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“Of course.” Giulia smiled at Dr. Mason. His kind rebuke was heard and received. Although, she really had been right in this situation. She did know what she was doing.
“Now, Miss Pepper, I brought along my sister and she has been shown into the drawing room. She awaits your company, if it would please you.”
“Of course, Dr. Mason.” Giulia curtseyed and left. Nick didn’t look too pleased, but he was about to be poked and prodded in a very uncomfortable manner, so perhaps it was to be expected.
Giulia, on the other hand, could not have been happier. She was about to meet a friend. Or, at least, she hoped that was the case.
* * *
Giulia had not wished to be out of mourning and back into wearing at least a smidgen of color more than she did in this moment. She looked at the woman seated across from her and was dumbfounded by her beauty.
Dr. Mason’s sister looked to be within a year or two of Giulia’s own age, and she had the most glorious red hair framing a perfect heart-shaped face and luminescent pale blue eyes. Her pale skin was not marred by a single freckle. The entire ensemble was set off to perfection by a crisp, black gown. It made Giulia’s dove gray wilt in comparison and fully shamed her into a loss of speech—an entirely foreign feeling.
“Do you plan to stay long in Devon?” Amelia Fawn asked in a musical voice. Was she absolutely perfect in every way?
“I am not sure at the present. I have been looking for a position in the papers but have not had much luck as of yet.”
Mrs. Fawn’s slender red eyebrows rose a fraction. “Allow me to know if there is anything I may do to assist you in the search. I have lived in Graton for most of my life. If you would like, I can make some inquiries on your behalf.”
“Yes, I would appreciate that very much. I would love to do something in the realm of teaching, whether as a governess or teaching assistant. I have sufficient experience.”
Mrs. Fawn nodded her head. “Do you have a time frame in mind?”
With Nick still abed, it was impossible to know. He seemed to be healing more every day, but his was a slow-moving process. And she had agreed to stay as long as he needed her. “Not particularly, no. But I would guess within the next few weeks, or perhaps a month.”
Silence stretched for a moment and Giulia swallowed hard. Mrs. Fawn’s beauty was intimidating enough, but to add kindness, too? Her serenity was lovely, but also made it difficult to decipher if her kindness was truly good, or if there was an ulterior motive at play. Giulia wanted to believe the woman was genuine, but that did not keep her from holding her guard in place.
“I can see how that might make things difficult,” Giulia laughed lightly. “Perhaps it is best to hold off at present. I am entirely at the disposal of my invalid.”
Mrs. Fawn perked up. “Your invalid?”
“Oh, this is uncomfortable.” Giulia shifted in her seat while she tried to figure a way out of her verbal blunder. “I only meant that my sole focus at Halstead Manor is to assist restoring Nicholas Pepper to health. Your brother did not tell you?”
“He did.” Mrs. Fawn seemed to physically deflate a fraction. “I only wondered if you had a particular relationship with Mr. Pepper by the way you phrased it. The man has a bit of a reputation and I was preparing to warn you most strongly.”
Giulia nodded. “I have heard as much from the servants, but do not fear. I am in no danger of losing my heart to him.”
“Be that as it may, you ought to be cautious. Mr. Pepper has a tendency to flirt most outrageously with little intent to pursue the situation.”
She spoke like a woman with experience in the matter. Before Giulia could inquire further, however, Mrs. Fawn continued. “Are you allowed time away from the invalid?”
“I would imagine so. He is recovering nicely. And he does have a rather attentive valet.”
“Splendid.” Mrs. Fawn clapped her hands together and leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice. “I would like to extend an invitation to tea, then. There are a few local ladies who would love to make your acquaintance. And I assume you would not mind a break from this entirely male household.”
“Yes, I suppose a break would be nice,” Giulia said hesitantly. She had never spent much time around women though, and tea with a few local ladies was almost frightening.
Surely it was not a large gathering, she thought, surveying Mrs. Fawn’s black mourning gown. It had thrown her off guard when she first entered the room for it was unusual to pay calls when one was in mourning. Now she was hosting a tea? Perhaps Graton had a different set of etiquette than the rest of England.
“Does Thursday suit?” Mrs. Fawn looked the picture of poise.
“Thursday suits.”
Mrs. Fawn’s smile grew. She appeared pleased, and it made her all the more remarkable. It was an overwhelming experience being on this end of that magnitude of beauty.
Dr. Mason entered the room and glanced from Giulia to his sister, a smile playing on his lips.
“It was so pleasant to meet you,” Mrs. Fawn cooed as she rose. “I look forward to Thursday.”
