Commander's Little Surprise

Lydia wiped a tear from the corners of her own eyes. “It’s my fault for urging you to go to May’s housewarming last night!”

“Please don’t blame yourself. I knew that once I came to Washington, meeting Dan was bound to happen sooner or later. He is my cousin’s husband’s best friend, after all. Please, don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”

Lydia didn’t look convinced. “Perhaps, but you are young. I pray no harm comes from this meeting.”

Victoria threw the bedcovers aside, put on her robe and slippers and plucked Caroline out of the bed. “Time for your bath, sweetness,” she told the baby. Before she left the bedroom, she glanced back at Lydia. “Nothing bad is going to happen. I intend to make sure that it doesn’t!”

“IF YOU SUSPECTED Dan O’Hara was the man I met in Baronovia how could you have introduced us last night?”

Her cousin, the Duchess Mary Louise of Baronovia, now May Stevens, gasped. “Oh, Victoria! I never knew who the man was, any more than you did. I just wanted you to have company and to enjoy yourself during the evening. What can I do to make it up to you?”

“Nothing now,” Victoria replied. “I’m afraid it’s too late. Somehow Dan tied me in with a woman he said he met at your wedding. He asked questions, but I pretended not to know what he was talking about. I only hope I was able to convince Dan I’m not his mystery woman.”

“Is there nothing I can do to help?”

“You can back me up if he comes back to question you.”

“I’m not very good at telling white lies. At least, that’s what my Wade tells me. But I promise to try. I hate to see you so unhappy.”

Victoria crumbled the blueberry scone on her plate and studied the tea leaves at the bottom of her cup of cold tea. In spite of her brave words to Lydia, and now to her cousin, she still felt an ache around her heart.

“Happy? What is happiness?” she finally asked. “It’s a different thing to different people. As for me, I have never regretted my bargain with Rolande. Besides, nothing good could possibly come of my meeting with this Dan O’Hara.”

“Don’t mistake me, Vicky,” May answered slowly, as if she debated the wisdom of what she was saying. “From the few remarks you’ve made about your husband, I know the truth about him. I was fond of Rolande, but I am more fond of you,” she went on, compassion shining in her eyes. “You may call me a romantic, but I believe in true love, in destiny. A destiny where even unlikely lovers such as Wade and I were fated to meet and marry,” she said as a tender smile curved at her lips. “I only feel you are much too young to remain a widow.”