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“It was awkward. It went horribly. I don’t know why she came at all.”
“Lucy.” The sad tone of her aunt’s voice bit at her.
Lucy turned away from the wash basin to find her aunt looking at her with concern.
“What is it?”
“I’m worried that you spend so much time on your own,” she replied gently. “You’re becoming a hermit, for absolutely no reason at all. Susan is clearly interested in rekindling your friendship. Why are you not trying?”
Aunt Joan always addressed her with patience and kindness. Lucy couldn’t possibly get mad at her. Not when Aunt Joan was speaking so reasonably.
“I will admit, I am feeling a bit defensive towards Susan,” Lucy said calmly. “But only because she was the one who ended the friendship in the first place.” Lucy and Aunt Joan had never spoken about it, not until now.
“Why don’t you find something to do?” Aunt Joan suggested. “What if you started looking for a husband, perhaps?”
It hit Lucy in the heart like an arrow. She was so torn about it. Part of her wanted nothing more than to fall in love. However, experience had taught her that it hurt too much when the man you’d allowed yourself to fall in love with betrayed you.
“Being unmarried works for you,” she pointed out. Her aunt sighed sadly, placing a hand on Lucy’s arm. She looked her niece in the eyes when she spoke.
“I wish that I had married,” Aunt Joan admitted. “While I wouldn’t trade our time together for the world, and I am content with my lot in life, it would be nice to have someone to share my life with.”
Immediately, Silas crossed Lucy’s mind. The feel of his lips on her own.Perhaps I shouldn’t have dismissed him so quickly.
There was passion between them. A fire that she knew wasn’t commonly found between two people. After all, she hadn’t had such feelings for Edward. She had, she knew, merely esteemed him. Which was why she was so terrified when it came to Silas.
Given how much Edward’s betrayal hurt, she knew that if she allowed herself to fall for Silas, it would be a devastation that could barely be borne if he did something to lose her trust.
“I’ll consider it.” It was the best she could do. She certainly couldn’t just show up on Silas’ doorstep. Not when he was in mourning. She didn’t think he wanted to see her, either. Not after she’d fled the countryside.
Aunt Joan smiled, her hand touching Lucy’s cheek. “That’s all I ask.”
