Page 60 of The Mister I Married

Tess’s eyes brightened. “Paris? Really?”

Emmy watched, smiling, while the two young ladies strode to the other end of the shop where these supposed Parisian slippers were displayed.

“Your sister-in-law seems like a very sweet girl,” Mrs. Ogilvy said.

Emmy looked over at her, thinking she’d detected a note of surprise in the woman’s voice. How curious.

“She is, yes. Though I have to admit, it strikes me as odd that you’ve never met her before today.”

Mrs. Ogilvy nodded her understanding. “I’ve seen her once or twice, of course, but she comes into the village so rarely that…” She trailed off with a shrug.

Emmy frowned. She knew Alex’s father was considered a hermit, but she had no idea Tess had been hiding away, as well. Was it intentional on her part? Did she prefer to spend her days at Bristlewood, or did she wish to know her neighbors better but had no idea how to bridge the divide?

“Mrs. Ogilvy,” she said, turning to face the lady, “if I were to host a dinner party at Bristlewood, would you and your sister attend?”

“Oh, yes, we should be delighted,” she said, her brown eyes sincere. “And, please, call me Lucinda.”

“And I’m Emmy.”

The two shared a smile, and then Lucinda bit her lip. “I know it is terribly rude of me to ask, but…may I bring my husband along? Richard would never forgive me if I saw the inside of Bristlewood before he did.”

Emmy laughed. “Of course. I should hate to see my dinner party lead to any marital discord.”

“Excellent. And perhaps we could have tea before then? The four of us?” She nodded toward her sister and Tess.

“I’d like that,” Emmy said. “And so would Tess.”

A few minutes later, the foursome left the shop and went their separate ways with the promise of meeting for tea soon.

“They’re very nice, aren’t they?” Tess said as she and Emmy strolled along the walkway, their soft-soled half-boots silent on the oak boards.

“They are,” Emmy agreed. “How is it you’ve never met them before today?”

Tess shrugged. “I rarely leave Bristlewood.”

“Why?”

Her gaze fell to her feet. “I don’t know.”

Emmy pressed her lips together and tried to think of a way to ask her next question with delicacy, but so far as she could tell there was none, so she went with frankness instead.

“Do you have any friends here, Tess?”

“I have Father and Alex.”

So, no female friends. How odd. Tess was no social butterfly, but neither was she a misanthrope. She was a friendly young woman and seemed to enjoyed being around people.

“But…have you never wished for other friends?” Emmy asked. “Female friends of similar age, I mean?” She kept her tone casual, careful not to sound critical or judgmental.

Tess lifted a shoulder. “Of course I have, but with my father being the way he is…” She trailed off with another shrug. “Alex and I are all he has, and I suppose I was afraid that making new friends would make him feel that I’d abandoned him. That he wasn’t enough for me.” She sighed. “That probably sounds silly to you.”

Emmy shook her head. “No, it doesn’t. I don’t want to do anything to hurt your father, either. But perhaps there’s a way we can ease him into the idea.”

She paused, turning to face Tess just outside Mr. Clive’s sweets shop. “I’m new to Berkshire, and I would like to meet my new neighbors. Perhaps we could host a small dinner party?”

“I would love that, but…” Tess pursed her lips. “I am not so certain my father will approve. We’ve never had people at the house before.”

Emmy nodded. She was well aware her reclusive father-in-law would be her biggest obstacle, but she had to try.