The sound of knocking at the main door reverberated through the hall, informing them that their guests had arrived.
“You mustn’t judge your father too harshly, my dear,” her grandmother admonished quietly as they started down the stairs.
“There is not a day that I do not think about my mother,” Arabella replied. “When I close my eyes, she is the first thing that I see.”
“By all appearances, your parents seemed to have a happy union.”
“That they did, which is why my father’s actions were so unexpected.”
Lady Barrett and her sons stepped into the entry hall, stopping any response her grandmother could have given. Arabella noticed that Colin was watching her descent intensely, and she tried to pretend his presence wasn’t affecting her. But it was; he’d always had a hold on her, even when they were little.
The moment she stepped down from the last step, Lady Barrett approached her with wide arms and a bright smile. “It is so good to see you, Arabella!” she said as she wrapped her up in a warm embrace.
“Likewise, Lady Barrett,” Arabella replied as she leaned back.
She huffed. “You must call me Diane now.”
John stepped forward before Arabella could reply and bowed. “It is a delight to see you again,” he said. “I believe the last time we spoke was at Lady Linfield’s ball.”
Arabella nodded. “Yes, you saved me from dancing with Lord Macon, which I appreciated greatly.”
“It was my pleasure,” John responded.
She turned her attention towards Colin and forced a smile to her lips. “Colin,” she greeted.
He tipped his head. “Arabella.”
Diane’s voice reached her ears, pulling her attention back. “I must see the two trees that you selected after dinner.”
“They are both set up in the saloon,” Arabella said.
Her grandmother gave her an amused look. “Apparently, Arabella and Colin decided that the orphans needed two trees this year.”
“It is the least that we can do for them,” Arabella responded.
“One is rather…interesting,” her grandmother teased.
Arabella shrugged. “As I told Colin before, it is full of character.”
Colin chuckled. “It looks as if it is half dead.”
“That is not true,” Arabella defended. “There is plenty of room for the children to decorate the tree.”
Moore stepped out into the entry hall and announced dinner was ready.
As they made their way towards the dining room, Colin came to walk next to her. “I was hoping we could go riding tomorrow,” he said in a low voice.
“I’m afraid that is an impossibility. I am quite busy tomorrow.”
“The day after that, then?”
She frowned. “I’m busy then, as well.”
Colin reached for her arm and gently turned her to face him. “Just so you are aware, I am not ready to give up on us.”
“I wish you would.”
“We were friends once, and I have no doubt that we could be friends once more.”
