Page 59 of The Unfortunate Debutante
A soft sob came out of her lips as she turned to stare out the window.
Downshire turned towards him and asserted, “I’m still debating about killing you, Wentworth.”
“Fair enough,” Simeon replied. “I deserve that.”
A grunt was the last noise they heard out of Downshire until they arrived back at Caddington Manor.
For what seemed like hours,Emma kept her gaze on her lap as Luke paced back and forth in his study, ranting and raving about all the awful things that could have happened to her today. He was furious, and he had every right to be. She had deceived him.
Rachel was sitting next to her, and she could see the disappointment on her features, as well. She had made a terrible mistake going to Templeton Square, and she was grateful that Luke had interceded when he had. After all, she had no desire to go to prison. Even the courtyard in front of the prison smelt horrid.
Luke stopped pacing and leaned back against the desk. His piercing gaze landed on her. “Explain to me what you were thinking, Emma.”
Slowly, she raised her eyes until she met her guardian’s. “I wanted to do research for my article for The Morning Post.”
“That is asinine!” he declared. “You could have been seriously hurt today, or worse, killed.”
Her eyes sought out Simeon, who was sitting across from her in an armchair. Just meeting his gaze provided her with much reassurance.
“I understand,” she murmured.
“Have you done any research other than just today?” Luke questioned with a frown.
Emma winced. “I attended a meeting for the Anti-Corn Law rebels at a public house.”
Luke’s expression went hard. “You attended a meeting at a public house,” he repeated slowly. His hardened gaze turned towards Simeon. “Dare I presume that you took her to this meeting?”
“I did,” Simeon answered. “I ensured she was kept safe.”
“Blazes,” Luke muttered under his breath, crossing his arms over his chest. “What do you think your brother or father would say about your actions today?”
“They would be furious,” she answered honestly.
“You put yourself at risk, you put Wentworth at risk,” Luke started. “For what? To make two pounds for an article.” He huffed. “I will give you £1,000 if you stop this ridiculous notion of writing articles.”
Feeling bold, she replied, “It’s not about the money.”
“Then what is it about?” Rachel asked softly from the chair next to hers.
Squaring her shoulders, she met Luke’s firm gaze. “Surely, you must agree that I don’t fit in with this family.”
“Emma…” Rachel gasped.
Emma turned towards Rachel. “My brother died to give me this life, but I have done nothing to earn it. I am ordinary in every sense of the word.”
“That is not true…” Rachel attempted.
“It is,” she contended. “If you and Luke hadn’t rescued me that day, I could have been one of those people in Templeton Square. I might have been struggling to pay for the increasing cost of bread.”
Luke uncrossed his arms. “Emma, this is nonsense…”
“It is not,” she replied, speaking over him. “Rachel has written a book, Hannah runs a horse farm, Kate manages a refuge for women, and Eliza…” She hesitated before saying, “I’m not quite sure what she does, but I have an idea, and it’s extraordinary.”
Luke straightened. “You need not compare yourself to others. Every person has unique talents that benefits others. More importantly, being yourselfisbeing unique because there is only one of you.”
“But I pale in comparison to them,” she murmured.
“Comparison takes the joy out of life,” Rachel said. “By constantly comparing yourself to others, you tear yourself down.”
