“I’m going to be fine.”
She nodded. “Yes, I know.” She let out a yawn.
“Mother, when is the last time you slept?”
“For a few hours yesterday afternoon. I’ve been with you most of the night.”
“Please, go. I’ll be fine. Get some rest. Spend some time with your new husband.”
“I’ve spent the last month with him. Now is for you.”
“Please. I just need to rest.”
“If you insist.” Iris kissed Ally’s forehead. “I’ll be back to check on you in a few hours.”
Ally yawned as her mother left. She hadn’t dared say anything. She wasn’t sure what Sophie had told their mother. Before she could ring for a maid to summon Sophie, a knock sounded on the door, and in walked Evan, limping with a cane and holding a leather-bound book in his other hand. He set the book on her bed table.
Oh, no. Well, she’d have to deal with this sooner or later. Lord, surely she looked a fright.
He strode quickly to her bedside. “My love, I’m so sorry.”
My love? Had she heard correctly? She opened her mouth, but he stopped her.
“Please, this is all my fault.”
His fault? “What?”
“You went there because…because I didn’t believe you, didn’t you?”
She nodded shakily. “I’m sorry, Evan.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for. I should have believed you when you professed your innocence. If I could, I’d kill the man who did this to you.”
“He’s already dead.”
“Lucky for him.”
“Evan—”
“No, please let me finish.”
She wanted to hear what he had to say more than anything, but first she needed to know what he and Sophie had told their parents.
“Please, Evan. Just tell me what our parents know. Do they know about my…writing?”
Evan shook his head. “No. We told them everything except why you went to the print shop that day. We said you had gone on an errand for me, to pick up some documents.”
She heaved a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”
“They’re terribly worried about you.”
She nodded. “I know.”
“As am I.”
“I’ll be fine, Evan. I’ve been through worse.”
Evan frowned, his eyes sunken and sad. “That doesn’t make me feel any better. This is truly my fault, Alexandra.”