If it were not too late, she would have canceled it. But it was too late. Luckily, by the next day Thomas was even feeling well enough to continue his studies with Mr. Dore. However, Kate had not yet recovered. Not from her fear about her brother, nor from the bout of self-loathing that had reignited, nor from her heated exchange with Peter. She felt keenly that she had revealed too much. That she had allowed him to make assumptions about her. Assumptions that did not feel true but she also could not deny out of hand, if she were to be completely honest with herself. Thus, wishing to be anywhere but there, Kate greeted her guests as they arrived. Almost everyone had accepted the invitation. And she had invited guests who were certainly the crème de la crème of society. At least of those who had been in Brighton. There was Lord Lindley, for whom she had concocted this whole gathering. No Camilla Hightower in sight. There was Frederic Graughton, who was always entertaining and such a wit.
