Gesturing for Ada to precede her, Evie followed her from the office, closing the door behind them. It wasn’t unusual for Ada to join in their meetings, particularly when it came to organizing the details of the balls.

As soon as she stepped inside, Ada stopped short. “Is someone missing?”

“I suppose you could say that,” Emma responded with a mischievous glint in her eye.

Evie moved around Ada. “Millie left. She was disgruntled about…things.”

“Can I tell her?” Harriet asked eagerly. At Evie’s nod, she continued, “Lady Warfield, we would be honored and delighted if you would agree to join us as a patroness of the Phoenix Club.”

Ada sucked in her breath and darted a look at Evie. “This isn’t about the Frost Fair Ball.”

Evie shrugged. “Not entirely. But we do need to discuss that.”

“I’m…humbled,” Ada murmured. “I’m just… Well, never mind. It is my honor to serve with you.” She looked among all three of them. “Are you certain you want me?”

“Of course!” Emma laughed. “Pour yourself some sherry and sit. We’ll be inviting Lady Edgemont tomorrow.”

“How wonderful,” Ada said, smiling. She looked toward Millie’s empty chair. “Should I sit there? I understand Millie has left the meeting.”

“No, don’t sit in her space. You and Lady Edgemont need your own places.”

“Here, I’ll fetch your usual chair,” Evie said, moving to the other side of the room where there were a few chairs in a seating area. She pulled the one Ada normally used when she attended their meetings and situated it between her chair and Emma’s. “There. This can now be your official spot.”

Ada went to sit down, moving slowly, almost reverently. Harriet rushed to pour a glass of sherry and brought it to Ada. “You forgot this.”

“Thank you.” Ada accepted the glass with a grateful smile.

Emma raised her glass. “To our newest patroness.”

Evie hastened back to her chair to join in the toast. “Huzzah!”

After the meeting concluded and Emma and Harriet had left, Ada turned to Evie. “Thank you.”

“What did I do?”

“You plucked me from loneliness and despair and gave me the chance for a life I never imagined.”

“A life you wholly deserve.” Evie had known so many young women who didn’t think they deserved comfort or happiness. They believed themselves to be unworthy. Evie had feared she was one of them but refused to accept that. Which was why she’d fought so hard to be precisely where she was now.

“I know. Sometimes I just need reminding.” Ada cocked her head at Evie. “Is something amiss? You’ve seemed a trifle tense this week.”