Annabel came in and sat on the bed next to her. She put a hand on Meredith's back in a soft gesture of love and friendship and acceptance. For several long moments, she said nothing, just offered wordless sympathy and support.
Finally, she took a breath. "I should warn you, Mama will insist you come to the Daubreys' dinner party tonight."
"I'm not interested in socializing. London has lost its appeal. In fact, I believe I shall return to Grandmother's house as soon as arrangements can be made."
"I cannot imagine how you must feel." Annabel's lower lip puckered. "But don't let him ruin your Season in London."
The door opened, and Aunt Paulette bustled in. "Meredith, you are going to the Daubreys' party, and that is my final word on the matter. When a titled lord and lady invite you to a party, you do not refuse. Other esteemed guests will be there, including one of the most sought-after bachelors, Cole Amesbury, heir to the Earl of Tarrington."
Meredith remembered Lord Amesbury from Hyde Park but entertained no delusions that his rakish smile held any promise for her. Nor did she seek it. Still, she should keep her promise to Annabel and be polite for her family's sake and for the sake of the Daubreys who were kind enough to include her again. Somehow, she'd find the fortitude to survive the evening.
Dully, she said, "Very well, Aunt."
Aunt Paulette paused as if she hadn't quite heard her correctly. "You will come, then?"
"Yes, Aunt, if that is your wish." Warming to the idea, she added, "I might as well enjoy my Season before I return to Grandmother's house." Enjoy might be impossible, but she would make a show of living instead of curling up like a shriveled leaf at autumn's end.
"Good girl." Aunt Paulette patted her hand.
After the maid styled Meredith's hair in an unusually elaborate coiffure, per her aunt's instructions, Meredith dressed in her best silk gown, which she had yet to wear, a creation in soft aquamarine silk with a cream and pearl netting. After adding a shawl and gloves, she squared her shoulders and vowed to conceal her torn and bleeding heart.
Downstairs, Aunt Paulette beckoned to Meredith, her eyes alight. "Come with me, please."
"As you wish." Meredith followed behind, unable to muster even the smallest curiosity.
Aunt Paulette opened a door to a sitting room and stepped back, indicating that Meredith should precede her. Two people stood inside. Could it be . . . ?
Dressed every bit as finely as members of the bon ton, her parents turned to her. "Oh darling," her mother said. "You are so beautiful!"
Her father gave her a hesitant smile. "My, you've grown up so much."
After all this time, she could hardly believe they had come to see her. She barely acknowledged the door closing behind her, leaving her alone with her parents. Her father seemed leaner, and they both had more gray hair, but little else about them had changed.
Meredith gripped the drawstrings of her reticule. Surprise and wonder and joy mingled with trepidation and even a little resentment. "Why are you here?"
"We wanted to see you," her mother said. "We've missed you so much. We kept hoping you'd say you wanted to come home, but you didn't seem ready."
"Home? You made it clear you were ashamed of me and didn't want to see me again."
Her mother crossed the room to her and put a hand on Meredith's arm. "Oh, darling, we were never ashamed of you. We sent you to live with your grandmother so you could have a change of scenery and to give gossip a chance to die down."
"That's what you said, but . . ."
"Darling, we could hardly be upset with you for trying to elope as we had."
Tears welled up as the belief that her parents had rejected her returned to wound her again. "But you were angry that I'd been socially ruined."
"Yes, angry with him and disappointed you rejected our warnings. We knew his affection was insincere and that he would not make you happy-although we did not understand the scope of his intensions until later. We never meant to make you feel as if we didn't love you."
Tears ran down Meredith's cheeks. Was it true?
"Oh, my poor lamb. We were angrier with him for lying to you than with you for trusting him."
Meredith shivered in a breath. "Your letters . . . you never said this in any of them. You never said I could come home."
"I didn't want to pressure you into returning too soon."
Meredith put a hand over her mouth as a sob burst out of her.
"Of course we wanted you home. If we'd known . . . I'm sorry!" Her mother, her sweet mama, threw her arms around her and held her close. "We love you, dear one. Always."
Meredith fell against her. The long-absent touch of a mother's embrace healed her hidden wounds.
Papa came closer and put a hand on her back. "Your Mr. Partridge sent us a letter asking us to come. He said you needed us. I can see he was right."
Mr. Partridge had done that? For her?
It didn't matter. Her Mama and Papa were here. They loved her. Enfolded in their arms, she sobbed for all the lost time with her parents. They spent several private moments together, and Meredith reviewed in her mind letters her mother had sent, reexamining them through the lens that they had been trying to help her overcome her heartache and escape the cruelty of gossip. If only she had realized they had been waiting for her to say she was ready to come home while she waited for them to give permission for her to return. She should have known.
A while later, Aunt Paulette knocked and entered. "Are you ready to leave? It's time."
Her parents stood. "We are." Papa sent Meredith a wry smile. "Can you believe it? I've been invited into the hallowed drawing room of a lord and lady."
The Daubreys had invited them too? Meredith smiled. "Obviously they have excellent taste."
Meredith splashed her face and touched up her appearance. At least her eyes were clear and bright, with no lingering puffiness from her tears.
She, her parents, and the Staffords arrived at the Daubreys' house on time. Warm and welcoming as usual, the lord and lady greeted them in the drawing room.
Aunt Paulette looked around. "Are we unfashionably early? We seem to be the first to have arrived."
A decidedly impish expression brightened Lady Daubrey's face. "You are exactly on time. We told each guest a different time so as to have a greater influence over who is seen speaking to whom." She patted Aunt Paulette's arm. "All will be revealed in good time."
The next guest to arrive was the jaw-droppingly handsome viscount, Cole Amesbury. Leaving Aunt, Uncle, Mama, and Papa to converse with Lord Daubrey, Lady Daubrey unabashedly led Lord Amesbury to Meredith and Annabel, drawing them slightly apart so they stood in their own circle. Lord Tarrington flirted outrageously with them both, though he didn't seem to take himself too seriously or make the advances of a libertine.
Next Michael Cavenleigh arrived, blinking in confusion, but he, too, was led to join the circle with Lord Tarrington, Annabel, and Meredith.
Meredith greeted Phillip's friend with forced courtesy. "Mr. Cavenleigh."
With a clear apology in his expression, he said, "I regret my thoughtless words caused you distress, Miss Brown."
Lord Amesbury narrowed his eyes at Mr. Cavenleigh and addressed Meredith. "Has this cur offended you, Miss Brown? Shall I call him out?"
She couldn't decide if he were in earnest or merely jesting. "No. Not entirely. Merely informed me of something unpleasant. But it was best I learned of it before I made a mistake.
Quietly, Mr. Cavenleigh said, "It didn't happen the way you think."
Miss Harris arrived and rushed to Meredith. "Oh, Merry, I am ever so grateful to you."
Meredith blinked. "But I was wrong."
"Well, yes, but all along I secretly feared he was only attracted to my money, and if you hadn't exposed him, he might never have discovered his true feelings for me or poured out his heart in such an ardent manner. I no longer worry. We are more in love than ever, and I owe it all to you!" She gave Meredith a quick, tight hug.
Meredith hugged her back. "I'm so relieved. I feared I'd made a muddle of it."
Other lords and ladies arrived, and Meredith smiled at the definition of a "small" dinner party. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched her parents. Lady Daubrey introduced them to each new arrival with the emphasis that they were friends of hers and kin of the Staffords. Her parents mingled with the crème de la crème with all the practiced ease of members of the gentry. From across the room, Mama sent Meredith an amused smile.
Mr. Morton arrived and instantly went to Cora, taking her hand to his lips and gazing at her as if she were Helen of Troy. Two newcomers arrived-a dark-haired gentleman who resembled Phillip Partridge and an equally dark-haired lady who carried herself like a queen. Lady Daubrey greeted them and introduced them to Meredith's parents. With curious, friendly expressions, they spoke with one another as well as with her aunt and uncle, who seemed to know the newcomers. After a few moments, she led them to Meredith.