I jumped out of bed, tugged on a shirt, stockings, and yanked up my breeches, throwing a banyan on over my clothes. Who on earth were they talking about?
“Not quite,” Anna replied, but I could not match her tone to an expression.
A door closed.
I tugged on my boots. Something had transpired, and as their brother, and as Anna’s host, I ought to know! Daresay, Ineededto know! But by the time I opened my door, they were already downstairs, and the doors—notably, Anna’s—were all shut.
Dash it all.
Fully dressed, I found Roland and an otherwise empty house.
I rubbed a hand over my forehead.
“A headache, sir?”
“Not yet,” I replied, though I could feel one brewing.
I headed toward my study. A freshly drawn note waited on my desk, from Mother, saying they’d left for a walk before breakfast.
I drew in a long breath as I raked a hand over my face. Anna’s business was not my concern.A slow, deliberate exhale.Herheartwas not my concern.Another long, deep breath in.As long as she was safe, my duty toward her was fulfilled. My priority was the Brighton investment.
Time to work.
A stack of letters waited under Mother’s note. The topmost held a familiar scrawl—Mr. Lane. I drew out my spectacles, and a quick tear of the seal revealed a short missive:
E—
I plan to leave Bath tomorrow and shall arrive the day following for Anna. I hope all is well. More soon.
L
Excellent. We would have time to speak of the investment and arrange the purchasing of land. No need to respond to that one. I set aside Mr. Lane’s note and moved to the next.
I answered each missive in turn, then penned a letter to Tom about a few minor changes to my accounts, then wrote myself a few notes to keep my thoughts and priorities organized. Finished, I set my pen down and stretched my arms above my head.
My door swung wide. “Graham, come for breakfast!” Ginny said.
Finally.
“Who were you talking about this morning?” I asked, rounding my desk and pacing toward her. “Outside my door with Miss Lane and Tabs?”
Ginny’s eyes grew round, and a slight pink colored her cheeks. Then she wiggled her brows and turned on a heel.
“Ginny!” I called, impatient and annoyed, but she’d raced to the dining room, casting me a sly grin over her shoulder.
I took long steps that felt too eager, bounding into the room.
Anna had a plate she’d filled with fruit and eggs and toast, sitting next to my mother.
Tabs watched her every move, kicking her legs back and forth while she chewed on toast.
I picked out a slice of ham and filled my plate before taking a seat opposite Anna. “Your father wrote. He should arrive the day after next, as he’d hoped.”
She took a bite of egg and nodded.
“How was your walk?” I asked.
“Lovely,” Anna said brightly. Curiously brightly.
