Page 27 of Mirrors of the Past

‘They did.’

‘Then we can do a tour here.’ Sam smiled at her. ‘Or I can. I know you must miss home more than I do. If you really don’t want to stay, you know, you don’t have to. We can get you back to New York. Just let me know and we’ll book passage for you.’

There was nothing stopping her either staying or going. And she knew that if she did want to go home, she would go home, and she wouldn’t be reliant on her brother to book passage for her.

But Viola didn’t think she really wanted to. And she wasn’t sure why, although a tiny part of her had a huge suspicion . . .

But ugh!

‘I don’t know.’ Viola pulled a face. ‘I kind of want to go home — but there’s still a lot I want to see here too. Also, I want to see more of Pearl. And the babies.’

‘Pearl has said she’ll be happy to come see us over there. Says it’ll be good for the children to know their American heritage as well.’

‘Mmm. But, you know, there are people here I want to get to know more as well . . .’

‘Like?’

‘Like Elsie.’

‘And?’

‘Holly.’

‘And?’

‘Other people as well. I don’t know all their names yet. I quite possibly haven’t met them all yet.’

‘I see.’ Sam grinned. ‘Shall I ask Émile to pop across the Channel and see you as well? Seems like he wanted to get to know you more.’

In a very unladylike fashion, Viola threw a piece of bread at her brother. ‘No, thank you — you did enough. Poor man. I had to tell him I was only interested in friendship. I just can’t stand being . . .’ She searched for the word and the conversation she’d had at Elsie’s came back into her mind. ‘Adored.’ She screwed her face up. She knew how bad that sounded.

‘I can think of someone who doesn’t adore you,’ said Sam teasingly. ‘Laurie Teague.’

‘Don’t mention that man!’ Viola practically growled at her brother. ‘I’ve told you how rude he is.’ She had given him the potted history of what had happened at the ball.

Ugh.

‘I like him.’ Sam sat back in his seat and tossed the piece of bread up in the air, then caught it in his mouth and ate it.

Everybodyseemed to like Laurie! She reminded herself how annoying he was most of the time.

Every time she thought of the man, she found her pulse racing and her temper building. He annoyed her. He just rubbed her up the wrong way. No matter what he did, whatever situation they’d ever find themselves in, it seemed that he would always be destined to wind her up like a bobbin.

‘Some of the people I’ve met, though, I wouldn’t want to meet again,’ said Viola thoughtfully. She meant, of course, the hideous Richard.

‘Ah, yes. You do know what he was insinuating, don’t you, though?’ Sam raised his eyebrows. ‘Richard of Sussex or whoever he was.’

‘No, not at all. He was being disparaging about Elsie living away from Pencradoc, I think. That was about it.’

‘Oh, you are an innocent.’ Sam smiled at her. ‘Elsie and Louis aren’t married — that’s the scandal!’

Viola stared at him. She’d got that impression at the midsummer ball when it had all become quite chaotic — but hadn’t thought about it much afterwards. She presumed that they had perhaps married quietly in the aftermath, because that’s what people did, wasn’t it? Especially people in Elsie’s position . . .

‘Well.’ She didn’t know what else to say for a moment. It was actually quite shocking, but really — who else did it matter to? ‘I suppose that’s highly unusual, but . . .’ She verbalised her thoughts. ‘Of what interest is that to a room full of people at a ball?’

‘I suppose it depends on how very small these peoples’ lives are,’ replied Sam with a shrug. ‘Apparently Elsie’s mother lived in sin with Ruan Teague for a while as well. Had a few children before they got married. Laurie was one of them. That was the other thing your friend Richard was implying. And obviously why Laurie lost his temper with him.’

‘Richard was not my friend. And anyway, none of that changes my opinion of Elsie at all!’ said Viola, still indignant. ‘I like her. I like Louis. I like . . .’ She stopped abruptly.