“Oh my.” Samantha’s brow pinched in empathy and she shook her head.
Liliah sighed, then lifted the letter from its envelope.
Four o’clock at the Serpentine, if you wish.
H. Regards—M
Liliah reread the words, studying the ‘H’ before the closing of the letter.
It was quite odd, and she was sure that Meyer wished to communicate something only she would catch, just in case her father read her correspondence.
Belatedly she wondered if Meyer’s father did the same.
Life had turned into quite a muddy soup of a mess.
She reread the letter.
“Is something wrong?” Samantha asked, taking a sip of her tea.
Liliah glanced at her. “No, just curious.”
“Because?” Samantha prodded.
“It’s probably nothing, yet it seems as if Meyer is wishing to meet me—which I find strange. Unless his father is behind the idea, in which case I wouldn’t find it surprising at all.”
Samantha tilted her head, then whispered quietly, “What if he wishes to speak to you about something he knows is of a sensitive nature?”
Liliah nodded. “Perhaps. Regardless, such a meeting will get me out of the house, and with the approval of our father as well.” Liliah set the letter aside and reached for a delicate blue-flowered teacup. The steam swirled around her cup as she poured the liquid, then disappeared as she added a generous amount of cream.
“How do you ever enjoy the flavor of the tea with that much cream?” Samantha asked, not for the first time.
Liliah smiled in response. “What makes you think I wish to enjoy the flavor of the tea? Maybe I simply enjoy the cream,” she teased.
“How positively uncouth,” Samantha replied in her best nasal tone, clearly attempting to imitate an overly proper dowager.
Liliah giggled in response.
Samantha set down her tea and turned her body to face her sister fully. Liliah sobered and studied her sister. “Yes?”
Samantha took a steady breath and lowered her gaze. “Do you think . . . that perhaps Father has designs for my future, as he has for yours?”
Liliah bit her lip, thankful Samantha wasn’t studying her expression. Hadn’t that been on her heart for over a year? The idea that her father would oppress Samantha’s already quiet spirit to the point of extinguishing it?
Samantha glanced up, meeting her sister’s gaze with a forthright one of her own.
Liliah studied her sister. Her impulse to protect her from everything unpleasant and dangerous welled up within her, yet as she met Samantha’s gaze, she noted the resolve deep within that gave Liliah the courage to be fully honest.
Because while Samantha was quiet, that didn’t mean she was weak.
And just because she obeyed, didn’t mean she didn’t have her own opinions.
“Yes. I’m utterly terrified of it,” Liliah answered, then reached out with her free hand and grasped her sister’s hand. “And I wish I knew how to save you from it. I’m already working on a few ideas, and if I must marry Meyer—and it certainly is looking like that is what will happen—then he and I will be your refuge, and you will have nothing to worry about,” Liliah promised, hoping she could make good on it when the time came.
“I see.” Samantha nodded. “I suspected as much, but hoped that maybe as the second daughter—”
“You’re just as worthy as me, but you’re worthy of love, Samantha, and if I have anything to say about it, Father won’t strip that from you as well.” Liliah blinked back fierce, protective tears.
“Thank you.” Samantha nodded, causing a tear to slide down her cheek and into her lap.
