Cinders & Sapphires by Leila Rasheed Page A

sounded.”
    “Enough!” He had turned a shade of purple. “Westlake’s a bloody fool to throw his friends over like this, God knows he needs them now more than ever.”
    Ada was suddenly not laughing anymore.
    “Sir—”
    “Good afternoon, Lady Ada!” He strode to the door and went out, shutting it with a bang that shook the dictionaries on the shelf.
    Ada, left alone, put her hands to her face. She felt as if she had been left in the aftermath of an earthquake.
    “Oh, what have I done?” she said aloud. She was trembling. Varley’s words had frightened her.
    “Ada?”
    She hadn’t heard the library door open. Her father was already halfway across the room toward her. “What has happened? What’s the matter? I saw Mr. Varley storm past without a word….”
    At the concern in his voice, Ada almost burst into tears.
    “Papa—I’m so sorry—Mr. Varley asked me to marry him, and I refused him.”
    “You refused him?” Her father’s brow creased, and Ada knew he was startled and upset.
    “Yes. I’m sorry!”
    “Oh, Ada!” he exclaimed. He took a few angry paces.
    “I’m sorry, Papa. I wanted to accept for your sake, but I just couldn’t. I couldn’t! I don’t love him. Our marriage would have been a lie.”
    She put her face in her hands again and sobbed. The worst thing was the guilt. Not only had she ruined her father’s chances of returning to politics, but she had met Ravi without his knowledge, and she hadn’t ended the relationship. If her father knew the things she had done…
    She felt him take her hands gently.
    “There, there. Don’t cry. It’s done now, and can’t be helped.”
    “You’re not angry with me?”
    “No, no.” He was silent. “It’s true it would have been…helpful, if you had felt differently, but you mustn’t think I want you to be unhappy. Fiona led me to think that you liked him, and when I saw you greet him yesterday you seemed quite overcome.… I confess I thought it would work.”
    Ada was at first embarrassed that her father had noticed her reaction to Ravi’s arrival and confused it for passion for Mr. Varley, and then angry at the thought of her stepmother meddling in her life. Already.
    “Mrs. Templeton—I mean, Lady Westlake said that?”
    “Yes, but she was clearly wrong. It doesn’t matter, anyway. You have plenty of time to make a brilliant match. Your first season is still ahead of you. It’s a good thing that Charlotte is here; she will be able to bring you out of yourself. I keep telling you, sweetheart. You’re too bookish for a young girl, it isn’t healthy.”
    Ada swallowed. Perhaps this was as good a moment as any to test the water.
    “Some girls do read books and still marry, Papa. Some even—even go to university.”
    Her father laughed. “University! It’s quite useless—what do they imagine they’re going to do with a degree? You would do better to spend three years studying how to run a household under Mrs. Cliffe.”
    Ada managed a halfhearted smile. Her father stroked her hair.
    “No, your first season should be all gaiety. No doubt by the end of it you’ll be settled and off my hands.” He smiled. “Being married gives you all kinds of opportunities to support your husband in his career. You will be busy hosting benefit galas, putting a word in the ear of the most important people…an intelligent wife can be a real help to an ambitious man.”
    “I see,” said Ada quietly. She knew her father loved her, but he didn’t seem to want to understand her. She did not want to be a man’s helper. She wanted her own life.
    “I’m glad.” He patted her shoulder. “Now I must get back to Fiona. This is the first day of our married life, you’ll remember. Dry your eyes and come back downstairs as soon as you can.”
    The door closed behind him, and he left Ada alone in the library.
    The storm of emotion had passed, and she felt she was looking at a clear view, even if it was not the one she had wanted to see. She