“A minor detail.” Esmée busied herself with reaching for the cream pot. “You see, Chaplain Autrey visited me in the chocolate shop on two occasions and seems to have told his aunts he found me ... agreeable.”
“He’s smitten, you mean.” Kitty laughed. “Well, I wonder what Captain Lennox thinks of that!”
“Very little, I’m sure. ’Twould seem Chaplain Autrey will no longer be sailing but, according to his aunts, returning home to assume his rightful place, whatever that might be.”
“With you by his side, no doubt. Is that where this fairy tale is leading? His aunts are rather ancient, and the sea chaplain could well be the heir, making you mistress of Mount Autrey.”
Esmée looked askance at her. “How easy you make it sound when it is in fact quite complicated.”
“How so?”
“Nathaniel Autrey seems gentlemanly enough, but...”
Kitty began pouring tea. “I suppose the question remains—do you want to see him?”
“Nay.”
“Because your heart is already taken.”
There was no fooling Kitty. Taking a steadying breath, Esmée confronted the matter head-on. “I regret that I still have ...feelings for the captain.” There, she had confessed it. Now perhaps she could amend the matter.
“Ten-year-oldfeelings. And have you seen the captain recently?”
“I have.” Their recent encounter was all too fresh. She pondered it and took a sip of tea. “Quite by accident at Carter’s store in Williamsburg Thursday last.”
“I don’t believe in accidents, nor coincidences, but rather divine instances,” Kitty said, passing both butter and bread. “Especially in matters of the heart.”
Esmée took cherry jam next, hardly knowing what she did, so sunk was she in the memory. “I helped him choose a greatcoat.” Had his pleasure in the moment only been imagined? “He seemed to welcome my advice. We parted as friends.”
“Friends.” The disappointment in Kitty’s tone rivaled Esmée’s own.
If she could take the word back, she would. She’d only meant to smooth an awkward moment.Friendshad seemed the perfect word to gloss over her imperfect feelings.
“How long has the captain been in Virginia since his return?” Kitty asked.
“Two months is my guess.”
“And you’ve been thrust together how many times since?”
“Once at Lady Lightfoot’s ball, then when Quinn invited him for supper and to see the illuminations on Palace Green, at church, and lastly at Carter’s store. Though I did spy him going into Father’s coffeehouse on one occasion.”
“Has he not come by the chocolate shop?” At Esmée’s nay, Kitty said, “Then that is your answer.”
“Meaning he would have stopped by had he any feelings for me.”
“Perhaps he’s lost his fondness for cocoa,” Kitty said gently, adding more sugar to her tea. “Or he’s still somewhat burnt from your prior association and doesn’t know how to proceed.”
Esmée swallowed a bite, the dismay welling inside her rendering the refreshments tasteless. “Then what would you suggest? Your plan of ... attack?”
Kitty laughed again. “How like your father you sound! Plan of attack, indeed.” Her eyes glittered. Kitty liked nothing better than a little intrigue. “Well, I do have one daring idea...”
CHAPTER
twenty-five
Esmée clutched her cape tighter about her as she left the tearoom and walked home, noticing York’s streets emptying fast in the face of a rising wind. Ships in the harbor pulled restively at their anchors, and Water Street seemed oddly quiet, as it always did in the face of great gusts. Such brought to mind the autumn squall of 1749, when a great many dismasted ships left their moorings and tobacco houses were overturned, all followed by a violent snowstorm. Kitty’s prediction of an early winter might not be far off.
She began to hurry, head down, as great drops of rain spattered her cape, turning it from purple to black. Passing through the iron gate of their residence on fleet feet, she thought again of Kitty’s bold proposition.Daring ideadid not do it justice.
