“Why wouldn’t I be?” My gaze traveled up the tree branches.
“I’m not sure,” he said, “but I can see something is wrong.”
“Well, I’m fine,” I said.
“You don’t have to pretend with me, Hannah.”
“Isn’t that what we do?”
He looked at me for a long moment, his eyes unsure.
“Never mind,” I said, and I walked to the table where the food was laid. I selected a finger sandwich, a few berries, and cheese.
I sat on the opposite corner of the blanket from Ollie and Miss Digby, next to Amelia, and Damon and Mr. Atherton joined us a few moments later.
Miss Digby daintily fed herself one tiny bite at a time as if she were a little bird. If only she would fly away. But seeing as she would not, perhaps it would be best if I discovered more about my competition.
“Miss Digby,” I said, “do you enjoy reading?”
“No.” She laid her plate in her lap. “I am far too busy with my art and dance lessons for leisure.”
She was probably also exceptionally talented at the pianoforte as well.
“Hannah lacks the patience to master such fine arts.” Ollie took a bite of meat.
I frowned at Ollie. While it was true, there was no need to voice it.
“You know each other so well,” Miss Digby said. “I didn’t know. Why have you not mentioned Miss Kent before, Mr. Jennings?”
“There wasn’t much to mention.” Ollie shrugged. “Miss Kent and I haven’t seen each other for averylong time.”
“I see. Where are you from then, Miss Kent?” Miss Digby asked.
“London.”
Her face scrunched. “But Mr. Jennings lets a set of rooms at Albany. If you are such close friends, then you must have seen one another last Season.”
“Hannah only returned to London last year,” Ollie said. “She hasn’t had a proper Season.”
I’d not told him that. I mean, Ihad, but only in a letter. Which meant he’d lied.
About everything.
Ollie had received my letters, and he’d known I had been living in London, and he’d not called on me. He’d not even written me.
“No Season?” Miss Digby said. “But you live in London! How dreadful.”
“Not really. I much prefer quiet nights at home, reading by the fire.” I could have explained why I’d not had a Season, but I refused to share any part of Mama with Miss Digby.
I glanced at the man I’d once considered my best friend and felt . . . betrayed? Humiliated? Angry?
“It is true we haven’t seen each other for such a long while,” I said to Miss Digby. “But Summerhaven was my home every summer of my youth. We all practically grew up together.”
“Quite so,” Damon said. “Those were the best days of my life.”
Miss Digby’s face pinched, and she looked at Ollie as if waiting for further explanation.
Ollie gave her an easy smile. A dimpled-chin smile.Mysmile. “It’s true,” he said. “We were like siblings.”
