Davis turned to me with his eyebrows furrowed.
I tried to muster a smile but it was impossible. “I’m afraid you’ve made a mistake. I haven’t known Captain Calder for very long. If I looked as though I recognized him, perhaps that was because Papa had spoken about him so often.”
Lieutenant Davis blinked, studied my face, and then blinked again. “Are you in earnest?”
“I am.”
His face fell and all of his natural heaviness returned. “I’d thought for certain. His excitement about coming to the houseparty, and then you were here ... ” he trailed off. “And the other night after that lout Howard questioned you ... ”
“Lieutenant?” I asked after a few seconds had passed in bewildered silence.
“Hmm? Yes?” he answered distractingly.
“Does the name May mean anything to you?”
“May?”
“Yes?”
“To me, no. But Calder has a younger sister named May.”
All the air in my lungs released with a puff of disbelief. “His sister?” I repeated.
“Yes. He hasn’t seen her in over seven years, though. She lives in America with his father and brother. A stepmother as well.”
His sister? I knew he had siblings. He’d mentioned Arthur at Applewood, but why hadn’t I thought to ask his sister’s name?
And how had I been so horribly mistaken that night in the croft? He’d called out for her, and when he had, it was with so much despair. I closed my eyes and tried to picture that night in its entirety. I could feel Lieutenant Davis’s eyes on me, but he said nothing, only waited patiently.
When he reached for me and kissed me it was long after calling out for May. And he hadn’t said her name then. He hadn’t said anyone’s name. He’d been thinking of two completely different women. I’d been the one to confuse them.
One of them was his sister, and the other?
Davis had just revealed her. The mysterious owner of the glove.
“Can I ask you one more thing?” I turned to the lieutenant. He watched me with curious eyes.
“It depends. I’d rather not betray my friend’s confidence more than I already have.”
“This is related to something you’ve already told me. And don’t worry, I know how to keep a secret.” I thought of Matilda and her elopement plans. “Perhaps too well. How long has he known this woman with the glove?” I asked before giving him a chance to stop me.
Davis rubbed his hand underneath his chin. “I don’t know for certain, but it was before Walcheren, so at least six years.”
Six years.
Captain Calder had been desperate to get to this house party, but the lieutenant was wrong—it wasn’t me he’d been longing to see.
Heaven’s above, how could I have been such a fool?
I reached for Lieutenant Davis’s arm to steady me. He caught my hand and held it tight against his elbow.
Captain Calder had come here to propose to my cousin.
He hadn’t been thinking of another woman when he’d kissed me—that soft kiss had been meant for Hattie.
Hattie, who we had hoped wouldfinda suitor during these three weeks.
Why hadn’t she told us she already had one? Why, over the course of six long years, had she never thought to mention she’d sent a man off to war with a glove and a promise? If they’d met in the past two years, I would have understood it. I hadn’t proved myself to be particularly trustworthy when Matilda left.
