bluntly. It was going to be hard for Grandmama. She should have tried to tell her more gently. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to tell you like that. But, yes, I’m going to move.”
Grandmama tsked her tongue and looked from Kelly to Rose to Deanna. Then her eyes returned to Kelly. “I was starting to wonder if you’d ever come to your senses.”
“What?” Kelly’s eyes widened as she processed what her grandmother had said.
“I thought you would never come to your senses. It certainly took you long enough to make up your mind. You have always been the most stubborn of my granddaughters.” Then, as if she hadn’t dropped this bombshell, she turned to Rose and Deanna. “I assume you two will arrange for a way for me to remain in our house. I will not leave.”
“Of course, you won’t have to leave the house,” Rose said. “We’ll work everything out.”
Kelly was still trying to keep up. “You mean…all this time…I thought you hated Peter.”
“Nonsense. He’s a Blake, isn’t he?” Grandmama stepped over and lifted a hand to pat Kelly’s cheek. “I know how to manage my granddaughters, and you needed more than a gentle nudge in the right direction.”
Twelve
A half-hour later, Kelly was about to leave the house to return to Peter. Deanna had called the car service Mitchell used, and a driver had come to pick Kelly up.
But, as she was stepping out the door, a familiar car roared down the street, turning into the driveway, so quickly she was afraid it wouldn’t stop before it hit the hired car.
When it jerked to a stop, a few inches before it tapped the other car, Peter jumped out and ran up the front walk toward her.
“Kelly!” His face was flushed and damp with perspiration, his expression urgent. “Kelly, I’m sorry.”