To Deceive A Duke

Chapter 53

Clarissa puts an arm around her and pulls her against her. Flo doesn't resist, her head drops onto her friend's shoulder as tears begin to pour down her face. She sniffles, trying to find the words. 

"What happened? Why was he there?" 

"After I left, Daniel and Peter went to find Jack to see if he had seen me. They thought I might have gone after Baines, " Clarissa murmers, "Jack sent them in the wrong direction and then told Baines where they were going so he could take them without being caught," 

"Oh, god, he sold you out," Florence weeps, pressing the back of her hand to her mouth, "How could he?! How could he do this to us? To you?!" She cries harder, the tears coming thick and fast. 

"I don't think his intention was to harm me, it was Daniel he hated," Clarissa replies softly, "It's always been about Daniel..." 

Florence buries her head into her friend's shoulder and cries her heart out. Clarissa strokes her hair through every soul-wrenching sob, trying to comfort her while dwelling in her own grief. When the tears stop flowing the two girls sit in silence, cuddled into each other and watching the fire crackle. They are grateful to have each other to lean on without the pressure of having to pretend to be anything other than completely broken and miserable. At some point during the evening, Clarissa gets up and makes two cups of tea, adding a splash of whiskey into both.  Over their steaming mugs, she reveals the events of the afternoon, not missing a single thing, with Florence hanging onto every word. 

"Then I told Peter Daniel could have The Strand," Clarissa admits, finishing her story. 

"That was stupid," Flo replies in a croaky voice, "Really stupid,"

"I know," Clarissa looks into her empty mug. The alcohol has warmed her stomach and she has half a mind to swig some more from the bottle. 

Florence sits up, crossing her legs underneath her, "So what are you going to do about it?" 

Clarissa copies her movement, swivelling to face her friend, "I am uncertain as of yet," 

 "What Daniel did was wicked, and wrong," Flo says, nodding in understanding, "But you shouldn't abandon everything  because of him," 

"But I am scared," Clarissa confesses, gripping her cup harder, the handle digging into her skin. 

"Scared of what?" Florence probes, shifting closer. 

Clarissa looks up, her gaze vulnerable, "I am scared of Daniel," 

Flo snorts, a small smile rising to her lips, "No, you aren't, don't be ridiculous. You are simply scared of letting him hurt you again, there's a difference," 

"What does it matter?" Clarisa sighs, frustrated. 

"It matters because you care," 

"I don't want to," 

"Yes you do," Florence insists, "Because caring about someone makes life exciting, and fun, and full of possibilities," She places her hand over her friend's, "Daniel challenges you, he brought a spark into your life, a spark you couldn't control and, I know he's done something terrible, but would you leave? Knowing life would always be a little bit worse without him in it?" 

"So I just have to forgive him?" 

Florence shakes her head, "No, of course not. First, you need to listen to him, give him a chance to explain himself, and then it's up to you to decide what you want."  

Clarissa doesn't reply. She doesn't know what to say. She has always doubted Daniel's emotions, unable to see real from fake, all long wishing to know what it all meant. They played a game of fire and ice, and he won, he beat her in the only way possible. Her mind flashes back to the warehouse, and the way he looked at her, the way he reacted when her life was dangled in front of him. Part of her wonders whether that display was an act, or was it a fraction of his truth? It terrifies her to think that that is what he honestly feels, because if it is, then what's to stop her from falling?