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Emily and Nettie linked arms. Millie turned toward Asquith and Lenora.
Asquith subtly shook his head. Millie lifted a brow, glanced sympathetically at Lenora, and then joined Nettie and Emily.
Lenora scowled. Traitor.
Asquith offered her his arm. When she laid a hand against his sleeve, she nearly sighed.
Why did touching him make her feel so secure when talking to him filled her stomach with butterflies?
Why couldn’t she develop a tendre for Preston, who was a lovely, promising gentleman who held her in high esteem and didn’t leave her feeling breathless and confused?
As they strolled along in silence, the distance between the two of them and her sisters grew. He was intentionally making his steps heavy and slow. Anticipating the inevitable questions, she chose to address him preemptively.
“Are you angry with me?” she asked.
“Should I be?”
“I’ve missed two meetings. On purpose.”
He covered her hand. His injured pinky curled around her glove’s edge. “I’m disappointed, but I cannot stay angry with you.” His voice was heartbreakingly gentle. “Besides, I deserve your censure. I was frustrated and I snapped at you. Is that why you have been avoiding me?”
She did not answer. Instead, she looked straight ahead.
“Tell me about the stables at Asquith Park,” she said.
He frowned. “You’ve seen the stables at Asquith Park many times.”
“Yes. And I heard stories of them from my mother throughout my childhood. I know all about the buildings...” She hesitated. “But I can only guess what the stables mean to you.”
A muscle in his arm flexed. She feared she’d angered him again but pressed on. She had to know.
“Do you breed your horses?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“Racers?”
“Not yet, but I hope to do so in the future.”
“Exciting,” she said, not feeling excited at all. “I understand the endeavor can be quite expensive.”
He did not answer right away. His silence fed her fears.
“Have you been talking to Amelia?” he asked.
She flashed him a glance, checking for the kind of fury he’d shown the last time he’d asked that question. He showed no sign of anger. Instead, he appeared curious. Curious and knowing.
Oh dear.
“Only in the most general sense,” she answered.
“If I am correctly divining, what you’d really like to know is whether my estate profits have been going back into the stables. The answer is yes.”
“Then things are... as I suspected?”
“No. I don’t believe they are. Lenora...” His voice fell again, this time to a whisper. “I would like nothing more than to explain, but we cannot speak openly on the street. I need to meet with you. Privately.”
She read longing in his gaze and her heart panged. She shook her head.
