“Exactly.” Lady Isolde slid her a sideways glance. “Would it help tae know that Mr. Penn-Leith plans to stay on at Thistle Muir with his brother and sister-in-law?”
“Ethan?” Allie asked out of surprise.
Thatsent Lady Isolde’s eyebrows nearly to her hairline. “Ethan, is it? Well, now ye must stay, Lady Allegra, because I sense a fascinating story that I shall coerce ye tae share.”
Allie meant to deflect, to demure, but Lady Isolde’s words caught her unawares. And so, to her utter mortification, she blushed instead.
Lady Isolde stopped again and studied Allie’s burning cheeks with unholy fascination. “Aye, ye be staying with us. I must know the story between Ethan and yourself.”
Allie pressed fingertips to her hot cheeks. “I shall see if Kendall will permit me to stay.”
Lady Isolde beamed her approval. “Hah! I should have mentioned Ethan at the outset.”
“How did you know his presence at Thistle Muir might convince me to stay?”
“Because he fair says your name every other sentence. Now, ye must tell me all. Do not omit a single detail.”
Swallowing, Allie gave Lady Isolde a rather sparse recounting of her acquaintance with Ethan Penn-Leith. Isolde leaned in and listened attentively—reacting with gasps when appropriate and laughing at Ethan’s relentless flirtation.
This is what genuine friendship feels like, Allie mused. She recognized the emotion due to her interactions with Ethan—the joy and kindness he exuded and caused her to feel in return.
Allie found it both relieving and terrifying.
Trust, when one had suppressed it for so long, was a difficult emotion to summon.
But having yet another friend in which to confide . . . that was a decadent sweet to be slowly savored.
Two hours later, Allie cornered Kendall at the desk in his bedchamber.
“Lady Isolde has invited me to continue on at Muirford House,” she said without any preamble. “I intend to stay.”
Allie refused to ask her brother’s permission. He had said she could have some freedom, and she was claiming that freedom with both hands.
Besides, every conversation with her brother exploded into a heated conflagration. Might as well ignite Kendall’s temper from the start.
Her twin did not disappoint.
He slammed down his pen atop his correspondence. “Lady Isolde is not a suitable companion for you.”
“Our pact said nothing about you choosing who I claim as friend. Spending time in the company of other young women of my same station is a perfectly acceptable activity. Are you, or are you not, a gentleman of your word, Your Grace?”
“Lady Isolde is a hoyden!”
“Lady Isolde is the daughter of an earl and received in Polite Society. Your personal distaste of her has no bearing on this.”
“I suppose Ethan Penn-Leith is staying, as well?” Kendall asked, tone icy and eyebrows raised. “He certainly hasn’t requested to return to London with myself.”
This, at least, Allie could deflect. “On that, I cannot say. I have heeded your words and not spoken to the man in several days. I assume if he were to stay, he would be at Thistle Muir, not here at Lord Hadley’s estate.”
“And what of Charswood?” Kendall asked, nostrils flaring. “I know he offered for you. What is to become of that?”
“I believe I have seen enough of Lord Charswood.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Just that spending additional time in Charswood’s company is unnecessary.”
Kendall narrowed his eyes. “So you have already decided against his lordship?”
