"For what it’s worth," Emma Atherton began, settling into the opposite window seat, "I believe you, Miss Corinna."
"Thank you, Emma," Cori said, casting Cait a look from the corner of her eye. “That means a great deal, more than you will ever know.”
“Oh for pity’s sake.” Cait scoffed. "You are supposed to be neutral, Emma.”
"I am neutral," Emma said. "I simply believe Miss Corinna in this instance."
Cara made a sound that was not quite a laugh as she took the spot beside her friend. “Be careful, Emma. There are no winners in this debate. It’s been waged for nearly a dozen years.”
“And we will continue to wage it until I am vindicated,” Cait said with a slightly sour expression on her face.
Then people began drifting into the sitting room, in ones and twos, without announcement or arrangement. The Duchess of Hythe arrived with Lady Upwell and claimed the settee nearest the fire, and within minutes the pair found themselves at odds about flowers for the wedding. Lady Upwell had strong views about white roses while the duchess had even stronger views about heather. Lady Upwell was coming around, but very slowly.
After a bit, a calm settled across the room before Mrs. Fairleigh stumbled upon the group and joined them. She claimed a chair near the window seat and was drawn into the discussion about wedding flowers. After agreeing with the duchess, her gaze swept over the room before landing quite firmly on Cori as though she was searching for the answer to a question that had yet to be asked.
It was unnerving. So, Cori looked out at the moors.
Mrs. Fairleigh cleared her throat. "So, Daniel wrote that you grew up in Bermuda.”
Cori glanced back at the lady who was, thankfully, now focused on Cait.
“What is it like?”
“Warm,” Cara blurted out at the same moment Cait said, “Warmer.”
Mrs. Fairleigh laughed. “This has been an unseasonably cold summer for us this year.”
“Even so,” Cait began, “Bermuda has always been warmer. It’s louder too.”
“Louder?”
“In the best way,” Cait hastened to explain. “The harbor before dawn sounds like the whole world is awake and working. The light is different too. Everything back home is saturated with color." She shrugged slightly. "Papa used to say Bermuda spoils you for anywhere else."
"Was he right?"
"About most things," Cara added.
A genuine smile lit up Mrs. Fairleigh’s face. "You’ll go back," she said. "After the wedding. Daniel has written of little else."
"He wants to see it," Cait said. "He says he wants to understand what made me."
Something twinkled in Mrs. Fairleigh light eyes. “That sounds exactly like my brother." Then she turned her attention back to Cori. “And you, Miss Corinna? Will you go back as well?”
"I haven't yet decided," Cori said.
Which was true. Originally, she’d only come for Cara’s wedding, but then Cait had met Lord Daniel, and… The truth was Cori wasn’t certain where she belonged anymore. Cara had her life with Darling. Cait and Daniel would take up residence at the home in Bermuda and Cori would…remain with the Hythes? She didn’t want to do that forever. When she’d spotted James at the Plumstead ball, she’d thought perhaps it was sign that her future lay in England. But now…
Oh, she didn’t know what she thought.
Who changed the course of their life because they spotted someone across a crowded ballroom? No one of sense, and Cori had always thought she had a great deal of sense.
Of course, ever since she’d arrived at Acklan…Well, it felt like she belonged there. But was that just nonsensical fancy? James hadn’t given her any indication that he meant to court her or that he even thought much about her other than her workable knowledge about drainage issues. Then again, he had asked her to call him James, which she had only done in private. He'd said it was because they were nearly family. If she thought there was more to it than that, if she thought he might think of her as something beyond the connection their families shared…
Cori heaved out a sigh.
Then she wished she hadn’t when the whole room focused on her.
"That is, Bermuda will always be there," she said, and turned back to the window wishing the answer to all her questions could be found looking at the horizon.
