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Cranston’s brow furled. “It’s the oddest thing. I feel as though we’ve met before.”
Amelia’s stomach dipped. She and John had discussed this eventuality. It was clear the baron couldn’t place her. She hadn’t served them that evening, so his friends had only seen her from afar. They would never realize she was the barmaid John had helped.
Her gaze never wavered as she smiled. “I am certain we’ve never been introduced.”
“Of course not,” Cranston said with a small shake of his head. “You remind me of someone, but for the life of me I can’t say who.”
Amelia was saved from replying when the butler arrived to tell them that dinner would soon be served. She took John’s arm and allowed him to lead her and his friends to the dining room. Now that she didn’t have to worry about one of these men recognizing her, her sense of relief was profound.
Chapter 28
They fell into an easy patternover the next few days. Amelia was so busy she barely had time to look at her manuscript, let alone get started on the edits to her book. But she did find time to go through the first half of the book, before the hero had changed, and list all the instances where she’d borrowed too heavily from John’s behavior.
She mulled over the opening for some time but couldn’t bring herself to consider changing the tavern scene. She needed to talk to him about her book. She was behaving like a coward and couldn’t put off the discussion much longer.
It would have to wait a little while longer, however. Since his friends’ arrival, John was circumspect in his behavior toward her, even avoiding her bedroom at night. She understood his caution but missed him nonetheless.
John took his friends riding on the day of Mary’s arrival. If it weren’t so early in the afternoon, she’d have thought they were heading into town to visit the local tavern. For all she knew, they were doing that anyway.
She was in the ballroom, helping to direct the footmen in setting up the refreshment table and the seating areas, when the butler entered.
“A carriage is approaching, Miss Weston.”
She beamed at the man. “Thank you so much, Hastings.” She turned to the housekeeper. “I can return later if you need me…”
Mrs. Hastings gave her head a little shake. “We have things well in hand here. Go enjoy the rest of the day with your guest.”
Amelia thanked her and hurried down the hall and out onto the front steps. It had been so long since she’d seen Mary—nine years. They’d maintained their friendship through correspondence, but it wasn’t the same as spending time together.
She watched the footman open the carriage door and help her friend step down. When Mary’s gaze locked on Amelia, her smile widened.
Amelia rushed to cover the short distance between them and embraced her friend before stepping back to examine her. “I cannot tell you how happy I am to see you! Thank you for accepting our invitation.”
Mary’s gaze wandered over her. “The years have been good to you. You’re even more beautiful than I remember.”
“Oh hush,” Amelia said, linking her arm through Mary’s and leading her into the house.
Her friend had always insisted that Amelia was the pretty one of the two, but she far underestimated her own appeal. Mary had a liveliness of spirit that did much to elevate what she considered her ordinary appearance. Tendrils of light brown hair framed her face, which was slimmer now than Amelia remembered. Her features had always seemed too big for her face—wide eyes, a wide mouth, and a nose that was just a touch too broad at the base. But no one would ever accuse Mary Trenton of being ordinary.
Amelia had instructed the staff to prepare refreshments as soon as the carriage arrived. The two had just settled onto the settee when a footman arrived with a tray of tea and biscuits.
Amelia placed a slice of cake on a plate for her friend and poured two cups of tea.
“You are an angel,” Mary said, taking a sip of the tea first before reaching for the plate. Her eyes roved over the assortment of biscuits and cakes on the tray. “You’re going to spoil me with all my favorites.”
“I have to make the trip worth your while so you’ll be willing to do it again in future.”
“The treats are an added bonus but not necessary. Simply providing me with the opportunity to escape my sister’s household is inducement enough.”
Amelia took a sip of her own tea. “I’m sorry to hear things are still so tense between you.”
“It’s as though she blames me for our parents’ deaths and the house falling to the next male heir. She had her choice of suitors. I certainly didn’t advise her to wed the wealthiest—and oldest—from among them. That was her choice.”
“You never let on that she was unhappy.”
Mary lifted a shoulder in a casual shrug. “She reads my correspondence, so I can’t be completely honest in my letters.”
“What?” Mary’s admission shocked Amelia. But it did account for all the times Mary hadn’t offered information about what was going on in her life. “Why would she do that?”
