Delphine handed him the note. “Charlotte wants to make amends before she returns home.”
“Now?” Bennett asked as his eyes perused the note.
“Apparently so,” Delphine replied. “I should go and speak to her.”
Bennett gave her a look of disbelief. “What of the soiree? After all, it is being held in your honor.”
“I shouldn’t be long,” Delphine said. “But Charlotte is right. I am not quite ready to say goodbye to her, or our friendship.”
Bennett looked conflicted but thankfully he didn’t press her. “Very well. I shall make excuses for you, but you must strive to hurry.”
“Thank you,” Delphine responded. “You are a true friend.”
Friend.
That is not what she wanted him to be.
Bennett brought a smile to his face, but it appeared forced. “Yes, I am a good friend,” he said, his voice tripping on the last word.
Why had she gone and said something that had made itawkward between them? She wished she could take back her words, but it was too late.
In an encouraging voice, Bennett said, “You should go and speak to Charlotte before anyone notices your absence.”
“I will, and I appreciate your understanding that this is something I need to do,” Delphine remarked.
Bennett’s smile no longer seemed forced. It appeared to be genuine. “I will do anything to ensure your happiness,” he declared.
The way he said his words, she believed him.
Delphine returned his smile before she headed down the corridor that led to the gardens. She wasn’t quite sure where she was to meet Charlotte, but she doubted her friend was hiding from her. Most likely, she would be out in the open.
Stepping onto the veranda, she saw Charlotte standing by the tall hedges that led into a garden maze.
Charlotte’s face held a look of relief when her eyes landed on Delphine.
Delphine approached her friend and said, “I received your note.”
“Thank you for coming,” Charlotte said as she started fidgeting with her hands in front of her. “I felt awful for how we left things and I wanted to apologize before we departed for the boarding house.”
“Does Mr. Simpkin know you came here to apologize?” Delphine asked.
Charlotte winced. “I told him that I was saying goodbye, but I left out the other part,” she admitted. “I just…” Her voice trailed off as she glanced at the veranda. “I would prefer if we had this conversation in private.”
“No one can overhear us,” Delphine assured her.
“Perhaps. But I would feel better if we moved to the maze,” Charlotte said.
Delphine didn’t think that was necessary, but she saw no reason to argue with Charlotte on this. “All right, but we mustmake this conversation quick. I do not think my absence will go unnoticed for long.”
Charlotte nodded her understanding as she turned to enter the maze. Delphine followed her and it wasn’t long before they reached the center. But when they arrived, she saw that they weren’t alone.
Mr. Simpkin.
Why was Mr. Simpkin here? And why had Charlotte kept that detail from her?
Delphine turned her questioning gaze towards Charlotte. “What is this?”
Charlotte approached Mr. Simpkin and he slipped his arm around her waist. “Mr. Simpkin also wanted to say goodbye,” she said.
