Page 68 of Miss Devon’s Choice

“Miss, are you all right?” Hettie asked in some alarm.

Rebecca looked in the mirror and saw her eyes swimming with tears. She laughed and hastily wiped away the moisture with the back of her hand. “I am well, Hettie. Perfectly well.” She sniffed and sat up straighter. “But we must hurry. I promised His Lordship help on our treasure hunt.”

Hettie sighed and shook her head with all the gravity of a woman three times her age. She’d learned the expression from Aunt Jacqueline, of course. But she went about her work efficiently and had Rebecca out the door with speed.

Rebecca fairly skipped all the way to the table. The gift brightened her outlook considerably. Christian, protective and considerate!

Virginia met her outside the breakfast room, halting Rebecca with her bright exclamation. “Good morning, cousin,” she said loudly enough for her voice to carry down the hall and into the room behind her. “Oh, but dear, you look exhausted.”

Rebecca started and opened her mouth to refute that claim.

“Play along,” Virginia whispered, narrowing her eyes. “Oh, you positively must rest, my dear. And not in your room. The curtains are not suitable to keep it dark enough. Please, retire to my salon. I’ll see to it you are looked after.”

Rebecca narrowed her eyes.

Virginia grinned and waved her down the hall. “Through the greenhouse,” she whispered. “There’s a wagon waiting.”

Though she didn’t have gloves or a hat, Rebecca obediently followed Virginia’s instructions. She found the hall between the breakfast room and the greenhouse deserted, and when she stepped out of doors there was a cart and two men waiting for her. One was a stable hand, already seated in the cart, and the other a liveried footman who held gloves and a cloak for her.

“What is going on?” she asked the footman as he handed her each item, one at a time.

“You are to go to the Gilbert home, miss,” he answered, bowing respectfully. Then he helped her into the back of the cart. She glowered at him, then sighed.

She had hoped to spend the morning with Christian. If she could speak to him, she might find the courage needed to explain what he had heard, to tell him of her hopes. But she longed to spend more time with Julia and Christine, too.

“Will you make my excuses to Lord Easton?” she asked before the cart started moving.

“It is his lordship who arranged this, miss,” the footman said with a slightly impudent grin, then he tapped the side of the cart. The driver slapped the leads against the horses’, leaving her no opportunity to ask further questions.

What has come over him? Speaking to father, the books, and now an orchestrated visit to my sisters.

No one would miss her today, and she could spend as much time with her sisters as she liked. Another thoughtful gift, from a man hadn’t wanted to marry her.

Only when she was nearly to the Gilbert home did it occur to Rebecca that it was strange Christian would send her away without speaking to her first, or joining her.

The road passed beneath her, but she didn’t see it. She kept her eyes closed, trying to picture Christian as he had appeared the day before. He’d been keeping himself under tight control when they left her father. Had he ever relaxed his grip on his emotions?

The cart hit a rut, jarring her sharply from her thoughts. Rebecca’s eyes began to water for the second time that day, but for an entirely less pleasant reason. She let them fall, too busy holding on to the edge of the cart to wipe them away.

He was kind. But he was not in love.

And she was.

In another moment, she was swept inside the house by Christine, who had been watching for her, straight to the breakfast table. Thomas, in his father’s absence, took the head of the table, Christine the other end, Julia and Nathaniel sat next to each other on one side, and Harry sat next to an empty chair on the opposite.

“Harry?” Rebecca blurted. “However did you get away?”

Harry turned around in his seat, his boyish grin stretching wide. “Your betrothed sent a message ‘round to the house an hour ago, asking for the pleasure of my company this morning. Father wasn’t about to say no. Christian was waiting for me at the end of the drive and sent me here instead.”

Julia stood, her brows knit in concern. “Rebecca, what’s wrong? You don’t seem pleased to be here.” The others grew still, all eyes inspecting her person.

“Are you not feeling well?” Nathaniel asked, ever the physician.

“I am well,” Rebecca said, coming to her chair. A servant pulled the chair out for her. Once seated, Rebecca did her best to appear pleasant. “I have only been surprised this morning.”

Her brother bent over the arm of his chair to inspect her, and she leaned away reflexively. “You’ve been crying,” he said, his voice low.

“Whatever is the matter?” Christine asked, leaning to the side of her chair the better to see Rebecca.