He glanced at her, his expression suddenly shifting to blank. “I can’t tell you.”
“Can’t? Who set that rule?”
“I did.”
“You can trust me.”
“It’s not a question of trust. I don’t want you involved.”
Poppy bit back a snappish reply. She felt thoroughly reprimanded, and not a little hurt.
“Let’s talk about other things,” he said. “How is your cousin?”
“Rose is doing wonderfully. Marriage suits her, and she’s been able to hold all sorts of musical events in town. Not now, of course…she and Lord Norbury left for the country at the start of summer. I’ve never been to his family estate, but I assume it’s lovely.”
“It’s very grand,” Carlos agreed. “I’ve spent some time there myself. I’m glad it all worked out…with your cousin and Adrian, I mean. They both deserve to be happy.”
He sounded a little wistful.
“Everyone deserves to be happy,” Poppy said. “Even you.”
Carlos actually laughed at that, and she was glad to have pulled him out of the mood he’d fallen into.
Poppy and Carlos had just reached the Seven Sisters and requested for the carriage to be brought from the stables when they saw Elowen and Elisa approaching from the other end of the street. Poppy waved to them, and Carlos dutifully came to a halt.
“Ready to return to Pencliff?” he said. “The Hobbsons took Miss Ainsworth back already.”
“Good,” Elowen muttered under her breath, obviously delighted they wouldn’t have to share the carriage with her. “I bought a few items and had them delivered to the inn. Just let me gather them.”
Elowen had just turned to pick up the package when a man emerged from the inn’s front door. He was talking over his shoulder to someone still inside. That meant he wasn’t looking where he was going, and he collided headlong into Elowen, who fell to the ground in a heap.
“Elly!” Elisa cried out in alarm.
The man had barely managed to not fall himself, and he looked deeply embarrassed. “Oh, my word, I am so sorry, miss. My fault entirely! Let me help you up. I wasn’t…looking…” His flow of words stopped short as he reached out to help Elowen up, and he finally saw the person he’d knocked over.
Evidently, it was his first time ever seeing a young woman, because he stared at her like she was some rare creature from afar. His jaw dropped open, and he went completely still.
In turn, Elowen’s eyes were wide as her hand remained in his, waiting for the offered assistance that didn’t come. Her dark, lustrous hair had come a bit loose, curls falling winsomely about her face and slipping out from under her hat. Two spots of pink bloomed on her cheeks, and she let out a breathy little sigh.
The tableau held for another instant (though it seemed like a century). Then Carlos stepped in, tapped the man on the shoulder, and very discreetly suggested that it might be better to get the girl on her feet.
To his credit, the other man snapped to attention then, and quickly helped Elowen up. The two ended up face to face, their eyes still locked.
“My sincere apologies, miss,” he said again.
“Oh, it was of no moment,” she replied, unaware of the fact that her gown was now stained with dust and dirt all along the back side. “I was just about to return home with my sister, anyway.” Unconsciously, she reached for Elisa’s hand.
“No, I must beg your forgiveness after I was so clumsy. What must you think of Treversey, miss, if I were to be rude as well as clumsy.”
“I think Treversey is a very wonderful town, sir,” Elowen said, rather shyly.
“Oh! Where is my mind! Riding Officer Oliver Lowry at your service!” he responded eagerly, bowing over her hand.
The two stared at each other, smiling.
Poppy finally could stand it no longer. “Mr. Lowry, may I introduce you to my good friend, Miss Elowen Metcalfe.” No sense in being subtle at this point.
“How do you do, Miss Metcalfe,” he said.
