Ginny grinned.
I narrowed my gaze. “Not too cold this morning?”
Anna looked like she was trying desperately not to laugh, her eyes bouncing from Ginny to her plate and back. “The sun warmed us adequately.”
“Morethan adequately,” added Ginny.
I huffed out a breath, already exhausted by their mystery. “Dare I ask?” I looked to my mother.
She smiled as she forked a square of egg. “Miss Lane received a lovely bouquet this morning.”
“From Mr.Cross!” Ginny declared happily, wiggling in her seat.
“Ah,” was all I could think to say, despite the sudden boiling of my insides. Anthony Cross was every woman’s dream with enough generational wealth to rival the Lanes. He must’ve seen Anna’s name in the papers declaring her arrival. I focused on spearing a bite of plum cake.
Ginny sat back in her chair. “His card said he hopes to see us tonight at the assembly.”
I sniffed, then on instinct, looked to Anna for her reaction. She watched me, waiting.
Ginny could not temper her extraordinary enthusiasm. And for what? She didn’t even know the man! “He offered his carriage should Miss Lane wish to attend the assembly alone.”
My spine stiffened, fork poised midair. That cod-brained, loose in the haft—
“What do you say, Graham?” Mother prompted.
What did I say? A resoundingnoto Cross.How dare he direct his intentions to Anna and not write tome, her host. A cut, if ever I’d seen one. To me, and to my family. He wantedAnna without having to go through me, without the association of my family.
Anna took small bites, decidedly avoiding my gaze. Did she see it? Or did she simply not care?
I clenched my teeth and inhaled a solemn breath to relax my jaw. “Should we all wish to go, there would be no need for Miss Lane to travel alone.”
Ginny scoffed. “Of course we want to go. All of us, together. Don’t we, Anna?”
“Perhaps Miss Lane would like the chance to go alone?” Mother asked innocently.
Anna looked up and smiled. A frustrating smile I could not decipher. Did she fancy Mr. Cross?
She seemed to feel our stares and startled. “Oh. No. We can attend, all of us, together.”
Did she wish to? I did not want to force her hand for my sake. “We don’t have to,” I said, as nonchalantly as I could. I even shrugged a shoulder for the full effect. “If you’d rather take Cross’s offer.”
Mother cleared her throat, and I could’ve sworn she hid her own grin.
“We could dress together!” Ginny added generously. She had not touched her food as though her appetite depended on Anna’s answer.
“I hate him,” Tabs said from her end of the table. “Mr. Cross.”
“Tabitha,” Mother scolded.
Every muscle in my jaw worked against a smile.Me too, Tabs.
Anna speared a bite of fruit. “Miss Ryan would be happyto see you, I am sure, Mr. Everett. She wanted you to attend, remember?”
I raised a brow at her, our stares holding as we both took our respective bites. Why should I care about Miss Ryan? Why shouldshe? “I shall have to ask her to dance.”
Mother’s foot stepped lightly on mine under the table. “What fun!” she said.
But, after a few bites, when I looked up, Anna was frowning.
