“It was my pleasure, I’m sure.” She flashed her relatives a faux-withering look as another giggle escaped Rose, and George wheezed, happily so.
“By the look of the clock, I see I’m due at the operating theatre in half an hour,” Mr Alwyn graciously refocused everyone’s attention. “So I will bid you all farewell until tomorrow.”
Lindy murmured her goodbye, choosing to stay behind while Aunt Rose saw him out. As she plumped a pillow and placed it under her uncle’s head, George reached up with his left hand to pat her cheek. He had always been kind but this show of affection rather surprised her.
“Such a good girl…you are.”
“Good at making a fool of myself,” she replied, still feeling the drag of the thread on her lip. “I’ve never been more embarrassed in all of my life.”
He dismissed her shame with a little wave, his lopsided smile looking especially sly. “I think that fellow is…quite taken with you.”
Belinda’s heart thumped, but she shook her head. “You mistake his purpose. He comes here to seeyou.”
“Don’t play coy, poppet…I’m not blind…to these matters.”
Oh uncle, if you knew how hard I must work to quieten my heart, you would not stir it up with this!
George’s face creased with concern. “I see I have…disturbed you. If you dislike him…there will be others…and ifnone of them please you…you may remain with your mother…and me always, dear Nelly.”
Her cousin’s name crashed in Belinda’s ears like a crack of thunder.
He doesn’t even know to whom he is speaking! And here I stand, regarding figments as facts!
“Nelly? Have I…upset you?”
George’s wondering eyes were still upon her. His hair was mussed, his face loose in its strange, new asymmetry. She’d never seen him appear so vulnerable.
Poor uncle.Belinda forced a smile.
“No. No, not at all,” she said patting his hand. “Why don’t you rest now?”
Ease spread across his face, and he let his eyes drift shut.
I won’t worry Aunt Rose with this, as she was pleased to tell me earlier that she’d had a ‘real conversation’ with him,Belinda thought, going towards the door.
Tired of always having to think through everything so thoroughly, she went downstairs to the parlour. Seated at the escritoire, Rose looked up from what she was writing.
“Something came for you, Lindy. It’s on the table there.”
Lifting a small envelope, Belinda settled onto the window-seat, and read:
My dear Miss Everson —
Please forgive my forwardness at sending this note, but I am eager to know if you have spoken to your auntabout attending the Adelphi with us on Friday. Mamma has heard this particular burletta is rollicking fun! Oh, please do say you’ll come, Miss Everson! Mrs Caspar is invited as well if she is wanting to join in.
Your troublesome friend,
Dora Hartley
“From the Hartleys, I presume?” Rose asked.
“Yes. I meant to tell you they’ve invited me to the theatre,” Belinda replied just as Minnie came in through the doorway.
With a faint clearing of her throat, the maid announced, “Anne and Clarice Chaffee have come to call, ma’am.”
A faint thud sounded. Turning, Lindy saw that Aunt Rose’s eyes were wide, and the pen she had been holding lay at her feet on the carpet.
“Anne and Clariceare here? How did they find us?”
