“Yes, Aunt Louisa’s begonias have bloomed beautifully, perhaps overnight. I’ll have to tell her and bring her down to look at them later.”
From the corner of her eye, Lily saw a flutter of something work over Lockhart’s face at the mention of his mother. Some worry, perhaps a little pain.
She found herself wondering about it, even though his tone was neutral as he said, “She’d love that. You two green thumbs can talk gardens for hours.” He glanced up at the house. “I believe breakfast will be served soon. Might I return with you?”
“Please,” Clarissa said, motioning him to join them.
Lily stiffened. It seemed there was no escaping this now. She would simply have to ensure he didn’t recognize her. Not that he appeared to have any ability to do so. She had been, it seemed, utterly forgettable to him, and not just because she’d worn a mask. He didn’t recognize her eyes or her voice, nor the way she moved, nothing at all.
Which made her wonder how many women had been had and forgotten by him. And what did that mean for her sister’s future? Or at least that’s what she tried to wonder rather than allow for sharp jealousy at the thought. She had no right to it.
She drew a breath and began to walk with the two of them up the path, hoping Lockhart would stay focused on his cousin rather than her. It didn’t seem to be in the cards, though, for he leaned around Clarissa slightly and said, “I must say, Mrs. Manning, your sister speaks very highly of you.”
Lily wondered what Alice would say if she knew the tangled truth, but kept her eyes on the path. “Oh, that’s lovely. I do adore Alice.”
Both Clarissa and Lockhart seemed to be waiting for her add more to that statement and normally she would have, but this time she kept her thoughts to herself. Lockhart did not appear to be deterred by her silence. “You two grew up in Briar Grange, yes? Out in Sussex?”
Lily pursed her lips, both happy and horrible memories of her home flooding her. “We did.”
Now Lily felt him staring at her and realized Clarissa was, as well. Her short answers seemed to surprise them both and why wouldn’t they? It was bordering on impolite and neither of them would understand why her attitude had suddenly changed after her friendliness toward Clarissa.
Happily they had reached the house now and quickly moved to the breakfast room where the others were beginning to gather, including Alice. She faced them both, still trying to keep her gaze from Lockhart’s. “Thank you for the wonderful tour of the garden, Clarissa. And-and for your welcome company, my lord. Please excuse me. I’ll join my sister.”
She inclined her head and ducked away, feeling both their stares on her back as she did so. His gaze, especially, felt heavy on her and she let out a shaky breath as she reached Alice and greeted her. How in the world could she navigate this?
She had to figure it out. And soon.
* * *
It had been a few hours since George’s encounter with Mrs. Manning…Lily, he was beginning to think of her as since everyone else seemed to call her that over and over. She was rather like a lily actually. Beautiful, startling and temperamental. He didn’t understand her, nor her odd and almost hostile behavior toward him.
Even now as the company gathered in the parlor, drinking tea and playing cards, she seemed to look at anyone in the room but him. Like she was hiding, or at least trying to do so. But that only made him want to…to chase her. Find her. Uncover the secret of why.
The obvious answer would be Miss Westinghouse, of course. Lily obviously adored her younger sister, one only had to have eyes in their head to see that. And Miss Westinghouse had called her a second mother, so that meant she would be protective. It was likely the answer to his questions was that she doubted him and his intentions. And yet she made no effort to question him or ensure he was a good match. Perhaps it was up to him to answer for those unspoken hesitations, in order to put her at ease.
His mother stepped up then, thankfully interrupting his brood. “Are you so focused on your future bride then?”
He started. Lilywasstanding with Miss Westinghouse. He had hardly noticed his intended at her side. He glanced at his mother. “Just thinking,” he said, dodging the question.
She held his gaze for a moment and then looked toward the two women, herself. “I couldn’t help but note there is a little tension between you and Mrs. Manning.”
He shrugged. There was no denying that fact to his mother. She was far too keen an observer to pretend facts away. “Yes, I’ve felt that too. I cannot imagine why she would think negatively toward me. I never met the woman before yesterday afternoon.” He didn’t add that it somehow felt like hehadmet her before. “I wonder if she doesn’t approve the match for some reason.”
His mother frowned deeply. “I hope that isn’t true. She may have no say in the arrangements, but judging from your Alice’s adoration of her sister, Mrs. Manning’s opinionscouldinfluence her. It would behoove you to soften the woman to you. Perhaps show her that you have a care for Alice.”
George almost laughed, for he didn’t know how to prove something that felt so untrue. He wanted no harm to ever come to the young woman he would wed, he certainly wished her to be happy and knew that would be his duty in the future. But there was nothing beyond that, no matter how hard he hoped that would change. Lord knew he kept trying to summon a true care and could not.
“Yes,” he managed to croak out.
His mother glanced at the women again and then nodded, as if she’d come to some decision. “I’ll seat you next to Mrs. Manning at supper.”
He jolted at the idea, but then nodded. “Er, yes. Good. And I will put on all my charm to change whatever poor opinion she may have of me.”
“I’m certain you will,” his mother said with a little dry smile. “I should have made your middle name Charming.”
“Instead of Philip Peter Littleton,” he said. “Honestly it would be less of a silly mouthful.”
His mother laughed as she briefly rested her head on his arm. He slid that same arm around her and squeezed gently. She felt so small to him, thinner than usual. And this mattered to her. His future mattered. So he would do whatever he needed to do to make it happen the way she wished it to. Even if that meant overcoming whatever problem it was that plagued Lily Manning.
