"And Andrew, dear Andrew." I sighed. "I hardly know what to say about him. He is going all this distance to rescue my husband so soon after I callously turned down his own proposal. I do not think many men would do such a thing."
"I think that he loved you more than we realized," Ivy replied. "He certainly must have a deep admiration for you to go to such lengths to ensure your happiness."
"Romantic though that idea is, we should not forget that both he and Arthur were friends of Philip's. Lovely and charming though you are, Emily, they may be doing this for their friend more than for you," Margaret said.
"You are right, of course. Still, I rather like the idea of the rejected suitor moving heaven and earth to bring his love her heart's desire," I said, less than half seriously. "It is awfully good that I turned down Andrew, isn't it? Only imagine if Philip were to return home and find me engaged."
"Thankfully, that never would have happened." Ivy stood up. "I'm surprised that Arthur did not mention in his note any thoughts on your decision to accompany the party. I felt certain he would protest."
"I haven't told him yet," I admitted. "I didn't want him to refuse to go and thought it would be easier for him to adjust to the idea once his own plans were set in motion."
"You are terrible, Emily. Well, if you are to depart for the Dark Continent in less than a week, I think you had better begin packing," Margaret said. "And you will have to break the news to the Palmers. I would love to see their unguarded reactions when they learn of the addition to their search party."
1 DECEMBER 1887
ASHTON HALL, DERBYSHIRE
Have spent much of the day reorganizing my collection and labelling objects-activities necessitated by what might be considered excessive purchases made during my recent travels. Forakis has not been able to locate any more of the objects from my list-suggests I will have to return to Paris if I am set on finding them.
Will visit K briefly in Kent next week so that we might see each other before I leave for Africa. How quickly both our lives will change when I return.
24
The next afternoon I came face-to-face with the man I had avoided since refusing his proposal of marriage. I received Andrew in the drawing room, on this occasion preferring it to the library, the scene of my rejection of him. He looked more handsome than I expected and behaved so properly to me that I would have thought him a completely changed man if it weren't for his slightly wry smile.
"Lady Ashton, thank you for seeing me," he said, waiting to sit until I invited him to do so.
"Andrew, please do not revert to formality with me," I said, smiling back at him. "That would be unbearable."
"I hardly know what to say, Emily. So much has changed between us since our last meeting, yet my feelings for you are unaltered." He rose to stand before me. "The level of my affection leaves me no alternative other than to do whatever will make you happy. In this case that means restoring to you the man you never stopped loving, even though my own heart will break to see you reunited with him."
"Andrew, I am truly sorry. I never meant to hurt you."
"I know, darling." He paused and looked into my eyes. "But I must not call you that any longer. Had you accepted me, we would still be faced with the fact that Ashton is alive. I would have been plummeted from the greatest joy of my life to the deepest despair. It is better that you never agreed to be mine. That way I avoid the pain of having to give you up."
There was nothing I could say in response to this, so I remained silent, staring down at my hands on my lap. Andrew sat in a chair across from me and crossed his legs.
"My intention was not to come here and make you feel terrible. Forgive me if I have done that; I am not quite ready to abandon the role of rejected lover," he said, smiling again. "But I am also here in another capacity entirely. Arthur and I have everything in place for our departure to Africa. Is there anything you would like me to take to Ashton? A letter or some small memento?"
"Actually, I had something else in mind," I began, hardly daring to look at him. "I want to accompany you. I shall go mad waiting for you to return with him. I need to see him as quickly as possible and imagine I shall understand what he has suffered better if I am there when you find him."
"Are you certain?" Andrew's eyes narrowed as he looked at me. "Africa is a singularly inhospitable place. You would be much more comfortable at home."
"How can I think of my own comfort when my husband has languished near death far from everyone he loves? I must go to him, Andrew."
"I confess I had rather hoped you would say that," he replied. "I would never ask you to do such a thing, but I reckon it would be immensely beneficial for Ashton to see you. We do not know what his physical condition will be when we reach him. Whatever the stage of his recovery, it cannot help being positively influenced by you. I can conceive of no one better to nurse him than you. The sound of his calling for you when he first fell ill still haunts me." He gazed toward the window. "He repeated your name over and over. It was dreadful knowing that we could not respond to his wish."
"Well, then it is settled," I said. "I shall be prepared to depart with you. If you would be so good as to arrange the travel details, I will see to everything else."
"I would be honored, Emily."
"And, Andrew..." I paused. "Please do not be offended when I say this. I know enough of your finances to realize that this trip is beyond your means. I have already instructed my solicitors that anything you and Arthur need shall be paid for out of my accounts."
"That is not necessary," he said, looking at me quite candidly.
"Perhaps not, but it is an expense I cannot ask you to bear. If you should like to take the matter up with Philip when we return to England, you may." I smiled. "I shall never be able to thank you adequately for this, Andrew."
"I see the happiness in your eyes, Emily, and that is enough."
There was a soft tap on the door, and Ivy peeked into the room. "I hope I am not interrupting," she said.
"Not at all," Andrew said jovially. "Emily and I are planning quite a trip, and I shall depend on you, Ivy, to ensure that she has an appropriate wardrobe. These trailing skirts of hers would be a disaster in the bush."
"We have anticipated the problem, Andrew, and already have the matter well in hand," Ivy said. "I think you will be most pleased."
"I expect so," he said.
"Emily, I came in to tell you that I'm off to Victoria's," Ivy said. "Are you certain you do not need my assistance with anything else? I should not mind missing tea at all."
"No, go Ivy. I shall be fine. Send everyone my regards," I replied.
Andrew bowed as she left and then turned to me. "Emily." He stopped. "May I beg one final favor from you?"
"Of course, Andrew. What is it?"
"May I kiss you good-bye? I know that when I see you next, we shall be immersed in our search for your husband and that I never again will enjoy the closeness we shared during these past several months. I should like very much to end that wonderful chapter of my life with a kiss. Of course, it is entirely inappropriate, but then so was most of our courtship." He smiled at me, but I thought I could see the pain of rejection in his eyes. What harm could come from one kiss? I walked over to him, took his hands in mine, and raised my lips to his. He kissed me deeply for what seemed like a very long time.
"Thank you, Emily. From now on I shall try very hard to think of you as Lady Ashton, but in the recesses of my heart, I shall cling to that kiss." He raised my hand to his lips and departed.