“Don’t say such things, Hyacinth.”
“It’s true. He carried you far more often than he needed to.”
Had he?
Violet glanced at the door to make sure Sterling wasn’t standing out in the hallway and listening to their conversation, which was going from bad to worse very quickly.
“He knows I’ll kill him if he hurts you again.” Hyacinth spoke the words casually as she brushed the armrest of the settee.
Violet gasped. “Kill him? Hyacinth, you’re too much.”
Hyacinth paused and rolled her eyes. “I’m jesting. Well, not really. I will make him pay if he hurts you. But I don’t think he will this time.”
A tremor wavered through Violet’s stomach. Was it hope? Did she dare believe Hyacinth? “I don’t know. Maybe you’re making too much of everything.”
Hyacinth shrugged and then plopped down onto the settee. “After watching him the past three days…”
Violet held her breath and waited for Hyacinth to say more.
“Like I said, it’s obvious he still wants you.”
The hope inside Violet made another wave, this one bigger. “What if you’re wrong?”
“Kiss him and find out.”
And here they were. Back at the kiss again. Even though she could feel the heat creeping up into her cheeks, she ignored it. Hyacinth’s request was absurd. Wasn’t it?
“It won’t hurt anything,” Hyacinth offered.
Did she dare? Violet’s muscles tensed at such a bold move. She couldn’t. “It wouldn’t be right to stir things up.”
“They’re already stirred.”
“Not a lot.”
“Enough.”
Violet blew out a breath. “No, Hyacinth. I will not kiss Sterling.”
“Too bad.” She hopped back up. “It might make him realize how strong his feelings for you still are.”
Violet paused her rambling thoughts. Would a kiss really awaken him to his feelings? And would he be willing to give her a second chance?
“At the very least, it would make it clear to him that you’re still interested in him too.”
Was she interested?
Emotions swirled up like a rising flood—emotions she didn’t want to think about.
Using her crutch, she started toward the settee. “Can we just put aside all this talk about Sterling and focus instead on our work?”
“You know I won’t let it go.”
“At least for now?”
“As long as you promise you’ll give him a fair chance this time.”
“You heard what he said about having a different future wife.”
