Luckily, Annora was free. She came by after breakfast, and they took a carriage into town. Her happy chatter made Isolde feel more comfortable but didn’t completely alleviate the butterflies in her stomach.
After they’d been to three shops and Isolde had been unable to bring herself to actually purchase anything, Annora suggested a walk in the garden off the High Street.
“The fresh air will do you good,” she said, “and maybe you’ll stop being so nervous about spending Lord Hartington’s coin.”
Isolde doubted that was true, but she let herself be pulled into the garden, nonetheless. It was a nice day, and quite a few people were walking the garden’s paths. Isolde was surprised to look across a particularly pretty patch of flowers and see Thaddeus’s brother Henry on the path opposite them. She was even more astonished when, before she could raise her hand to greet him, Annora put up her own hand and called to him.
His eyes snapped to Annora, and he smiled brightly, hurrying over to meet them.
“Hello, Miss Fairchild, Miss White,” he said, and while he gave Isolde a very friendly nod, it was Annora’s face where his eyes lingered. “I hope it doesn’t seem terribly rude, but I cannot stay to take a turn with you. I am on my way out, headed to meet a business associate.”
“Ah, My Lord, it’s terribly rude indeed!” Annora said, laughing. “Can’t you see we are all on our own, defenseless against the horrors of this roughshod place?” She gestured around at the beautiful garden and laughed again.
Isolde’s eyes widened at the familiar tone of her teasing, and she felt nerves grip her stomach like a vice. Suppose Annora offended Henry? How would she explain that to Thaddeus?
To her surprise, however, Henry laughed gamely and teased Annora back.
“Ah, what shall I do, Miss White? I know ’tis an unforgivable offense, but say you’ll forgive me anyway, or I shall perish …” His eyes twinkled at Annora with such a spark that Isolde felt herself blush a little, like she was witnessing something private.
“I suppose just this once,” Annora sighed, “but you must never let it happen again.”
“I never shall,” Henry declared passionately, and then he and Annora giggled together like two schoolchildren. “And now, you really must forgive me, for I really must go. But I hope to see you again soon. By your leave.” He gave them both polite nods and then headed off toward the entrance.
Isolde stared after him, feeling a bit like she’d been spun around several times and was now dizzy. She glanced at Annora and saw her staring after Henry with a remarkably similar spark in her eyes to the one he’d had in his. Then Annora suddenly gasped and grabbed Isolde’s hand.
“Oh, darling! I’ve only gone and forgotten to ask his name again! How have I done this twice now? Please, tell me how you’re acquainted with him? Surely, as he knew your name, you know his?”
Isolde blinked, the sense of dizziness clearing as she started to put the pieces together.
“Annora …” she said, a little breathless, “are you telling me the man you met at the ball, the one you told me about … is Lord Hartington’s younger brother Henry?”
Isolde watched as Annora’s mouth and eyes rounded in surprise.
“That man? The one we were just speaking to? He’s Lord Hartington’s brother?”
“Yes. Lord Henry Harrow.”
“Oh!” Annora gasped. “But how did I never meet him while visiting you at Hartington?”
“He spends a good deal of time in London, apparently.”
A thoughtful, slightly sad look came over Annora’s face.
“Oh, that is too bad.”
“Whatever do you mean?” Isolde asked, her heart sinking to see her cousin’s sparkle fade. “Surely you don’t like him less now that you know who he is?”
“Oh no, of course not, darling,” Annora said with a sigh. “But I couldn’t possibly pursue any relationship with him, not with the situation you’re in. I could never do anything to make things more complicated for you.”
Isolde’s heart swelled with affection for her cousin. Annora was so sweet and thoughtful, and it only made Isolde more determined about what she said next.
“Annora, I love you dearly,” she said, “and while I thank you for such consideration, I cannot have you sacrifice any happiness for me. If you have feelings for Henry, and he for you, you mustn’t waste them. Think about how rare love matches are! And besides, if Henry saw anything untoward in the situation, he would not have greeted you so happily in front of me.”
“There may be nothing untoward about it,” Annora said, a stubborn look on her face, “but I know only too well how perilous your situation is. I could not forgive myself if I did anything to further that peril.”
And no matter how many times Isolde tried to bring it up, while they were shopping or on the carriage ride home, Annora would hear no more about the matter.
***
