The Emerald Sea

  But soon, a few Blue Spring girls recognized me. I heard gasps of “Tamsin! It’s Tamsin!” Some hugged me, and I returned the embraces gladly, but my eyes were elsewhere, searching and searching.

  The next time I heard my name shouted, it was by a voice I knew and loved. Everyone else in the room seemed to fade as Adelaide appeared, her eyes enormous and disbelieving as she stared at me. Maybe she thought I was a ghost. The next thing I knew, she was hugging me, clinging so tightly that she must have thought I’d disappear again if she wasn’t careful.

  “Oh, Adelaide . . .” I felt myself crumple, unable to find any words that could convey what was in my heart. Adelaide held on to me, and suddenly, Mira was there too, hugging us both. All three of us cried.

  Adelaide recovered the powers of speech first. “Where have you been, Tamsin?” Her lovely face, always so filled with mirth and wit, held a pain I’d never seen in her, and it tore at my own heart. “Where have you been? We thought . . . we thought . . .”

  I wiped tears from my eyes, but more promptly took their place. “I know. I know. I’m sorry. I wish our letter had gotten through, and I’m sorry for everything back in Osfrid—”

  “No, no,” she interrupted. “You have nothing to apologize for.”

  By that point, Jasper had apparently joined the throng and tracked down answers. He stomped on the floor to get everyone’s attention, his face glowing. He hopped onto a chair and exclaimed, “Friends! Friends! You’re witnessing a miracle right before our eyes. Something none of us thought possible. I’ve just learned that—as you can no doubt tell—the Gray Gull wasn’t lost at sea! It sustained great damage in the storm and was blown off course—far, far north to the colony of Grashond. Who do I have to thank for this? Who do I have to thank for saving my girls?”

  After some shuffling, Gideon came forward and introduced himself, explaining very briefly how their community had taken us in. Jasper fawned over him like he would his own son. Actually, I was pretty sure I’d never seen him show so much affection to Cedric. Gideon tried to deflect the excessive thanks, saying, “It was simply our duty under Uros.” His eyes looked past Jasper just then, meeting mine. I turned away.

  Jasper wasted no time. He offered accommodations to the Heirs, promised to meet with the sailors, and set the house’s caretaker, Mistress Culpepper, to seeing that we received rest and refreshment. “And now that their journey is over, I’m sure they’d like to change out of traveling clothes and into their finer wares.”

  That was when we had to deliver the news that most of our fancy evening dresses were gone. After some initial surprise, he took it more in stride than I’d expected. “Well, then, I’m sure we can put together a wardrobe from the other girls—especially the ones who are engaged.” I wondered how well he’d take it when he saw how much else was gone.

  Mistress Culpepper assigned us bedrooms, and I was of course put in with Adelaide and Mira. The three of us closed ourselves away, still breaking into spontaneous hugs and ever on the verge of tears.

  We’d barely sat down on the beds when a visitor knocked. A girl I didn’t know entered with an armful of green dresses. “You were the emerald, right? I inherited your spot, but I don’t need these anymore. Not now that I’m engaged.”

  I thanked her and looked over the pile of organdy and silk after she left. She had been named the peridot back in Osfrid and then rebranded an emerald here, since the gems had similar colors. The peridot wardrobe was a shade lighter than my emerald one had been, but it was still stunning. Green is my best color. I’d longed for these clothes so much, but now, it was nothing compared to seeing my friends. I shook my head, remarking, “To tell you the truth, I don’t care what color I wear anymore, so long as it’s not this blasted cheap wool.”

  Adelaide and Mira had all sorts of questions, and I couldn’t blame them. If my friend had come back from the dead, I’d want to know everything too. But the rush of energy that had spurred me here this morning had drained away, and all the exhaustion of coping with Constancy, the Icori, Jago, and Gideon came crashing down upon me. I didn’t even know where to begin. I answered in vagaries, and Mira, at least, picked up on my mood. She suggested I change and clean up, and when I came back, I could tell she’d had a talk with Adelaide. They pulled back on their interrogation, but the suggestion that they were ready to hear my story any time always lingered.

  As for me, I was ready for their story. And after food and rest, I found my energy restored. I felt like a new person, but maybe that was the green silk poplin. The spark I’d felt last night when I’d walked away from Gideon flared up in me again. I was ready to claim my fortune and fight for Merry.

  “It’s late in the season, but I plan on making up for lost time,” I told Mira and Adelaide. “I hope you’ve left some men for the rest of us. You must have both gotten slews of offers by now.”

  Mira’s lips twisted in a half smile. “Not that many in the way of, ah, official ones. But I feel optimistic about my future.”

  That was a typical Mira answer. It was nice that some things didn’t change. I looked to Adelaide, expecting more because of her chatty nature and diamond rank. “What about you? There’s no way you haven’t had all sorts of offers. Have you settled on some promising young man?”

  The silence that met me was unexpected but not nearly as unexpected as the story that eventually poured out of the two of them. Adelaide had found a young man, it seemed. In fact, she’d found him long before setting foot in Adoria: Cedric Thorn. With a dreamy expression, she explained how they’d unintentionally fallen in love and finally decided to stop fighting their feelings. The scene I’d arrived to this morning had, in fact, been part of the fallout of Jasper discovering the relationship the night before. He, Charles, Cedric, and Adelaide had been having a meeting about the scandal and had been unexpectedly joined by Adelaide’s leading suitor.

  “His name’s Warren Doyle,” Mira explained. “He’s the governor’s son.”

  I sat up straighter. I knew that name. He was one of the handful of men Esme Hartford had claimed wasn’t opposed to a wife who’d been previously married. In her letter, she’d mentioned his parents had tried to arrange a marriage with a young widow from a minor noble house but that the woman had ended up accepting another offer. Esme had also mentioned his father was governor, but the rest of Mira’s remarks were unexpected.

  “And he’s about to become governor of his own colony. He seemed pretty infatuated by you, Adelaide. He couldn’t have taken it well. I’m sure Jasper didn’t take losing the money well either.”

  “He actually offered to help us,” Adelaide said.

  Mira leaned forward. “Jasper?”

  “Sorry, no, Warren.”

  “Warren’s going to help you and Cedric? After finding out that you were already in love with someone else the whole time he was courting you?” Mira’s face said she didn’t believe that for an instant. “What happened?”

  Adelaide took a deep breath. “Cedric and I can get married, with conditions. His father and uncle won’t advance us money to cover my contract—but Warren will. He says he doesn’t want someone who doesn’t love him in return and would rather cut his losses by recruiting upstanding citizens for his new colony. So we’re going with him to Hadisen next week. I’ll find a family to board me in exchange for housework and teaching their children. Cedric’s going to work a gold claim. He’ll get to keep some of the profit, and Warren gets the rest. When the contract’s paid off, we can get married and go somewhere else.”

  It was something of a relief to see that Mira looked as flabbergasted as I felt. Of course, she was probably shocked at the new arrangement. Me? I was still stuck on something else.

  “What were you thinking? You turned down a future governor for...what, an impoverished student?”

  Adelaide made a face. “Well, he dropped out of the university. And he’s not impoverished. He’s just .
. . um, without assets. But I’m sure that will change.”

  “This would have never happened if I’d been around to look after you,” I announced. “Mira, how could you have stood for this?”

  Mira looked embarrassed. “I had no idea,” she said.

  “You’re her roommate! How could you not?”

  Neither had a good answer. My friends hadn’t faced the threats I had over the last several weeks, but they’d fallen into trouble nonetheless. Would things have been different if I’d been here? Maybe. My protective instinct wanted to believe they would have been, but after a while, I wasn’t sure. Adelaide was Adelaide, always dreamy and following her heart. Mira was Mira, caught up in her own quests.

  And later, when Cedric came to welcome me back and discuss plans with Adelaide, I grew more certain there was nothing I could have done. They were head over heels for each other, and in hindsight, I realized they had been back at Blue Spring too. I was glad Adelaide had found love, and wanted her to be happy, but it was unsettling to think of her going off to the fringes of Osfrid’s colonies. Hadisen was even less settled than Grashond. It was mostly rural, lacking some of the most basic amenities. An isolated gold claim would be taxing and dangerous.

  But Hadisen’s governor . . .

  I needed more details, but I was certain Warren Doyle wouldn’t be living in a claim shanty. He had his family’s money in addition to a governor’s income and, according to Adelaide, already had a house built in Hadisen’s one city. Eventually, those gold claims would pay off, and the colony would prosper. A governor’s wife could live very well. A governor’s wife could have a lot of sway in how things ran. And a man accommodating enough to help when the woman he wanted was in love with another might have exactly the nature needed to accept a widow and her daughter.

  As Adelaide, Cedric, and Mira continued their conversation, my thoughts raced. I’d gotten off track in a lot of ways in Adoria—far more than just geographically. I’d joined the Glittering Court with an agenda: Find the most advantageous situation to protect Merry and elevate my family. I’d been single-minded in that pursuit. I’d been ruthless. And then, I’d let love entangle me with a man who couldn’t offer any of those things. After that, I’d chosen a man who offered the promise of idealism and self-respect. That had also gone horribly awry.

  Attempts at love and affection hadn’t worked for me, so it was time to stick with my original plan, the one guaranteed to best help Merry. A husband—and the life he could offer me—had to be a matter for my head, not heart.

  “So. This Warren. He’s available then, right?”

  Everyone stopped talking and looked at me. “I suppose so,” Adelaide said uncertainly. It had to be weird talking about the man she’d been trying to keep her distance from. “And he’s motivated to find a wife . . . but he’s only got a week left before he leaves.”

  I couldn’t help but smile at everyone’s bewilderment. I’d apparently been gone so long they’d forgotten I was the Tamsin who got things done. One week.

  “That’s all I need,” I told them.

  CHAPTER 32

  “WOULD YOU DO ME THE HONOR OF A DANCE?”

  “Excuse me, I was just about to ask Miss Wright to dance.”

  “Well, I beat you to it.”

  It could have been Shibail’s dream all over again—except this time it wasn’t just in my head. This was real. Tangible. And it would not end in disaster.

  “I’ll have plenty of time for a dance with each of you,” I said, holding out my hand to the first man. “But no more than that. I’ve already had other offers.”

  Four days after my arrival in Cape Triumph, I felt as though I’d been here for ages. The austerity of Grashond and harshness of roadside travel seemed like something that had happened in another life, not this one filled with comfort and entertainment. I’d had two, sometimes three, social engagements each day. A nighttime event was a given. There was always some party, dance, or formal dinner. Daytime activities varied. Teas, luncheons, simple social calls. All of them required meticulous care in appearance and charm. I couldn’t slack in anything.

  Damaris joked that this new life was more exhausting than the hard labor of Grashond. It was work in the sense that I pushed myself relentlessly. I flipped back into the mode I’d had at Blue Spring—ever vigilant, always looking for an opportunity to advance. I thrived in the momentum of it, both because I had Merry’s security within my grasp and because if my mind was focused on advancing into high society, it had little room left to ruminate on Jago, Gideon, and the Icori unrest.

  “There’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you,” my partner, Mister Page, said. He shifted his grip a little; his palms were sweaty. “And I hope it won’t seem too forward.”

  I looked up with what I hoped was coquettish surprise. “Why, whatever could you mean by that?”

  He swallowed. “Well, after we were seated by each other at yesterday’s luncheon, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. And I realized last night that we have a profound, soul-reaching connection—I’m sure you noticed—and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me, Miss Wright? I can speak to Mister Thorn right now, if you’d like.”

  “Mister Page, I had no idea you’d even noticed someone like me.” I’d known perfectly well and suspected his intent when he approached me tonight. “Naturally, I was captivated by your many charms, and I’m overwhelmed that you’d show me such regard.”

  “Then you accept?” he exclaimed, face lighting up.

  “Being your wife would be a dream come true, I’m sure . . . but I can’t accept. Not yet.”

  He stumbled, but I effortlessly kept us in time with the music. “W-what?”

  “Well, I’ve already had some offers, and I have it on good authority that there will be others. I promised Mister Thorn I’d hear all of them out—it’s only fair, isn’t it?”

  “How many more do you think there’ll be?”

  “It’s hard to keep track, and some of them are from truly lovely gentlemen who’ve offered more than my contract price.”

  Mister Page didn’t comment on that, which I’d expected. Anything I couldn’t find out about a man’s background and finances from talking to him could be learned from Jasper. I studied up on everyone in my free time. Mister Page was doing well, but there were others doing better, and that came through in what they were willing to offer. He wasn’t off the table yet, but he wasn’t an immediate yes either. If I was going to play this game, I’d play it to win. I’d learned my lesson in the dangers of sentimentality and would be all calculation and strategy from here on out.

  “I’ll of course keep you at the top of my list—I’m very fond of you, as you know. But I simply must wait. I hope you understand.”

  “Of course,” he said, trying to hide his disappointment with a weak smile.

  “I knew you would! You have such a kind and open nature—I saw it right away.”

  When the dance ended, my next partner didn’t immediately materialize. Rather than feel affronted, I welcomed the lull as a chance to breathe deeply and let my face rest—a little—from smiling. I strolled toward one of the many elegant refreshment tables, coming up alongside a man in a dark coat whose back was to me as he stared into a wineglass, lost in his own thoughts. Recognizing him a few seconds before he noticed me, I decided to try a bold approach to get his attention.

  “Excuse me, you seem to have run out of the rosé champagne that was here earlier. Could you go back to the cellar and bring some more?”

  Warren Doyle turned toward me, eyebrows raised in astonishment.

  I gasped. “Mister—Governor Doyle! How embarrassing! I hope you’ll forgive me. I thought you were one of the servants.”

  His expression turned wry. “Nothing to forgive, Miss Wright. That’s what I get for skulking over here, I suppose.”

  My heart
raced, not from true embarrassment but from nerves. Of Esme’s eligible gentlemen, only two were actually eligible anymore. Warren was one. The other was out of town with an unknown return date. While there were likely other suitors I wasn’t aware of who’d be amenable to a widow, I no longer had the time or luxury to investigate new possibilities. And of those I found, it seemed unlikely any would beat out the prospects a future governor held—unfortunately, he was leaving soon to lead his expedition to Hadisen.

  He and I had been formally introduced at a recent party, and although we’d had a lively discussion, I hadn’t walked away with the sense I’d piqued his interest. It wasn’t through any fault of mine, I was certain. I got the impression he was too distracted by his upcoming responsibilities to pursue a wife—particularly after the disaster with Adelaide.

  “Well, don’t let me interrupt your skulking,” I said, reaching for a glass of red wine. “I’ll take this and be on my way.”

  Warren caught hold of my hand and moved it away. “I can’t really do that now, knowing you’ll be pining for champagne all night. Besides, it’s excellent. I toured Evaria a few years ago and had my fair share in Lorandy. You there—excuse me.” He waved down a passing servant and requested the champagne with the self-assurance of someone who was used to getting what he wanted, quickly. As he spoke, I covertly studied his features. Chiseled face, sleek black hair, a head taller than me. Yes, he was the way to win this game, if I could only pull it off in time.

  After he’d sent the servant scurrying away, Warren turned back to me. “If you can bear the agony a little longer, he says he’ll track some down. And if he doesn’t, then I really will become a servant and handle matters myself.”