“As a widow, I would never have thought to disrespect my husband’s memory by attending a party so soon after his death.”
It took Lyra a moment to recover from her initial shock at such a rude comment, but when she did, she lifted her chin a notch. “Then I suppose that is where we differ, Lady Franheim. I don’t consider it offensive in the least, most notably when he didn’t care to respect me when he was alive. But I suppose if you wish to be so narrow-minded, we don’t have to associate with one another. Personally, I don’t mind avoiding you.”
She had the satisfaction of seeing Lady Franheim’s eyes widen in surprise, before Lyra turned on her heel and walked away. Her heart was pounding, for she had never been so bold or outspoken before, but as her own experiences were teaching her, life was too short to worry about others’ opinions.
* * *
Alister pulled back on the reins of his horse, slowing his mount to a walk once he reached the village of Chatham. His face felt wind-blown and chapped from the brisk ride, the chill in the air still evident by mid-afternoon. His great coat flapped in the wind, and he clenched his teeth together to keep them from chattering.
He didn’t know what he’d been thinking when he’d decided to ride horseback from his estate to the village, as opposed to taking his coach, which would have protected him from the elements. He only knew that he was on a mission in figuring out the last of the code. He was hoping this biting journey into Chatham would clear his head and provide him with the means to uncover what Roger Coventry had been trying so hard to hide.
Along the way, he’d had to admire the greenery and holiday trimmings being showcased along the storefront windows. He’d been so preoccupied with the case that he hardly remembered the Christmas season was nearly upon him. He normally opened his doors at Thorn Hall and held a ball for gentry and commoner alike to celebrate the season, but he had to admit that his heart simply wasn’t in it this year.
He hated how he’d parted from Lyra, and he wore that guilt like a noose around his neck.
Suddenly, as he was passing a glove shop, he abruptly stilled. As if he’d dared to conjure Lyra from thin air, there she was. At first he wondered if his eyes weren’t deceiving him, for what reason could she possibly have for venturing this far from London? But then he realized that Lyra wasn’t alone, for he spied Lady Eversleigh coming out of the shop behind her. As they took off down the street, they met up with a handful of other women—and that’s when it all made sense.
Thiswas Euphemia’s house party.
A perfect idea hit him, but he rejected it just as quickly. It would be so easy for him to procure his own invitation to Lord and Lady Harville’s, for they had been neighbors for years. It would certainly be much easier for his current quest, but being in such close proximity to Lyra would only put him in the path of certain disaster. He needed to steer clear of her, even if it meant finding another way to accomplish his goal.
But just when he was about to convince himself he’d made the right decision and move on, a flash of purple caught his eye. At first he thought he’d merely caught sight of Euphemia’s hideous turban, but then he realized he’d caught a glimpse of Lyra’s head. While the rest of her lovely body was still covered in unrelenting black, she’d dared to don just a touch of color.
It was the bonnet he’d bought for her.
In that moment, Alister made a choice. For good or ill, he turned his horse around and returned to Thorn Hall.
* * *
Lyra had to smile as she inspected the new purple gloves that she’d just slipped on. They were an early Christmas present from her mother, and she couldn’t have been more pleased. They matched her bonnet perfectly.
But then again, she tried not to dwell on where she’d gottenthat, even if she’d worn it with that particular man in mind.
“I guess Euphemia was impressed that you stood up to her,” her mother said, “for she’s been nothing but accommodating all morning.”
“It’s strange, isn’t it?” Lyra murmured. “She actually became quite chatty when she saw my bonnet. Who would have guessed her favorite color was purple as well?”
“You might just win her over after all,” Lady Eversleigh replied. “But then you always had such an agreeable personality.”
Lyra glanced curiously at her mother. “Really?”
“Oh, yes.” Lavinia sighed. “While I loved all of my children equally, Margaret was the eldest and terribly spoiled, and Roarke was the heir, but you…” The dowager shrugged. “You were so sweet-natured.”
Lyra rolled her eyes. “I always thought I was a hellion.”
“You were precious. The moment you were born, your golden curls made me think of an angel.” Lavinia’s eyes turned misty, though she quickly blinked the moisture away. “Let’s catch up to the others, shall we? If not, we might just freeze where we stand.”
Lyra felt her own tears threaten as she watched her mother climb into the Harville coach. Her words had touched something inside her, for Lyra had never known the dowager to display such emotion before. It was surprising, but at the same time, it gave her hope they could finally gain a lasting bond that had been missing in her youth.
Once all the ladies had returned to the manor, Lord Harville greeted them with a wide grin. “Welcome back. I hope that your shopping excursion was plentiful.” He strode forward and gave his wife a chaste peck on the cheek. “Except for you, my dear, of course.” As he gave her a teasing wink, causing the others to laugh, Lyra just smiled.
“How is the hunt going?” his wife asked.
“The last I saw, Sir Peadmont was the only one lucky enough to flush out a pheasant,” Lord Harville replied. “I merely came back to see how your afternoon went. I know you’re anxious to settle in for tea, and as much as it pains my pride, I should be returning to the men.”
As he left, the ladies dispersed to go to their rooms to change. Lyra also went to her chamber, but since she saw no point in putting on another dress when everything she had was black, she decided to lie down and try to rest instead. A weariness had washed over her ever since their arrival the day before. She knew that the long drive in the cold was partly to blame, but then it was hard to sleep peacefully whenever Alister’s face was always there to taunt her when she closed her eyes.
She wished she could see him again and apologize for the sour way they’d parted. Now that she’d had some time for her anger time to subside, she realized that she had no reason to get so upset in the first place. She might have felt that he’d betrayed her, but the fact was, Alister owed her nothing. He’d made no empty promises. In reality, the only thing hehaddone was save her from the Tower and employ the services of one of the most respected barristers in London to plead her case.
