“Oh, here and there.”
“Does it?”
“Hmm. But then it says, be rest assured as he is wounded at the thought of being parted and cannot wait to see you again.”
Oh.
Aunt took the cushion up once more so Verity smoothed the letter upon her knees
Gracious.
Her eyes lingered on the wordperil.“I wonder… Miles seemed so sceptical, you know, after those barrels at the fair almost struck him. I wondered at the time as to why.”
“You don’t think it was an accident?”
“I don’t think Miles did.” A sense of dread crept up her spine. “What if he…”
Aunt clasped her shoulders. “Verity, do not think the worst. It could be anything. Just give him time to fix matters.”
“Of course.” Verity nodded though her heart raced. But she supposed a little time apart might be provident as perhaps…perhaps Miles would also come to see what it appeared he hadn’t as yet. What his letter had refused to acknowledge: that they could not be.
Indeed, he might hardly notice her absence at all.
And she herself would carry on as she did before his re-emergence within her life.
Content.
27
ALL THINGS MUST CHANGE, OR CEASE TO BE
“You’re so crabby, Verity.”
“I’m not!”
“And peevish.”
Verity stomped the winding path of St James’s Park, her boots crunching the gravel as she muttered beneath her breath.
“I agree,” commented Aunt, endeavouring to keep up. “Peevish and crabby. Even the cats kept out of your way this morning.”
“I’m not!” And she kicked at the gravel. Then used one of Daniel’s tamer oaths as that act had left scuff marks on her new boots.
“See!” countered Sephi, her bright-green skirts swishing in the south-westerly breeze, parasol twirling. “Crabby.”
“I believe,” said Aunt low, “that she is missing the Earl of Stonewold. It’s only been four days but…”
Sephi nodded. “She’ll never admit it, even if you hid all her paints.” And she halted to sort her wayward skirts.
“And such crabbiness seems to be contagious,” murmured Aunt, flapping her gloved hand in the direction of Mrs Tait and her daughter someway ahead.
Verity peered up from her stomp and past the broad shoulders of the footman whom they’d thought it best to bring along.
Mrs Tait had asked to join the daily promenade of the Scandalous Scarlet Spinsters in St James’s Park as mother and daughter required some fresh air, but it appeared they had much on their minds.
Juliet’s scowl had matched Verity’s and Mrs Tait had looked entirely too beleaguered. Now they had linked arms but conversed intently and one could almost see–
“Ouch!”
