He shook his head. “I have no idea.”
* * *
AT DINNER THAT NIGHT, Serenity found to her surprise that Luke’s younger sister, Allison, had returned. The girl reminded her very much of his mother. She had the same blond hair and piercing blue eyes. Her features were delicate and lovely, but unfortunately, she also resembled her mother in personality.
“This is my very dear friend, Serenity Pratt,” Luke said by way of introduction.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Allison. I’m so glad you’ve returned home safely,” Serenity told the girl earnestly.
Allison turned up her perfect nose, obviously shocked and dismayed that her brother was forcing her to dine with his commoner mistress. “I’ll be leaving soon. Lucien will be taking me to my mother tomorrow. Won’t you, brother?”
As they took their seats, Serenity heard the girl whisper, “Is she the child’s mother?”
“Yes,” Luke told her. “Be nice.”
The rest of the meal passed in a fairly civil matter. Allison chatted animatedly with her brother but made no effort to include Serenity in the conversation.
Though somewhat hurt by the girl’s behavior, Serenity told herself Allison had been through a lot and also that she’d been lucky to have received such a warm welcome from the rest of Luke’s family. She could handle this one young girl’s disdain.
“Have you seen my conservatory?” Luke asked Serenity when Allison had finally taken a breath.
She shook her head. “No, I haven’t had a chance.”
“I’ll show it to you after dinner,” he said with a smile. “I remember how much you enjoy gardening.”
“That would be lovely,” she murmured, happy for his attention. Despite his obvious relief at having his sister home safe, she didn’t think he really enjoyed spending time with the girl.
“I’ve built a similar one at Hawkesmere House,” he continued. “I can’t wait to take you there.”
“You finished it?” she asked, leaning in his direction, so pleased to hear that the place they’d both spent so much time imagining had actually been brought to fruition.
“Yes,” he said, his blue eyes sparkling with the passion she’d always seen in him whenever he spoke of his home. “It’s lovely. Even better than I first conceived of. You will love it.”
“I’m sure I will,” she told him, a wave of longing consuming her at the thought of going there, of pretending, just for a while, that she belonged there with him.
“I’ll take you there in my automobile, the next time the roads are dry,” he said, smiling. She remembered that he’d spoken of the vehicle on the train, that first day they’d been reunited. Was it possible that it had only been a little more than a week ago?
She laughed. “I would love that! As long as you promise it’s safe!”
Allison made a small disgusted sound and pushed away from the table. “I’m tired. I’m going to bed.”
“It was nice to meet you,” Serenity called weakly after her.
“Don’t mind her,” Luke said with a shrug. “She can’t stand any conversation that she isn’t the center of.”
Serenity smiled. “I rather got that impression.”
He sighed. “I love her. I do. But sometimes she reminds me so very much of mother. It’s infuriating.”
She said nothing, not wanting to speak ill of his mother, though she’d never hated anyone as much as she hated that woman.
After dinner, he took her to the conservatory, showing off his many varieties of orchids and exotic fruit trees. They shared a juicy orange for their dessert, and finally, she kissed him lingeringly on the lips and told him she was going to bed.
She’d hoped he’d ask to join her, but he simply wished her goodnight and continued working with one of his orchids, seeming as though he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders.
