Chapter 257 - The Night Out

It didn't take long for Delaney and Miles to arrive at their destination.  Delaney looked out the windows of the carriage and was surprised to see it was the card club she had started so long ago with Constance.  It wasn't a simple club anymore though.  Her friend's mother and sisters had added a new building attached to the club.  It was an inn that was full of rooms and a bigger kitchen to serve even more food and drinks.

Even on an ordinary spring night, the place appeared to be busy.  Carriages lined the stables in the back and the drivers could be seen mingling outside in front of the big doors, talking to one another. Suddenly she felt thrilled but her nervousness still hung on as well.

"What do you think?" Miles asked watching her closely, "Was this a good choice for our night out?"

Delaney looked at him with a nervous smile, "It was but.. but should I be here?  It feels strange to be anywhere exciting like this without... without..."

"Of course you should be here if this is something that can help cheer you up.  He wouldn't want you to be miserable and you know he definitely doesn't want you to spend the rest of your days locked away in your bedroom.  He wants you to be happy."

She swallowed and looked out the windows at the club sitting in the light of the setting sun.  Miles was right.  Vincent wouldn't want her to lock herself away in her room.  He wouldn't have been happy with her for spending all this time so far in her bed barely eating.  Vincent wanted her to have a full and happy life.  He had told her that so many times himself.

Her heart ached as she thought of it and she felt tears in her eyes.  She didn't want to have a happy life without him in it.

"Delaney?  Are you alright?"

She looked at the younger brother of the man she loved, dashing her tears from her eyes.  "I just wish... I just wish he was here with me.  I wish... I wish things were different."

Miles nodded sadly and sighed, "I know.  I'm sorry.  But somethings... somethings we just can't change."

Delaney nodded, looking down as tears slid over her cheeks again and her heart continued to ache.  She turned her beautiful wedding ring around and around on her finger.

"How about this," Miles tried again, "How about we go in for a while?  Maybe play a hand of cards or two?  Get some dinner.  If you don't want to stay after that then we can go straight home and I won't push you on it."

Looking out the windows at the club again Delaney hesitated but gave in at last and nodded.  If anything, she wanted to see how it looked inside the place with the new addition.  The club had always been something she was proud of.  She only wished Vincent was here with her to see it but she would have to make do with Miles instead.

"Alright," she agreed with a sigh, "Let's go in."

-

The Club she had put together with Constance so long ago had now taken on a life of its own.  Card tables were spread out with dealers dealing hands and lovely young women in somewhat scandalous dresses walking around serving drinks and food to the patrons.

There were mostly men playing cards but a few women had joined them as well, making Delaney secretly proud.  They also seemed to be from all walks of life.  Some were well-dressed servants from wealthy houses and some were the wealthy nobles from those same houses.

A light haze of tobacco smoke hung in the air from some of the men smoking pipes.  In a corner, a man sat playing light music on a violin.  At the bar, Delaney saw a familiar face and hurried forward practically dragging Miles along with her.

"Constance!" she exclaimed when she reached her friend.

The thin, brown-haired woman looked up from where she had been pouring a drink and gasped.

"Delaney?  What are you doing here?  I didn't know you were coming!"

She hurried out from behind the bar and the women hugged one another tightly.

"I didn't know I was coming either," Delaney laughed, stepping back but not letting go of her friend's hands, "Miles surprised me."

Constance looked up then and was clearly surprised to see the younger Adair standing there with Delaney.  She looked between the two of them in confusion.

"I came to see Delaney while I was in the area," Miles explained, "And I thought she needed to get out of the house."

Nodding Constance still looked at the man with suspicion before turning back to her friend.

"My mother has been ill so my visit was a bit unexpected or I would have told you I would be here.  I was hoping to stop by and see you on my way home tomorrow but I think she's going to need a bit longer to recover.  I think I'll probably stay just to help my sisters for at least a few more days."

"Well I'm sorry your mother is sick but I must say I'm so happy to see you," Delaney smiled at her friend, "Come show me around!  Show me all the changes you've made."

Constance walked around with Delaney and Miles then, pointing out different small changes in the main area before she continued through a wide pair of double doors into the new section of the club.

There were two stories, the top floor being lined with rooms for guests to stay the night if they chose to.  Down below, was more of a restaurant and there was even a small stage towards the front where Constance said they sometimes had musicians play or singers perform.

Delaney was shocked to see how much the card club had grown and even more shocked when Constance revealed to her the profits the place had been making.  She told Delaney she had opened an account for her where they had been depositing her shares.

"You will be a wealthy woman even without the Adair money," Constance assured her before shooting a little glare at Miles.

Miles frowned and Delaney was quick to defuse the situation before it had a chance to become something.  She asked Miles if he could get them all drinks.  He stared at Constance a moment longer before moving away.

As soon as he was gone Delaney turned to Constance with a look of disapproval.

"Don't be angry with him.  Nothing that's happened is his fault.  He came all this way to spend time with me and try to cheer me up."

The other woman didn't take her own disapproving gaze off Miles though as he made his way through the tables to the bar.

"If he wants to cheer you up he can go talk some sense into that heartless brother of his."

Delaney bit her lip and dropped her eyes as the pain eased into her heart again.

"I'm sorry," Constance sighed, turning and taking her friend's hands in her own, "I know you still love Vincent but I can't forgive him for what he's done to you both.  It just doesn't make any sense.  Why send away the person you're in love with who's madly in love with you too?  Why force either of you to go through that kind of pain?  You could both live happily together forever."

"He has his reasons," Delaney said quietly, "Although I don't agree with him I know he's doing this because he thinks it's the right thing.  He just doesn't... He just doesn't see how wrong he is."

Constance moved to hug her friend again then, "Come on.  Let's not talk about him anymore.  If Miles has brought you here to cheer you up then I will help him.  Let's find a table and play some cards."

Delaney pushed a smile to her face and dashed away the tears that had managed to gather in her eyes so quickly.  Constance linked her arm through her friends and together they walked back into the main area of the club.  They looked around until they spotted a few empty seats at a table and hurried over.

"Sam this is Delaney Adair," Constance announced to the dealer, "She's the other owner of the club.  Make sure she gets taken care of please."

The young man with white-blonde hair and bright blue eyes looked at Delaney in surprise but quickly nodded.

"Yes Ma'am.  Of course."

Constance looked fondly at him before turning to Delaney with a mischievous grin.

"Well let's see how out of practice you are.  I promise I won't take too much of your money if I can help it."

Delaney laughed and watched as Sam dealt the cards.  Miles came and took a seat next to her, shaking his head when he was asked if he wanted to play.

"I know better than to play against these two."

Smiling, Delaney picked up her cards and the familiarness of it made her relax.

With everything else going on in her life, at least this was something she could control.