“I agree.” He rose. “I agree on all points. Except one.”
“What’s that?” She looked up at him.
He smiled down, and tapped her nose. “You, young lady, will learn to love. And when you do, you’ll be surprised at how truly splendid an emotion it can be.”
She chuckled back. “Don’t bet on that.”
He left the sound of his laughter ringing around the room as he closed the door behind him.
Now that she’d settled the matter of Harriet, there was one bridge left to cross.
Rosaline.
*~~*~~*
Late that afternoon, as Rosaline was enjoying a quiet cup of tea by the fire, there was a tap on the door and Letitia’s head appeared when it opened.
“May I bother you?”
“Don’t be silly. You’re never a bother. Come in and share tea. Stop me from eating all these biscuits.”
“Well, since you put it that way,” chuckled Letitia, walking in and shutting the door. “Yes to both. Thank you.”
The two women settled again, enjoying the moment.
“Did you need something?” Rosaline asked over her cup, wondering why her sister-in-law seemed a little on edge.
“Actually, yes,” answered Letitia, sipping her tea. “I need to talk to you on a matter of some import.”
“Oh. Sounds serious.”
“Well it is. To me anyway.”
Rosaline watched her, waiting for her to reach her point in her own time. Letitia’s lovely face gave little away, but her eyes revealed more than she knew. Right now they were a blend of nervous excitement, wide and shining in the firelight. It had to be something important.
“Perhaps the easiest thing is just to say it right out, my dear,” she said encouragingly.
“All right, yes.” Letitia nodded. “Well, you may know that James and Edmund have had a discussion. About me.”
Aha. There it is.
She chose her words carefully. “I had the impression that some such conversation had taken place, Letitia. But nothing formal, you understand. Because if there had been, I’m sure Edmund would have told you.”
“Well, no he probably wouldn’t, but I’ll agree that it wasn’t formal.” Letitia shrugged. “I’ll admit that learning of this conversation annoyed me. But then…Men have different ways of doing things.”
“Don’t they just.”
“I’ve still to decide whether to forgive them, but anyway” continued Letitia. “You’re aware that he is my friend and that I have a high regard for him. James, that is.”
“Yes,” nodded Rosaline, fighting the urge to giggle. This conversation was unexpectedly entertaining. For her, anyway. Watching Letitia tiptoe around the entire matter of marriage was not unlike watching a puppy trying not to get its feet wet while yearning to play in a puddle.
“So while we were in London, he and I had a private discussion about these things.”
“Private?”
Letitia flushed a little, giving Rosaline a clue as to the nature of that discussion. “Yes, it had to be private. Goodness if anyone had heard? That would be the end of it.”
“True. One would not wish to be food for gossip. So it was wise of you and James to remain private.”
