The woman lifted a haughty brow.
“And you, Mother.” He jabbed a finger in her direction. “I have never been ashamed to call myself your son until now.”
“This isn’t my fault. It’s all hers. She—”
“Stop! Tomorrow you will pack your belongings, say good-bye to the children, and leave for Agatha’s home in the country.”
She gasped. “I can’t stay with your sister. She treats me worse than an animal.”
“You cannot stay here either. What you have done is deplorable. I cannot imagine a poorer example to set for the children.”
Reality must have hit the older woman, because her face fell and her shoulders slumped. “Who will help Cora with the children?”
“I expect she will be busy, which should keep her out of trouble.”
Cora lowered her head.
Mr. White took the money from his mother and brought it to Helena. “I deeply regret what has happened tonight, my lady. This money is ill-gotten gains, and I will not allow it in my home. It cannot erase what my mother has done, but please, accept it as reparation.”
Helena pushed his hand away. She couldn’t stomach the sight of the small stack of bills. Was this all her reputation was worth?
“There must be something we can do,” Helena said. Even as the words left her lips, she knew it was hopeless. Showing up at the editor’s door demanding the story not be printed wouldn’t solve anything. The truth about her past was no longer a secret, and word would spread one way or another.
Sebastian helped her from the chair. “We should go.”
Cora stood too and threw her arms around Helena. “Please forgive me, Helena. Please do not disown me. I’m sorry.”
Helena halfheartedly hugged her back. “You are my sister. Nothing will ever change that fact, but you need to straighten up and stop behaving like a child. You have a good man who loves you, and a family that needs you.”
Her sister nodded and swiped at her tears. “I know.”
Mr. White walked Helena, Sebastian, and Fergus to the door, insisting they come through the shop. He withdrew a key to unlock the metal gate across the glass-front door and apologized again.
She smiled sadly. “I do not hold you responsible, Mr. White.”
Sebastian placed his arm around her shoulders and ushered her to the carriage. His warmth filled her with sadness. She didn’t know how she would survive losing him.
“What time is it?” he asked Fergus.
Fergus extracted his watch with a sigh and checked the time. “It is three o’clock.”
Sebastian mumbled directions, then climbed into the carriage and sat beside her. As the carriage started with a small jerk, he gathered her in his arms. “Mother and Eve will be asleep, but I am sure they will understand.”
Her despair interfered with her ability to comprehend. “Pardon?”
“They should hear the news from us.”
Her face flamed. “I don’t know what to say. I’m so very sorry.”
“Almost three weeks with no scandal. We had a nice stretch.” He twirled a strand of hair that had fallen at her cheek. “Scandal is our family legacy, I’m afraid. You will grow accustomed to it in time, my beloved wife-to-be.”
Her breath caught.
He smiled and kissed the end of her nose. “You didn’t think this changed anything between us, did you? I have never been happier than I have been with you these last few weeks, Helena. You are my life, my meaning. I cannot turn my back on us.”
Fresh tears spilled onto her cheeks. “But what about your mother and Eve?”
He swept his thumb across the wetness and sighed. “I wish I could spare them, but what is done is done. There is no going back. Mother and Eve are resilient enough to weather the storm, and so are we.”
Nothing would be the way she had imagined, but he was correct. She would persevere, just as she had endured the last nine years. Only this time she wasn’t alone.
Her throat felt thick with emotion. This time she had this loving, kind man by her side. Her sisters were back in her life. And she would be part of a family again.
She trailed her finger along the curve of his dark brow, the gentle slope of his nose, his lovely mouth, and his strong chin. Her hand rested on his chest. No, nothing was exactly as she’d imagined, but she had everything she wanted, and the only thing she had ever needed.