“No, Rosy,” Geoffrey said. “That’s my one condition. I will help Winston try whatever sort of post I can offer. But I will only do it if the two of you stay apart for a year.”
“A year!” she said.
“That’s the offer,” Geoffrey said.
Rosy looked at Diana. “You understand why a year is too long, don’t you? He’s your cousin!”
“You weren’t supposed to say that,” Winston said under his breath. “We agreed.”
“Diana already told me,” Geoffrey said. “We have no secrets from each other.”
“The year will be up before you know it,” Diana added. “But your brother wants to make sure your fiancé can afford a wife on his income. And Geoffrey wants to give Winston an alternate position to fall back on if the two of you need it.”
“So I’m just meant to stay at home with Mama for a year?” Rosy asked.
“Actually,” Diana said, “I’ll be marrying your brother, so I was hoping you could help me plan the wedding. It will give you ideas for your own wedding in a year.”
How clever of his wife-to-be. It would force Rosy to see how much everything cost in London and to weigh that against what little the couple might have if they went against their two families.
“Who knows?” Diana said. “I may just hand my position over to you. You’ve learned a great deal about fashion in the past couple of months. With my tutoring, in a year you will be quite the expert.”
Geoffrey bumped Rosy’s knee with his. “I’m trying to treat you better than the Brookhouses treated Father and Mother. I don’t want to cut you off, poppet. But I also want to make sure that you—that both of you—realize what you’re getting in to.”
“Well . . . what do you think?” Rosy asked Winston.
Winston squeezed her hand. “I think it’s a fair offer. Except for one thing.” He looked at Geoffrey, who braced himself for anything. “We should be allowed to spend one day a month together—well-chaperoned, of course.”
Geoffrey had to struggle to hide his relief. “Provided that it doesn’t interfere with your work,” Geoffrey said, “that’s fine.”
Winston drew a deep breath and smiled. “I suppose I should go get our bags from the post chaise.”
As he climbed out, Rosy said, “I’ll help!” and joined him.
Geoffrey started to climb out, too, but Diana stopped him. “They’re not going anywhere—they can’t. And you can’t blame them for wanting to consult in private for a few moments.”
“So, what do you think, my love? Will they be all right?”
“Only time will tell, as they say.” She cupped his cheek. “But if they truly love each other, they will find a way to make it work, don’t you think?”
“I think I am marrying a very clever wife. Time to go home, sweetling.”
Then he kissed her, and his heart felt as if it might burst out of his chest. Because with Diana, he knew he’d always be home.