Lydia stared. Was that why he’d ended things between the two of them? Had he wanted out before things went too far?
But that couldn’t be it. She was sure his reason had had something to do with the death of his brother. The thought reminded her of all that he’d been through over the past year.
“Is she expected to recover—your mother, I mean?” Lady Tempest had always seemed rigid, demanding, and even less demonstrative than Jeremy, but with both his father and brother gone, she was all he had left.
“I don’t know.” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “Where the devil is that carriage?”
He was anxious to be away from her.
Lucky for both of them, Clarissa and Lord Baxter had begun descending the staircase and would soon be joining them. Lydia forced a smile. “If you’ll let me know what you’ve decided after you’ve had your engineers go in, I’d rather not wait any longer than necessary to have your answer.”
“Tomorrow. You and Lady Baxter are welcome to meet me at the warehouse at noon.”
Ben’s voice, and presumably the driver’s, carried inside as the other couple joined them.
“Is everything settled?” Clarissa asked, sliding her gloves on and glancing between the two of them curiously.
“As settled as it can be without knowing if termites have eroded the damn thing,” Jeremy answered grimly.
“Ladies are present, Tempest.” Clarissa’s handsome husband shot a scowl in Jeremy’s direction.
“Pardon me. Thedashedthing.”
“Yes.” Lydia bit her lip. What could have possibly occurred for him to change his opinion of her family so drastically, to change his opinion of her? Perhaps, if fate was kind, this project would at last provide her the opportunity to find out. “We should know more tomorrow. Are you ready, Clarissa?”
Jeremy was going to have to talk with her eventually. And this time, she wouldn’t give up until he gave her some answers.
Because, truth be told,nothingwas settled.
“HasLord Tempest always been so… cynical?” Clarissa asked as their driver pulled the carriage into the road. The two ladies were seated beside one another, facing front. Clarissa’s hair was not as pristine as it had been when they’d first arrived, and a few of her buttons were askew, but as the two of them were finished with their errands for the day, Lydia refrained from commenting.
“He’s never been overly friendly, I’ll admit. But he changed last year, especially in November... What with the circumstances surrounding his brother’s death… and Naomi and Baby Amelia and my brother Lucas…” Lydia exhaled a weighty breath.
“Lord Lucas married his brother’s widow, and is now raising the man’s daughter. Oh, but the child is Tempest’s niece. How could I forget that?” Clarissa winced. “And Mason had to go andinsist Tempest take part in this Tuesday Warehouse project! I know he thought he was doing what was best, but if I ask him, he can fix this.”
“Jeremy minds more than I do.” Lydia met her friend’s concerned look with a weak smile.
“Ah…” Clarissa studied her closely. “I take it he has hard feelings, then?”
That was putting it mildly. “I thought he was handling it well enough, last summer. He even attended their wedding. I thought…” Unexpected tears pricked the back of her eyes. “I thought that he and I…”
“Oh, Lydia.” Clarissa stared back at her, horrified. “Tell me you’re not in love with him?”
“I’m not!” Lydia shook her head adamantly.
“Oh, but you are. I can see it in your eyes.”
Lydia silently cursed her inability to dissemble. Her twin sister, Lucinda, was far better at it. Of course, if she were here, and not with her new husband and his family, Lucinda would see right through her as well.
“Lord Tempest is considerably older than me.” Lydia felt the need to defend something that never was and never would be. “Twelve years, actually. But I didn’t think age mattered if two people were truly in love.”
“It’s not his age that’s the problem. And you’re right, it doesn’t matter. Baxter is older than me by nine years. And even if it did, you seem far more mature than most girls your age. You are something of an old soul. But I have a hard time picturing you with him. You are so… optimistic and well-mannered and sweet, and he… is not.”
“He used to be—in his own way.” She pinched her lips together. “Our families were close, before Lucas and Naomi…”
“But that is hardly your fault.”
“I agree, believe me. But he is holding it against all of us.” His turnabout simply didn’t make sense. He’d attended the wedding; he’d given the couple his blessing. “At least, I think that’s what it is.”
