“Indeed, Rose. And next time we must try to avoid any harrowing bloodshed,” he said. He took her hand and brought it to his lips, brushing it with a soft kiss. “Take care of my handkerchief. I am rather fond of it,” he said.
Then, he nodded to Jenny and escorted them back to the carriage. The footman was waiting for them. Edmund thenreturned to the picnic area. As the carriage drove away with the steady clop of hooves, Rose turned back and saw Edmund blowing out the candles one by one. She settled into her seat.
All in all, it had not been an unpleasant day.
Chapter Eight
“Iwant to assure you that your secret is safe with me, my lady,” Jenny leaned toward Rose and spoke in a low voice. Rose, who had been occupied with thoughts about the stray dog, turned to Jenny and looked confused.
“My secret?” she asked.
“Yes,” Jenny sidled closer to Rose. There was a conspiratorial tone to her voice, not that there was any danger of them being overheard. Any conversation would have been overshadowed by the creaking of wheels and the sound of hooves against the cobbled streets.
Rose again stared at Jenny without the slightest idea about what she referred to.
“You are going to have to elaborate, Jenny. I feel as though I might have missed something.”
“You and His Grace. In the copse,” Jenny said, arching her eyebrows suggestively.
Rose’s cheeks flushed, more with embarrassment now than anger.
“Nothing of the sort happened! I cannot believe you would even think such a thing.” she said. “I went after a stray dog, and he followed. That is all.”
Jenny gave her a knowing look, and Rose let out a small breath.
“Please do not make it into something it was not,” she added more gently. “It would only invite unnecessary talk.”
“I am sorry, my lady. I just wanted you to know that you could trust me and that I… I apologize for speaking out of turn,” Jenny’s demeanor changed immediately. She bowed her head and wrung her hands together in her lap. She gazed at them, and her shoulders slumped forward.
“Please do not dismiss me,” she added.
Rose’s expression softened.
“I have no intention of dismissing you,” she said. “But you must be careful with such thoughts. They can do more harm than you realize.”
“Yes, my lady.”
The journey home continued in silence. Rose took a deep breath and was thankful that the park had been deserted, for she might be faced with more accusations like that if there had been more witnesses. It was exactly the kind of thing she had wished to avoid, and was why she had insisted on all of their meetings taking place in public. Of course, she couldn’t very well blame Edmund for it, as it was she who had wandered off chasing the dog.
I have to be more careful in the future.
She would need to keep her wits about her; otherwise, she might end up bringing about the very fate she sought to avoid.
When the carriage pulled up outside Rose’s home, she alighted from the vehicle and strode inside. Jenny rushed off, disappearing toward the kitchen. Her parents were waiting for Rose, their anxious faces reflecting their concern. They rose so quickly that Margaret almost spilled some tea.
“How was your day?” Thomas asked.
“You are quite late. It must have gone well,” Margaret said.
Their faces were animated with hope, and they stood closer together than Rose ever remembered them being. In this matter,they were completely united, which had not always been the case with their efforts.
Again, Rose felt a flush of guilt as she knew their hopes would be dashed. Would it have been prudent to tell them the truth now? To tell them that these five meetings were not going to lead to a longer arrangement? But then there would undoubtedly be another plan, perhaps something more certain than a mere auction. And it brought her joy to see her parents so happy. This mood had been rare in the house, her parents preferring a more modest life free of extreme emotions.
It seemed cruel to take this moment of happiness away from them. Why not allow them to believe for a little while longer?
Rose inclined her head and took a breath.
“It was a pleasant afternoon. His Grace prepared a lovely picnic filled with all manner of food. I have eaten enough to last me until breakfast and perhaps beyond, I am sure,” she said, patting her stomach. Then, her parents realized that something had happened to her thumb.
