“Indeed, it is.” She smiled, fluttering a letter in her hand.
She didn’t tell him as much, but she had been happy the last few days. Ever since they came back from the ball, the last three days had passed by in a sort of bliss.
Lord Wetherington had not come to call, encouraging her to feel as if she had indeed escaped him. Her parents had not come either. Each day started with her and Allan sharing breakfast then they went to their own tasks.
After a shared lunch, they spent the afternoon together. One day, she had walked the estate with Allan, asking him about his plans for the grounds. On another day, he had come to the music room, watching as she practiced the piano though she had no great skill and had spoken longingly about how much she missed playing the harp.
“It is a beautiful dress, and I thank you for it,” she said gushingly as she sat beside him at the table and offered up the letter in her grasp. “I have news. It is from my aunt. Read it,” she pleaded.
He took the letter with a curious expression.
“I am honored,” he said with interest. “Your parents still don’t know where you were hiding this last year, yet you will share your aunt’s words with me?”
“Happily.” She waved a hand at him, encouraging him to read as she started to serve them breakfast. She placed some smoked fish down on Allan’s plate first, for she had seen over the last few days just how much he loved it.
“‘My dearest Frederica,’” he began, opting for such a silly voice that she tapped him around the arm in reprimand. “All right, I’ll be good.” He cleared his throat and used a different voice entirely. “‘My dearest Frederica, I am delighted to hear your news. Not only have you managed to escape the man that you were so afraid of but to find new happiness with a man you call a friend’…”
He halted, staring down at the letter.
“Is everything all right?” Frederica asked, wondering if, after all, she should not have shared the letter with him.
“It’s nothing,” he said though she suddenly saw that he was smiling. “‘It is a fortunate path indeed your life has taken. I would love to come and visit you. The journey from Cornwall is, of course, as you know, not an easy one, but it will be worth it to see you settled and content at last.’”
“What do you think?” Frederica asked excitedly.
“You can have any guests you wish to have in this house,” Allan said with reassurance. “I will indeed be very happy to meet your aunt. Something tells me I may like her more than I do your parents.”
“Allan…” Frederica whispered. He shared a challenging look with her. They had made peace between them the last few days by coming to an unspoken agreement not to talk about her parents for the time being. She wasn’t in a rush to disturb that peace.
“When does she arrive?” Allan was clearly as keen as she was not to upset their peace.
“In three days.”
“Excellent. Then I have some good news for you, too.” He held up a letter which was resting on his newspaper. “I have just had it confirmed that later today, our friends will be coming to see us. Dorothy, Stephen, Charlotte, and Gerard. They’re bringing their children, too.”
“They are?” Frederica asked excitedly, taking the letter from him. “Wonderful, I have been reading of some new games which we can play with the children.”
“Auntie Frederica,” Allan said with interest. “No wonder they already adore you.”
She waved her hand in dismissal at him though a lingering thought was now burgeoning at the back of her mind.
We will never have children, will we?
That thought threatened to defeat all the happiness she had felt during the last few days. As much as she liked being married to her friend, a man she could trust, this was another sadness. The fact he had already as good as told her he could not love her surely meant he never intended for them to have children at all.
I shall just have to be the best of aunts.
“Freddie?” he said softly as he placed her favorite bread on her plate. “Is all well?” He clearly sensed her change of mood.
“Yes, I’m so excited to see them,” Frederica said, putting down the letter. “I have to thank you.”
“Thank me? Whatever for?” he laughed. “You have already thanked me enough times for the dresses and the correspondence box. Do not let it be for them again.”
“For giving me this life,” she said simply.
He nearly choked on his fish. He spluttered for a second, coughing into his handkerchief, before his eyes met hers.
“I beg your pardon?”
