“So you tell me. What means you’re in love?” Sarah asked in a soft voice. She still held Della’s hand, and she squeezed it as she spoke.

Della bit her lip as she considered it. “Feeling as though your life is less complete without the other person. Even when you’re angry with them, knowing that you wouldn’t be completely happy without them.” A good thing for her to recognize, given how angry he often made her.

“Respecting their opinion, even when you know they’re wrong. Knowing they have your best interest at heart. Trusting them to do what is best for you, no matter what.”

Sarah’s lips stretched into a huge smile, and she arched one eyebrow toward Della. “Anything you want to tell me? Or better yet, tell him?”

Della yanked her hand from her friend’s grasp, tossing both arms up in the air. “Fine. You want me to admit it? I am in love with Captain Enormous, Viscount Whatshisname of the Broad Shoulders.” She emitted a disgruntled noise. “But we’ve agreed not to make this thing we have permanent at all. In fact, it would be bad for him especially given his situation.”

Her casual words were the absolute opposite of how she felt inside. Something she knew Sarah already understood without being told.

It terrified her, being in love. Allowing herself to feel that vulnerability again, when she’d sworn never to.

“What is his situation? Being the heir to a centuries-old title? It certainly sounds like it would be completely dangerous for him to actually marry the woman to whom he’s betrothed.” Sarah spoke in a dryly sarcastic tone.

“We’re not actually betrothed, you know that!” Della said. If they were—if they had a future together—she wouldn’t know what to do with herself, or her anger at her parents.

Was she holding on to those feelings unnecessarily?

A quick review told her no, she was not; her parents had barely acknowledged her, and that only after she’d had some respectability restored with her fake betrothal.

If it were real, you could be welcomed back into the family, a voice whispered inside her head. Nora could have a relationship with her grandparents, and you wouldn’t have to worry about unpleasant gentlemen saying terrible things to you.

But that would be unfair to him, to use him merely to regain her respectability.

Even though she wouldn’t be doing that at all; she’d be doing it because she loved him.

But he didn’t know that.

Which just meant she should tell him. And then see what he said.

“Why are you smiling like that?” Sarah asked in a suspicious tone.

So Della told her.