“And you have been half in love with him for ages,” Hazel agreed.
“Phineasis Aberdeen Jones?” asked Tiffany. “Who is Aberdeen Jones? What a ridiculous name. Were we not speaking about him last Friday evening?”
Shouldering her mallet, the game forgotten, Bonnie waved her sister into silence and moved to stand in front of Olive. “So why were you up all night worrying, if Phineas is such a paragon of virtue?”
“Because,” whispered Tiffany loudly, “he did not come to her bed last night.Honestly, I have to explain everything.”
Willow cleared her throat. “Noone should be coming to our Olive’s room.”
Leave it to her to pass judgement. “He did not come to my room last night,” Olive agreed carefully.
“But…?” prompted Hazel.
Oh goodness, this blush was going to consume her, wasn’t it? Olive doubted she should confess the full story—especially not with Willow listening—but she felt desperate for advice. Pulling her arm from Tiffany’s, she twined her fingers together, grateful for the distraction.
“Yesterday, Phineas…um.” A deep breath. “He walked me back to my room after…I lost my spectacles.”
She didn’t want to bring up the encounter with Phineas’s sweet-looking little nephew. He must have been the son of his brother Lysander, or perhaps the new American brother he’d mentioned. The lad had been cute, and had given her a hug which made her insides melt—just before he’d stolen her glasses.
“Oh, I thought you were wearing a different pair,” Bonnie announced with a nod. “I like this pair better.”
“Iwondered where you two had disappeared to after the river walk,” Willow announced sternly, crossing her arms. “It was a terrible place for a walk, but I was glad to get outside, and I remember thinking, ‘Oh, Olive is likely enjoying this,’ but when I looked around, you were gone!”
Tiffany was peering knowingly at her. “He walked you back to your room and…? He kissed you?”
Olive felt her blush climbing her neck. “I kissed him,” she whispered.
“What else?” Hazel whispered as well, leaning closer.
“Um…” Olive peeked up at her sister. “He…uh, touched me.”
With a quiet whoop, Hazel pumped her fist into the air as Bonnie and Tiffany straightened with happy smiles.
“And did you like it?” Bonnie asked gently.
Olive nodded, not certain she wanted to admit to just howmuchhe’d touched her, and howmuchshe’d enjoyed it.
“But after…” She shook her head. “I didn’t see him again, all afternoon.”
“Hmm.” Tiffany tapped her chin as she bent to retrieve Hazel’s mallet. “He must have a good reason, Olive. I do not think he is the kind of man who would abandon a woman.”
Yes, come to think of it, many of Aberdeen Jones’sAdventureshad mentioned the women he’d met in foreign lands, and the help he’d given them. He’d gone on so many adventures, and… Olive stifled her sigh. How she’d always longed to go on adventures like his, but would it ever actually happen? Phineas hadn’t returned, after all.
Phineas Oliphant is a good man. Have a little faith!
It was impossible to deny. And her friends were right; Phineas wasn’t the kind to abandon her, especially not after what they’d shared.
Right?
“Olive, do you love him?” Bonnie asked.
“I think…” Olive tipped her head back, staring once more at the roofline of Dumpkins Manor as she chewed on her lower lip and tried to lie to herself. “I think I could.”
I think Ido.
IknowI do.
Her body still thrummed with bliss at the memory of his touch, and even now, even with how uncertain she was, she still wanted to be near him.
