Her grandmother turned and smiled brightly. “Are you ready to depart, dear?”
Emmie nodded. “As much as we would love to stay and visit more with you, we both have obligations back home.”
Georgia folded a cloth over the picnic basket and handed it to her. “I packed you a light lunch. I hope you don’t mind.”
Emmie grasped the handle of the basket. “You really should not have done this, Georgia. You have helped us so much already.”
“I know, but I would not feel right if I let you two leave for your long trip home without any food.” She walked closer and softly touched Emmie’s cheek. Tears gathered in her eyes. “Besides, it’s the least I can do for my own granddaughter.”
A gasp sprang from Emmie’s mouth, and her own eyes filled with tears. “How… how did you know?”
“Two reasons, actually. One, because you look too much like my family to not be related, and two, that handsome man of yours let it slip that Lady Sarah and her companion, Emiline, were staying at his uncle’s house for a while. Do you not think I would remember my own granddaughter?” She paused for just a second. “From the way I understand it, Broderick thinks Lady Sarah and Emiline are two different people. He doesn’t know you are the earl’s daughter. Am I correct?”
Emmie grasped her grandmother’s hand, panic flowing through her. “No, he doesn’t, and I want to keep him from knowing my true identity for now. It’s for my own safety. Please say nothing to him.”
Georgia tilted her head. “Tell me something, Emiline. Is Broderick your husband?”
Shame swept over Emmie, and she hung her head. “No.” Slowly she lifted her eyes and met her grandmother’s stare. “But let me assure you that nothing happened between us last night. If I hadn’t been in the downpour last night and chilled to the bone, I would have thought things out more clearly and asked for two separate rooms.” She sighed heavily. “I allowed Broderick to make the decision for me, which was wrong, I know.” She paused, then asked warily, “Do you believe me?”
“I believe you, only because God works in mysterious ways, and He led you to me last night. So who am I to pass judgment?”
“Georgia—”
“My dear child, please call me Grandmama. I would appreciate it very much.”
Emmie smiled. “All right, Grandmama. The reason I don’t want him knowing about my identity is because Father wanted me to switch roles for my own protection. Although I want to tell Broderick, I just don’t dare. Not yet, anyway.”
Georgia caressed Emmie’s cheek again. “I understand, but really soon Broderick is going to realize you aren’t who you have pretended to be.” She glanced out the window into the yard. “He has strong feelings for you, I can tell.”
Emmie’s heart fluttered. “Well, for now, I want him thinking of me as just Lady Sarah’s companion.”
Georgia nodded. “All right. I shall not say a word.”
Emmie threw her arms around her grandmother and gave her a big hug. “Do you know how much I missed having a grandmother when I was growing up?” Her voice broke with emotion as tears fell freely down her face.
Georgia held her tightly. “And I have missed my granddaughter.” She pulled away and looked into Emmie’s eyes. “Your mother missed you terribly, too. It broke her heart when she thought the two people she loved the most were dead.”
A lump formed in Emmie’s throat, and all she wanted to do was bawl her eyes out—to cry for not having a mother all of those years. “Grandmama? What happened? Father and I were toldhership was the one attacked by pirates.”
Sadness crossed Georgia’s face. “I wish I knew, dear. Daphne didn’t talk much about it. You will have to find out the whole story from her.”
“Do you think I should find her?”
“Oh yes, my dear. She will be overjoyed when she sees you. She hasn’t been the same since your death—or what she thought was your death.” She paused again, but only for a moment. “Does your father still love Daphne?”
“Oh, indeed. I still catch him staring at her picture. If we had known Mother was alive, Father would have moved heaven and earth to find her.” Emmie kissed the older woman’s cheek and pulled away. “I will find her, and thank you, Grandmama, for everything.”
“Good luck with that handsome man of yours.”
Emmie smiled. “I will definitely need it.”
*
Broderick hooked bothhorses to the buggy he’d purchased from Georgia. At first, she just offered it for his travels today, telling him she never used the vehicle, but he couldn’t go without giving her some kind of payment. Finally, he convinced her to take his money.
Emiline walked toward him carrying a basket, and his heart leapt. She now wore a cloak that matched her gown, with a white scarf over her hair, which, thankfully, didn’t hide much at all. Curses! How would he be able to handle being so close to her without wanting to take her in his arms and smother her with kisses? Her lips were sweet like honeysuckle, and her skin soft as a rose petal. Strange how in one day she’d turned from being a friend he took pleasure in teasing to a woman he wanted so much to pour his affections on.
She stood next to him, and he smiled. “I bought this buggy from Georgia. I hope you don’t mind if we take this instead.” He glanced at her gown again. “I thought this method of transportation would be easier because you are dressed as a princess.”
