And yet . . . it was his parting words which had landed hardest.
If I kiss ye at that moment, I’ll be kissing ye for keeps.
Allie couldn’t even envision how that sentiment would play out.
How could she ever trust enough to permit a man like Ethan Penn-Leith—optimistic, cheerful, buoyant—to kiss her for keeps?
And even if shewishedto be kept, Kendall would tear them asunder. Her brother had made that more than plain.
Allie awoke to rain drizzling out her window and Kendall rapping incessantly on her bedchamber door. When she opened the door, her brother barged into the room—fully dressed, hat in hand, and drafting damp sea air in his wake.
“The ship’s engine suffered damage yesterday,” he began without preamble. “We stemmed the inflow of water last night, but critical repairs must be made. The captain, the engineer, and I will work to fix what we can, but we require a part from Manchester to render the ship seaworthy once more.”
“I see.” Allie pulled a dressing gown around her shoulders. “Will such repairs take long?”
And how could she finesse this turn of events to her own advantage?
“Not too long,” her brother said. “We should have the ship running in about four or five days, but I feel the need to oversee the repairs myself.”
Ah.How delightful to discover an instance in which Kendall’s overbearing need for control actually assisted her. With any luck, the repairs would take so long, they would miss the house party altogether.
And wouldn’t that be tragic?
She should have thought to sabotage the ship herself.
“Unfortunately,” Kendall continued, turning his top hat in his hands, “I shall be unable to attend to you or Lady Whipple in the interim, as the repairs will command my time, and I must send a secretary and my man of business to collect the required parts.”
Gracious, this entire situation simply kept improving—possibly avoiding Lord Charswood, missing the house party,andbeing left to her own devices with Ethan Penn-Leith about?
Allie felt like she had just been dealt a winning hand invingt et un.
“Che peccato.Aunt Whipple and I shall simply have to make do with one another’s company,” she replied, careful to keep her expression neutral.
On the inside however, a trio of fairy sprites named Elation, Hope, and Optimism had formed a circle and were currently dancing a wild jig of joy.
“Yes. See that you do,” Kendall nodded. “Let Lady Whipple guide your behavior as to how you spend your time. I shall arrange a private sitting room for you both, so you may have a place to embroider and read at your leisure. I will speak with our aunt about the arrangement right now. I will also inform Lady Whipple that you are not to spend too much time in Mr. Penn-Leith’s company. We needn’t set tongues to wagging on that score. Remember the contract you signed.” He glared at her in warning before shoving his hat atop his head. “Meanwhile if you need me, I shall be at the wharf.”
Kendall shut the door with a sharpsnick.
Rain pattered against the window pane.
But not even the dreary weather or her brother’s smothering authority could dim the brilliance of Allie’s smile.
True to hisword, Kendall did arrange a private sitting room for Allie and Lady Whipple.
Aunt Whipple, however, seemed less enamored of the arrangement.
“Why should I leave the comfort of my warm bedchamber to sit in a drafty room?” the lady had intoned when Allie visited her an hour after Kendall’s departure. “This trip has already been ruinous to my health.”
Allie stared down at her aunt as she lay in bed, propped up against a mountain of pillows and enjoying an excellent fruit scone with a cup of hot chocolate from the inn’s kitchen.
The lady’s health appeared anything but ruinous.
“I am sorry to hear that, Aunt,” Allie said contritely. “I guess I shall have to while away the hours in the sitting room by myself.”
“Are you content to do so, girl?” Aunt Whipple’s expression was far too innocent to be believable. “You will likely need some sort of companionship, will you not?”
Was her aunt suggesting what Alliethoughtshe might be suggesting?
