Thirty Two
THE RAIN STARTED that afternoon. Adriana just stared out the window, her mind and heart empty. The tears had stopped, but only because there was nothing left. The world was gray and colorless.
“I’m terribly sorry, Miss,” a maid said after briefly knocking on her door, “but Lord Byron is here and he says it is extremely important that he speak to you.”
“Lord Byron?” That jolted her. “Tell him I’ll be with him in just a moment,” she said, swinging her legs off the chair she had been curled up on. What could be so important to bring Lord Byron out on a day like today? And at this time too—it was past normal visiting hours.
After very quickly tidying her hair and trying to smooth the wrinkles from her gown, she rushed down to the drawing room. Henrietta was standing just outside
