“I suppose Georgie told you. Or Emily?”
“He told me himself. Paid a call at Broadbridge’s to meet William and me. I imagine Georgie told him where to find us.”
“Did he indeed?”
Claire nodded. “Said he wanted to thank us for calling at his home in Scotland, and to apologize for not being able to receive us.”
“Goodness.”
“And he is just as handsome as Emily described.” A playful grin teased Claire’s lips. “How is it going with him staying here?”
“Oh. Fine. He’s ... a very easy guest.”
“Easy? Is that all you have to say?”
Sarah had half expected Mr. Henshall to hover nearby, seek her out often, and make his presence felt, but he and Effie kept busyshopping, sightseeing, treating Georgie to tea and cake at the York Hotel, visiting Mr. and Mrs. Hornbeam and being invited to stay not only for a game of chess but also for a meal, and now, she learned, paying a call on Claire and William as well.
Sarah shrugged. “We don’t see as much of him as I might have thought.”
Claire’s fair eyebrows rose. “Really? I wonder why?”
Sarah wondered as well. Was he having second thoughts now that he had returned? “Well, I did tell him I would be busy preparing for Christmas.”
Claire clucked her tongue and shook her head. “Sarah, Sarah, Sarah ... Come now. It’s me. Tell me what is going on in that head of yours.”
Sarah considered. “When he first arrived, I was stunned and pleased and hopeful. I thought there might be a future for us. That I might be able to leave here and...” She broke off. “Then I learned James and Emily will only be here two days a week in future, so we will have far less of her help. And I keep thinking about how far away Scotland is. How long it would take to get here should something happen.”
“But how do you feel abouthim?”
“I ... admire him and am certainly attracted to him. But how well do I really know him? It’s been a year and a half. Perhaps his sister-in-law was right and he is pursuing a neighbor of theirs.”
“Have you asked him?”
“No.”
“Well, even if he was interested in someone else, he’s surely thought the better of it to come all this way.”
“I hope you’re right. Even so, I feel like I need to become better acquainted with him.” To herself, Sarah added,Before I risk moving so far away.
“That’s only natural,” Claire replied. “And now he’s here, you shall have the opportunity to do so—if you stop working now and then to spend time with him. How long is he planning to stay?”
“Through Epiphany, I believe. I did not like to press him.”
“My guess is that he’ll stay as long as it takes.”
“As long as it takes to ... what?”
“To win your heart.” Claire cocked her head to one side and narrowed her eyes in thought. “Though I doubt your heart will be the problem. Your practical mind and sense of family duty shall pose the bigger obstacles.”
Sarah slowly shook her head. “You know me too well.”
Their other guests had departed earlier in the day, so that evening, Mr. Henshall and Effie joined them for dinner. They were a relatively small group with only seven around the table: Mamma, Georgiana, Mr. Henshall and Effie, Emily and James, and Sarah—if she ever sat down long enough to eat.
“Do sit, Miss Sarah,” Mr. Gwilt gently insisted, taking a serving dish from her. “Jessie and I can manage, we can.”
“Very well. Thank you, Mr. Gwilt.”
She noticed Mr. Henshall and Effie eye the small Welshman with interest. Mr. Gwilt had not been in their employ when last they were here. He had been a fellow guest, and an odd one at that. He’d arrived at Sea View with a stuffed parrot in a cage and had the disconcerting habit of speaking to it as though it were still alive. Thankfully that tendency had diminished over the last year as Mr. Gwilt found his place at Sea View.
