Keith gave her an indulgent grin.
She coolly held his gaze. “In fact, I met Mr. Keith there as well. Though at the time I did not know about his love of mischief. In fact, I didn’t even know he had been a lieutenant in the army, until Captain Overtree referred to him by that title.”
“And how did you think I lost this arm?” Keith smirked. “Cut myself shaving?”
The captain passed by the morning room door, stopped abruptly, and backed up a step, his broad shoulders filling the doorway. His eyes shifted from Kate and Sophie to Keith in wary concern. “And what are you three on about?” he asked. “Is Keith scorching your ears with tales of his exploits in Spain?”
Keith said, “Hardly. We have discovered your wife’s secret.”
Captain Overtree stiffened. “Oh?”
“Don’t be so gothic, Mr. Keith,” Kate chided, then explained to her brother, “We came upon Sophie with her sketchbook, making the loveliest drawings, which she clearly prefers to keep to herself. That’s all.”
“Ah.” Captain Overtree nodded. “Then why not be courteous and grant her the privacy she obviously wishes?” He sent his former lieutenant a challenging look.
“Right,” Keith drew himself up and stepped past him through the door, a sheepish Kate behind.
“Thank you, Captain,” Sophie said quietly. “But it’s all right. The morning room is not my private domain.”
His eyes flashed, and he opened his mouth to say something. Instead he turned on his heel and strode away without another word.
The next day, Sophie and Kate walked into the village together, admiring the bonnets in the milliner’s window and the cakes in the baker’s. At the newsagents, Sophie bought Winnie the latest edition ofAckermann’s Repository, the periodical she’d mentioned wanting to read.
Later, when they returned to Overtree Hall, Sophie thanked Kate for the outing and the two parted ways in the library. Sophie went directly upstairs, eager to give Miss Whitney the longed-for magazine.
But when she reached the top of the stairs, voices gave her pause. She peeked around the corner and was stunned to see Captain Overtree coming out of a room next to Winnie’s, and the maid Flora coming out after him!
Her heart sank. The two spoke in low tones, and the captain shut the door quietly but firmly behind them. Then he pressed a coin into the housemaid’s hand.
Flora smiled and slipped it into her apron pocket. “Don’t be telling Mrs. Hill, now, or she’ll be docking my pay.”
“Mum’s the word,” he agreed.
Feeling nauseated, Sophie turned and hurried back down the stairs as quickly and quietly as she could. Her morning sickness had passed, but she felt she might be sick even so. She told herself not to jump to conclusions. There could be—must be—another explanation. But what was it?
In their bedchamber, she laid aside the periodical, removed her gloves and bonnet with unsteady hands, and plopped down on a chair to think.
A short while later, she heard the door to her dressing room open, and Libby speaking to someone.
“What were you and the captain doing up there alone together?”
Flora answered in a suggestive singsong voice, “I’ll never tell...”
Bile rose at the back of Sophie’s throat. She reminded herself that she did not love Stephen Overtree. Theirs was a marriage in name only. If either of them should feel betrayed it should be Captain Overtree, who knew his wife loved his brother. Is this how it felt? Queasy dread, insecurity, and vulnerability all rolled into the pit of one’s stomach and pinching one’s heart? If so, poor man...
But she was no doubt flattering herself. He probably felt little more for her than she did for him.
Sophie avoided the captain the rest of that day and spoke little to him that evening. He looked at her in curious concern but said nothing.
The next morning, she took the magazine up to Winnie, earning a warm smile and thanks. “Your kindness shall be rewarded, my dear. Mark my words.”
Sophie then went for a solitary walk. In the afternoon, she again attempted to sketch in the privacy of the dim morning room. Captain Overtree found her there a few hours later.
“There you are,” he began. “I think it’s time I shared a secret with you.”
Sophie instantly stiffened. What secret?
“Better yet,” he said. “Come upstairs with me and I’ll show you.”
