“Emily, have you not noticed he has barely left your side since I introduced the two of you?” Julia asked, looping Emily’s arm through her own and escorting her from the room.
“He is a friend. That is all.”
“It is nothing more?”
“How can it be?” Emily asked hurriedly. “His heart belongs elsewhere.”
“Did he tell you as much?” Julia pulled them to a stop again, eying Emily so closely that she fidgeted under her stare.
“Yes. The first night I met him.”
“Ah, I see.” Julia appeared disappointed, with her eyes wandering away in restless thought. “Yet he is so attentive to you.”
“Perhaps we have him under some sort of spell?” Emily said, adopting a jesting tone. “Poor man cannot escape our family.”
“No teasing now, Emily. I am trying to be serious. Lord Tattershall is clearly your good friend, but are you certain, are you absolutely positive it is nothing more than that?” Julia’s question took the wind out of Emily, leaving her still for a minute. She chewed the inside of her mouth and looked down at the floor, not knowing what to say. “When I first fell in love with your brother, do you want to know how I first realized it?”
“How?” Emily asked in a small voice.
“I realized I could barely go a day without seeing him. That his company was the one I desired above everyone else’s! Now, tell me the truth, dear sister. Whose company do you desire more than any other’s?”
The answer hung on the edge of Emily’s tongue for a moment, so scared she was to utter it. She glanced back at the note hidden within the book one last time before she returned her focus to Julia.
“Lord Tattershall’s,” she whispered.
“There, I think we have our answer,” Julia said with glee, but Emily would not let her run away with it.
“Whatever I feel is irrelevant, Julia. His heart lies elsewhere and always has. I am simply a fool who has allowed myself to risk a broken heart, am I not?”
“You think so?” Julia asked with raised eyebrows. “Well, pay attention today at the sailing. Tell me if you see Lord Tattershall paying attention to any young lady other than yourself.”
* * *
Where is she?
Aaron was wandering up and down the riverbank of Henley, looking back and forth in search of the Earl of Dowding’s family and one person in particular.Lady Emily.
The whole riverbank was alive with people who had come to see the boats racing. With tea tents set up on one side of the river and games of shuttlecock and skittles set up on the other, it was a rowdy day, with some people even choosing the glasses of wine over tea, to make the day a little merrier. Over their heads, the sun shone brightly, casting the white sails of the boats an even brighter white, making the onlookers shield their gazes.
Aaron walked between the groups of guests, striding out across the grass in search of Lady Emily. Eventually, he did find someone in the crowd, yet it was not who he had expected to see.
“Why are they here?” he muttered to himself, coming to such a harsh stop on the grass that he nearly tripped over. On the far side, under the cover of the tea tent, he could see Hugh and Jane together. Hugh was bent toward Jane, talking attentively, yet Jane’s lips were flattened together. Aaron had seen that expression enough over the years. He was reminded of when Jane was a little girl, bored of watching he and Hugh play together in the garden.She is bored. Clearly sailing is not her passion.
Jane abruptly looked up, turning away from Hugh. Her eyes danced across the guests’ heads before they found Aaron. At once she smiled and lifted a hand to wave at him. Aaron did not feel the same pangs he used to feel when she smiled. Surprisingly, he did not even feel anger. He felt indifferent.
He did not bother returning the wave and looked away, continuing his search for Lady Emily and her family instead.
“You are looking back and forth that many times, it is a wonder you haven’t hurt all the muscles in your neck by now.” The familiar voice of Lord Bolton made Aaron look round to see Lady Emily’s brother approach. They bowed in greeting to one another, sharing a smile.
“At last, I was beginning to think your whole family was lost,” Aaron said as Lord Bolton reached his side.
“Not lost, only preoccupied.” Lord Bolton pointed further down the riverbank, gesturing toward where his family were gathered. Lord and Lady Dowding were arranging drinks and passing them to the young ladies, meanwhile Lady Grace was being plied with attention from three different gentlemen. Each one talking to her avidly, trying to gain her focus. To her side, Lady Bolton had her arm firmly through Lady Emily’s.
“Something is wrong,” Aaron muttered, feeling his spine going rigid as he watched Lady Emily. Her bold features were not spread in her usual jesting smile. Her brow was furrowed strongly, and her eyes were squinting down at the teacup in her hand. “Has something happened to Lady Emily?”
“Goodness knows,” Lord Bolton said with a sigh. “I cannot extract it from her, neither can Julia. Usually, Julia can get anything out of her. Even her most hidden secrets.”
“Secrets?” Aaron watched Lady Emily than turning his eyes back to Lord Bolton. He found himself longing to know what secrets laid in Lady Emily’s heart, to be privy to that information when no one else was.
