“Why not?” I asked.

“The weather’s more extreme. Those summer days’ll scorch you. What are you going to be doing out there? You might be okay if you’re doing chores inside.”

“I’m going to help pan for gold.”

He pondered this for a long moment, saying nothing. Finally, he took the hat back and produced one with a wider brim. “It’ll be brutal. Good luck.”

Once we were outside, Tamsin immediately asked, “What he said about it being brutal . . . Adelaide, are you sure you want to do this? Are you sure you want to go to Hadisen?”

“I’m sure I want to be with Cedric,” I said simply. “And I’ll go down whatever path that involves. Besides, don’t you want to go to Hadisen?”

“Yes. And live in the governor’s mansion. Not a riverbed.”

Mira touched my arm as we were about to turn down the road that would lead us out of the city center to our carriage. “Look over there. By the bank.”

I followed her gaze. “Oh. Excuse me a moment.” I hurried across the thoroughfare and called, “Mister Adelton!”

Nicholas, who’d been about to walk into the building, turned in surprise. “Miss Bailey. I didn’t expect to see you here. I thought you’d be on your way to Hadisen.”

“Soon,” I said, feeling my cheeks flush. “I know Cedric talked to you, but I just had to come myself and say . . . well, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for what we put you through. You must feel so . . . I don’t know. Deceived.”

He grew thoughtful. “Not exactly. A little disappointed, perhaps . . . but honestly, I was more dazzled by you than in love with you. If you don’t take offense to that.”

“Not at all . . . we had only a few meetings.”

“Exactly. If I’d felt more, my reaction might have been different. But I could always tell there was something preoccupying you. So long as you were entering of your own free will, I didn’t mind. I figured it was the nature of these sorts of arranged marriages.”

“I would have done it of my own free will,” I said adamantly. “You’re a good man—the best I’ve met here.”

“Excepting young Mister Thorn, of course.” He smiled at my chagrin. “Don’t feel bad. I’m happy for you.”

I sighed. “That’s kind of you . . . but I can’t shake the feeling you’ve been used. You know, there are a number of other Glittering Court girls I could recommend—”

He held up a hand to silence me. “Thank you, but I’m done with making matches that sound good on paper. The more I think about your grand romance with Mister Thorn, the more I think I’m better off finding one of my own. No contracts.”

“I hope you find one,” I said earnestly.

He shook my hand. “Me too. And I wish you well. If I can ever be of service, let me know.”

“Who was that?” Tamsin asked when I returned to my friends.

“The man Cedric nearly married me off to.”

Tamsin peered behind me to get a better look. “Is he available?”

“Yes. But not that well off. Or really interested, after what Cedric and I put him through.”

I fell into step with Aiana while Mira trailed behind with Tamsin. “Mister Adelton seems to be taking things reasonably well,” Aiana said to me quietly.

“Everyone has. Well, not Jasper. And some of the girls are still holding it over me.” Clara in particular enjoyed telling the story of how she’d found Cedric and me in the attic to everyone she met. “But most people have been understanding, even when they probably shouldn’t be. Including Warren Doyle.”

Aiana took a long time to answer. “Yes. It certainly was understanding of him—making such an offer to you.”

I thought back to the shop and then cast a quick glance back to make sure Tamsin was still engaged with Mira. “His mother isn’t the most, ah, upstanding of women, but as for Warren, do you think he’s—well, I mean, should we—”

“I don’t know,” said Aiana. “I really don’t know much about Warren Doyle, short of gossip. What I do know is that when things sound too good to be true, well, they usually are.”

Uneasiness settled over me. “I tried telling that to Cedric. But he said even if there’s some ploy going on, we were better off taking our chances in Hadisen.”

“He may be right.” Aiana stopped walking to look me in the eye. “There’s more freedom there—but more danger too. It’s a fledgling land. An untamed land. And that makes it easier for people to break the rules. I wish you two the best, but . . .”

“But what?” I prompted.

“Trust each other there,” she said at last. “But no one else.”

Chapter 22

I’d hoped to see both Tamsin and Mira the night before I left for Hadisen. A party kept them late, however, and I found myself sitting alone in our bedroom, pondering whether I should get some sleep or not. I knew the journey ahead was going to be tiring, but I couldn’t stand the thought of missing out on seeing my best friends. That, and I wasn’t sure my nerves would let me sleep anyway.

The two of them finally came in after midnight, catching me mid-yawn. Both put on smiles upon seeing me awake, but I could instantly detect a difference in their moods. Mira seemed subdued, while Tamsin was exuberant.

“What happened?” I asked her.

She began unlacing her emerald-green satin overdress. “Nothing official—but something pretty unofficially serious.”

“Isn’t that a sort of contradiction?” I asked, shooting a conspiratorial look at Mira. She didn’t share my amusement.

“Warren asked me to wait for him,” said Tamsin proudly. “He didn’t promise an engagement—yet—but said I was by far his favorite and that he’d like to make things official with me when he returns. So I promised not to enter into any arrangements until then—though of course, I’ll still go out. No point in sitting around here bored.”

I frowned, troubled by a number of things. “When he returns . . . but that could be a very long time.”

“It’ll be in two weeks, actually.” Tamsin had wiggled out of the dress and now sat in her chemise and petticoats. “He’ll go with your party tomorrow, get things established, and then sail back to report on Hadisen’s affairs and solicit any other help.”

“I suppose that makes sense, but he won’t be in Hadisen for long.”

Hadisen’s inhospitable coastline made it difficult for large ships to get close. So, any substantial shipments of cargo, animals, and other materials needed to be moved overland. That was the way my party would be traveling tomorrow, circling the bay through Denham’s territory and then into Hadisen. The trip took a little over a week. Individuals sailing straight across the bay in small boats could do so in a day. It was useful for messengers and those without cargo, but little more.

“Well, I’m sure he’ll be back soon—possibly with a wife in tow.” Tamsin was shining with pride. “I hope it won’t be awkward if you’re one of my citizens, Adelaide.”

I laughed at that. “Not at all.”