“My Lord, you are blithering.”
“I am a bit, aren’t I?” He scratched the back of his neck nervously. “Would you like to come with me? I would invite a chaperone of course, and I assure you, it would be nothing but a friend helping another friend to use up a ticket. I spent money on the event, we might as well use them.”
Emily was saddened a little, feeling her fingers busy themselves with the teacup. Was it truly so horrible to have hoped he would have asked her to go as something other than a friend?
“I would love to go.” She found the words falling from her lips anyway. “I love that play.”
“Wonderful.” Lord Tattershall seemed instantly at ease again. “You have taken a weight of worry off my mind.”
I wish I could say the same.Yet her mind was restless now. Knowing she was to attend the theatre would only give her family hope of an attachment between the two of them, where there was clearly no hope to be had.
The tea passed quickly and when it became time for Lord Tattershall to say goodbye, he went round the whole family, leaving Emily until last.
“I will send word about the theatre,” he said quietly.
“Let me tell my parents.” She hurried to add. “I would hate for my mother to get excited without reason.”
“I would pretend to be stunned, but I am not. My mother will probably be just as excited when I tell her.” He laughed and bowed to her. “Until next time, Lady Emily.”
“Goodbye.” She curtsied, finding herself unable to address him as Lord Tattershall as he wandered off down the garden path to leave. She felt she knew him so well by now that addressing him as such was too formal. She wished there was something else she could call him altogether.
As Lord Tattershall reached halfway down the path, he looked back, offering her a wave. She returned it eagerly, just as Julia came to her side. Emily was not sure how long she waved. It was long enough that Julia grabbed her arm and encouraged her to lower it again.
“Too long?” Emily asked.
“A little,” Julia said in a whisper. “I must say, for two people who profess not to be courting and have no interest in one another, you and Lord Tattershall seem incapable of talking to anyone but each other.”
“Hardly!” Emily insisted. “That is simply in your mind. It is something you wish to see.”
“You think so?” Julia asked, just as Arthur walked past them. “Arthur, love?”
“Yes?” He turned back, taking Julia’s hand as he came to her side.
“Emily and I are having a little discussion I would like your thoughts on.”
“Even if you get Arthur to agree with you, it will not make the matter anymore real,” Emily said tiredly, shaking her head. “I have told you before, his heart belongs to another.”
“I am going to take a reliable guess here and say we are talking of Lord Tattershall.” Arthur looked mightily pleased with himself at his guess.
“I think they are lying to us.” Julia declared in a fake whisper, making Emily roll her eyes. “They both seem to enjoy each other’s company more than anyone else here. Yet Emily says there is nothing between them. She says she is not interested!”
Emily knew she had said nothing of the latter. She felt something tighten in her chest as she looked at the path once more down which Lord Tattershall had disappeared. She was interested, immensely so. Yet what did that matter?
Emily looked back when she felt a gaze upon her, seeing Arthur was watching her closely. He did not say anything at all, but she felt he read her thoughts.
“What do you think, Arthur? Are they keeping an attachment secret from us?” Julia asked.
“Some secret it would be. We have all noticed how close they are. No, sadly.” He shook his head. “I am in agreement with Emily, though I wish I was not. Lord Tattershall is a good man. If he wished to court Emily, he would say as much. They are simply good friends.”
“Exactly.” Emily felt the truth of the words sadden her further.
It did not seem to matter to her own foolish heart what she knew to be the truth, it thudded harder when Lord Tattershall was near anyway.
“Come on, there are more guests we need to say goodbye to.” Arthur hurried Julia away. After she had gone a distance, Arthur hurried back to Emily’s side, making her jump. “Tell me you are not in danger of being in love with him.”
“Arthur!” Emily tried to swat him away. “How can you say such a thing? I barely know the man.”
“True. Yet after the second time I met Julia, I was practically reduced to a bumbling fool.” At his words, Emily raised her eyebrows, showing him that the jest she could make was all too easy. “Yes, I know, you want to say something along the lines of I always had the propensity to be one.”
