“Well, no,” Honoria said slowly. “It would only be mad if there was no reasoning behind it, and I don’t think Lord Hugh does anything without reasoning it through.”

“He said he would kill himself, Honoria. I’m sorry, I cannot— Good God, and people call me dramatic!”

Honoria bit back a tiny smile. “It is . . . somewhat . . . ironic.”

Sarah gave her a look.

“Not that I’m saying it’s funny,” Honoria said, very quickly.

“I thought I loved him,” Sarah said in a small voice.

“Thought?”

“I don’t know if I still do.” Sarah turned away, letting her head fall back against the bed. It hurt to look at her cousin. Honoria was so happy, and she deserved to be happy, but Sarah would never be pure enough of heart not to hate her just a little bit. Just for this moment.

Honoria held silent for a few seconds, then quietly asked, “Can you fall out of love so quickly?”

“I fell into it quickly.” Sarah swallowed uncomfortably. “Maybe it was never really true. Maybe I just wanted it to be true. All these weddings and you and Marcus and Daniel and Anne and everyone looking so happy, and I just want that. Maybe that’s all it was.”

“Do you really think so?”

“How could I be in love with someone who would threaten such a thing?” Sarah asked in a broken voice.

“He did it to ensure the happiness of another person,” Honoria reminded her. “My brother.”

“I know,” Sarah answered, “and I could admire him for that, honestly I could, but when I asked him if it was just an empty threat, he didn’t say that it was.” She swallowed convulsively, trying to calm her breathing. “He did not say to me that if . . . if it were necessary”—she choked on the word—“he would not go through with it. I asked him straight to his face, and he did not answer.”

“Sarah,” Honoria began, “you need to—”

“Do you even understand how awful this conversation is?” Sarah cried. “We are discussing something that would only come to pass if your brother was murdered. As if . . . as if then . . . whatever Hugh did would be worse?”

Honoria laid a gentle hand on Sarah’s shoulder.

“I know,” Sarah choked out, as if Honoria’s gesture had been a question. “You’re going to tell me I need to ask him again. But what if I do and he says that he does mean it, and that if his father changes his mind and does something to Daniel he’s going to take a pistol and put it in his stupid mouth?”

There was a terrible moment of silence, then Sarah jammed her hand over her mouth, physically trying to hold in a sob.

“Take a deep breath,” Honoria said soothingly, but her eyes were horrified.