"In Cornwall?" Cathy said quietly. "I'm not sure the climate would—"
"Climate's just a mindset," Georgina announced confidently. "With the right attitude, you can make anything work."
Victoria saw Cathy's professional mask slip for just a moment, revealing a flash of genuine incredulity, and had to press her napkin to her mouth to hide a snort of laughter.
The meal continued. Victoria found herself stealing glances at Sasha, who was navigating Lady Alexandra's continued subtle questioning with impressive grace. She really was quite beautiful in a way that Victoria really hadn’t considered before. Sort of… magnetic. All innocence and yet… there was something underneath...
"—and naturally, one hopes that Ambrose's friends understand the importance of… stability," Lady Alexandra was saying delicately.
"I think stability's overrated," Sasha replied with a grin. "Some of the most interesting people I know are the ones who took risks, who weren't afraid to change direction when something wasn't working."
Victoria felt herself flush.
"Though I suppose," Sasha continued thoughtfully, "true stability comes from knowing yourself well enough to make good choices, doesn't it? Rather than just following someone else's idea of what you should want."
Victoria’s flush extended down well below her neckline.
WHEN LUNCH FINALLY ended and people began dispersing to various afternoon activities, Victoria lingered on the terrace, ostensibly to finish her coffee but actually to watchSasha help clear the table with easy efficiency. She moved naturally in the space, comfortable with the family rhythm in a way that suggested she genuinely belonged here.
"Don’t mess this up for me, Vic." Ambrose’s voice came from behind her.
She turned, then sighed. "Wasn’t planning on it."
"Good." He raked a hand through his hair. "I don’t often get the chance to be a good boy, so I’m grabbing this one with both hands."
"Not the only thing you’re grabbing with both hands," she couldn’t help but say.
Ambrose groaned. "Listen, it’s just a few more days. Then I’ll come clean and you can do as you please, I’ll make a move on Lukas, and everyone will go back to being disappointed in me, alright?"
She opened her mouth to protest that she’d never been disappointed in her baby brother, but he was already marching into the hall. She sighed again, shaking her head, then catching a glimpse of Sasha as she made her way back down to the gardens. The afternoon light caught her hair, and Victoria felt that familiar flutter in her stomach.
Tonight, she decided, she was definitely taking a sleeping pill. Because another night of lying awake listening to Sasha breathe, thinking about the way she'd defended herself at lunch and the confident set of her shoulders and the curve of her smile when she thought no one was looking, would probably finish Victoria off entirely.
At least unconsciousness was a solution to the problem of wanting things she had no business wanting.
Though as solutions went, it felt distinctly like taking the easy option.
Chapter Twelve
The third sleepless night in Victoria's room was, Sasha decided, officially taking the piss.
She'd tried everything: counting sheep, counting roses, counting the reasons why fantasizing about her best friend's sister was a terrible idea. She'd even attempted some of those breathing exercises Ambrose swore by, though they'd only made her more aware of the soft, rhythmic sounds coming from the actual bed six feet away.
By dawn, she was ready to admit defeat. She was becoming obsessed, and obsession, in her limited experience, was generally a precursor to doing something spectacularly stupid.
What she needed was advice. What she needed was her best friend to tell her she was being ridiculous and to get a grip on herself before she completely humiliated herself. Unfortunately, what she found when she went looking for Ambrose was an empty bedroom and a hastily made bed that suggested he'd been up early for reasons that probably involved looking at Lukas in the morning light.
She found herself wandering the grounds aimlessly, dodging garden sprinklers and trying not to think about the way Victoriahad looked when she slept. Which sounded creepy, now that she thought about it.
Christ, she was pathetic.
The greenhouse appeared through the morning mist like a sanctuary, all glass and green growing things and blissfully free of complicated Sullivan family members. Sasha slipped inside and immediately felt some of the tension leave her shoulders. There was something soothing about the humid air and the smell of earth and growing things.
"Couldn't sleep either?"
Sasha jumped, spinning around to find Sir Archibald emerging from behind a towering display of orchids. He was wearing ancient gardening clothes and had soil under his fingernails, looking more relaxed than she'd ever seen him.
"Sorry," she said quickly. "I didn't mean to intrude. I was just…"
