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Wright turned an appreciative smile on Mabel, and Mac very much wanted to hit the man.
“My play takes place on the ocean,” Pippa said proudly.
Mabel’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh? And when do we get to see this play?”
Pippa shrugged. “We aren’t quite ready yet. But give me a few weeks and we shall be.”
“That is about how long it will take for us to finish building the cottages,” Mac said, looking at Wright. It could possibly go even faster if all of the men worked hard.
Pippa was bouncing beside him as the carriage rolled to a stop. “Can we perform our play at the celebration Mabel? Please, can we?”
Mabel looked startled, her eyes going unfocused as though she was working through the idea in her mind. “I suppose that would be all right. We must ask Mrs. Traynor first, of course.”
“She will agree!” Pippa said, confident.
“What celebration is this?” Miss Pepper asked.
Pippa turned to her as the door opened and the groom let down the step. “Papa wants to have a celebration when the cottages are complete to welcome the new families.” She turned to Mac. “Can we perform at the celebration? Do you mind?”
He considered the part he played in Pippa’s theatrical, and how very silly it would make him appear. But the hope shining in her widened eyes was enough to force him to forget any potential embarrassment and nod instead. “I do not mind at all. Now, shall we go hunt some crabs?”
Pippa’s face brightened and she clapped. “Yes, please!”
The group exited the carriages, stretching their muscles after the hour-long ride. They spread out to look over the expanse of water beyond the cove, the sun rising in the sky and shining out over the sea. It was a lovely day—albeit, a little windy. But when was the coastline ever without wind?
Mabel came up beside Mac, tightening the ribbons on her bonnet. “The view is breathtaking.”
He watched her, outlining her beautiful profile, and imagined he could sit and watch her all day as she looked out at the sea. “Yes, Mabel. It is absolutely breathtaking, indeed.”
She drew in a quick breath and faced him, her cheeks and nose pinking against the wind. Swallowing, she dipped a curtsy and turned to catch up with the rest of the party.
He followed, his long strides covering the ground between them fairly quickly.
Miss Sophy turned back, catching his eye as he approached them. She looked away with haughty disdain, and relief coursed through him. Ever since her brazen behavior at the ball, Mac had been doubly mindful when around her. But it had appeared that Desmond had spoken to his sister as he’d promised, and she had given Mac a wide berth since that night.
Not that she would ever be successful in her endeavors. He’d been perfectly clear with Desmond, and he would make himself plain to Miss Sophy if need be: she could compromise herself however she wished. Mac would never offer for her.
“It is rather windy, is it not?” Miss Pemberton asked, holding her bonnet tight at the back of her head.
“This is how it is here,” Charles explained. “Our beaches are not for everyone.”
“They are beautiful to me,” Miss Pemberton said.
Mabel glanced between the pair and Mac would have given a guinea to know what was causing her brow to furrow.
The sun beat down on them as they followed the pathway down to the beach, the women lifting their hems as they trekked across the sand. Mabel paused and bent to pick something up, and the grin that spread over her lips as she straightened went straight to Mac’s heart.
“I’ve found a shell,” she said, holding it out to Pippa. Her sister’s eyes lit, accepting the offering, and immediately Pippa ran off, searching the ground for similar treasures. Miss Pepper stepped ahead and strung her arm through Mabel’s, and they walked toward the sea.
Charles paused. “Shall we eat first, or put it off until later?”
“If we wait an hour or so, I know just the place to take our food where we can escape both the sand and the wind,” Mac said.
“Superb.” Charles nodded. “Now, who is going swimming?”
A chorus of laughter met his ludicrous question and Miss Sophy said, “I should like to search for shells. Who will join me?”
“I already have shells,” Pippa said, displaying a handful of broken mussel shells for the group in her small, pudgy hands.
“How nice for you,” Miss Pemberton said tightly. “I will come, Sophy. Charles? Will you join us?”
Charles? Had the man actually given her leave to use his Christian name? It was startling, for Mac had thought Charles to be wavering in his opinion of the woman. But it was true that when they’d talked at the ball, Charles had seemed likely to press forward with his plan to marry Miss Pemberton if she was amenable to the scheme.
Perhaps they’d talked about it already. It had been a week since the ball. But working from sunup until sunset had made the days fly particularly quickly all week. Mac was eager to complete the cottages in the case that the prize money came through and he would have to leave to attend to his father’s business.
“I would love to accompany you,” Charles said, clasping his hands behind his back and following Miss Pemberton and her sister toward the ocean.
“Mac, will you show me the crabs now?”
“Most certainly.” Turning to Mabel and Miss Pepper, he asked, “Will you come with us?”
