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I fought a smile. It was more than a modicum if the man was leaving on a journey to find her. His disdain for the woman seemed exaggerated at times. “That is why you do not wish for your mother to know your goal,” I said, the point occurring to me then. “You do not want to give her false hope?”
“Exactly.”
“Perhaps I will tell her, then, that I saw you this morning and you mentioned going to visit . . .”
“A friend in London,” he said decisively. “That should buy me enough time to discover Thea’s whereabouts before I need to write again. It will not be a lie, either. I have a feeling I shall end up in London.”
“But is she a friend?” I questioned, my tone facetious.
Benedict shook his head, his eyebrows raised. “The farthest thing from it.” He reached into his pocket and retrieved a small, oval miniature in a gold-painted frame. The young woman pictured had dark hair and a heart-shaped face, her smile playful as though she possessed a secret. “This is the little minx.”
I leaned over and analyzed the playful face. “I think you are correct, Benedict. She looks as though I will like her excessively.”
“I did already tell you, most people do.”
“She is a lark,” Jane agreed. “Though I didn’t have much time to know her better.”
“Yes, a lark,” Benedict said with no feeling. “Running to hide from the one woman who has sacrificed greatly in order to provide for her is quite hilarious, is it not?”
He did not appear to be the least bit amused. Thea’s antics had offended him. I only hoped she had good reason to defend her choices.
Benedict slipped the miniature in his coat pocket and patted the outside. “I hope this will help me locate her. James and I hadn’t taken it with us to York the first time, but we hadn’t realized we’d need it then.”
“I wish you a safe journey and all the luck in locating her,” I said, reaching for his arm and giving it a gentle squeeze.
Jane filled her plate and brought it to the table, and Benedict rose. “Thank you, Felicity. I shall need it. Good day then, ladies.” He bent in a bow, picked up his gloves and hat, and sauntered from the room.
“I wish him good luck,” Jane whispered. “How awful for poor Thea.”
“She did mention in the letter she left behind that she would be safe where she was going.”
Jane looked uncomfortable. “The need she felt to leave, though, and to promise she is safe does not make her situation sound good.” She took a bite of her roll.
“I suppose we must wait for Benedict to send word. There is nothing else for us to do.” I offered a smile as comforting as I could muster.
Jane’s worried frown shifted to a soft smile. “Now, Felicity, I want to hear everything about your lovely married life.”
“I want to first hear from you,” I countered. “You’ve been married far longer and thus have more to share.”
“Well, I do have more to share,” she said in a singsongy voice.
I sipped my drink and waited. Jane looked at me a long while, a slow smile spreading over her lips, and I knew at once what she meant to imply by her impish grin. A small gasp slipped from my throat. “You are with child?”
“Yes.”
I squealed quietly and pulled her into an embrace. “Oh, that is the best of news. Is Ewan excited to become a father?”
“Inordinately. And he will be a very good one, I think.”
“Undoubtedly.”
She sat back and appraised me. “You could give my babe a friend, if you wanted to.”
My cheeks warmed. I wanted to do just that, eventually.
“Who would have known last summer when we met Mr. Bradwell that this is how your life would turn out,” Jane said in a little awe.
I finished off my chocolate and sat back, content. “I do believe everything has turned out for the best.”
Jane grinned. “Indeed.”
