His lips twitched.
“What?”
“I rather thought you fancied him after that bouquet.”
“Flattered, after the bouquet. But after the assembly ...”
He waited, silent.
“After the assembly, I have realized even a friendship might be difficult to create with Mr. Cross.”
Graham grinned, then sat up and slid down the boulder. He lifted his hand for me to join him. “Is it odd that hearing that brings me great joy?”
I took his hand and slid until my feet touched the rocky ground. “You hate him so much?”
Graham tucked my hand safely in the crook of his arm. “Surprisingly, no. Not that.”
But instead of elaborating, he waved to an older gentleman and his wife, then led me up a small path to the land overlooking the shore.
ChapterTwenty-Four
Graham
A thousand apologies, Cross,I thought smugly to myself as Anna clung to my arm for support. As happy as that revelation made me, another realization crept in—if Anna did not want a man as wealthy and secure as Cross, how could she possibly returnmyfeelings?
Mr. Lane would return tomorrow. I wanted to speak with Anna openly, but not before she had another man’s protection to escape to, and certainly not before I had a moment to explain, to ingratiate myself with Mr. Lane.
I led Anna back up to the Steine, too afraid to say something that might spoil this otherwise perfect afternoon. Instead, I snuck glances as she marveled at birds dipping low, then flying off into the bright cerulean sky. I noted the softness in her eyes, mesmerized by the sway of the grass in the cool breeze. I walked her farther out to a shore between East and West Streets, where the locals to Brighton often met. No business today, so I couldn’t tell her about the economy nor the history of our fishing town. But I could show her.
Down to the base of the hill, where a slope of earth met the rocky shore, makeshift tents, carts, and various tables displayed an array of goods and local foods. At odd hours,smaller fishing boats brought back their modest catch, displaying it at reasonable prices in the market. Fishermen would set off for their living closer to sunset, which was still a few hours away.
Anna took her time, seeming to take everything in stride. She pointed out a little booth, and I followed.
“This is lovely,” she said, lifting up a little bracelet made of shells. “Did you find these shells here?”
A slender woman with a hopeful expression stood to meet Anna. “Yes, miss. All here.”
Anna grinned at me. “Wouldn’t Tabs just love this?”
My sister had already made several shell bracelets of her own, but I wouldn’t tell Anna that. “I do believe she would.”
“Allow me,” a raspy voice said.
Anna startled and dropped the bracelet onto the little booth’s table.
I knew that voice. I found the man’s outstretched hand first, filled with coin to purchase the bracelet, then his lion-head cane.
Mr. Lennox.
ChapterTwenty-Five
Anna
“Forgive me,” I said to the woman, who’d taken Mr. Lennox’s coin and was placing the bracelet in a paper bag. Then I turned to face him.
“What are you doing here?” I demanded in a low voice, seething and stalking away from the other shoppers. Luckily, I saw no one else I knew, but that did not mean others did not know me. “I have told you—”
Mr. Lennox kept my pace, followed closely by Graham, until we were well on our own down the shoreline. “There is an urgent matter we must discuss.” His attention flicked to Graham. “In private.”
