“I hope you do not mind if I accompany you?”
Almeria offered her friend a smile as the young woman fell into step beside her.
“No, of course not. Do you wish to join me also, when I attend that meeting with Lord Coppinger?”
Almeria felt a little confused as to her friend’s presence – for she was well able to write a letter to Lord Coppinger on her own - and she blinked as her friend laughed softly.
“No, it is not that.” Stepping into the parlor, Miss Madeley put one hand on Almeria’s arm. “I wanted a private moment to ask you something.”
Almeria frowned.
“Something about Lord Coppinger?”
“Yes.” Hesitating, Miss Madeley bit the edge of her lip before she continued. “I have wondered whether or not you have noticed the very same about Lord Coppinger as I.”
A slight frown crossed Almeria’s face.
“I do not think I know what you mean.”
Miss Madeley tilted her head, her eyes sharp.
“I initially noticed it some time ago, when you were first seeking out who had sent you those bouquets. I believe it was when Lord Penforth had come to inform you thathewas the one who had offered them.”
Still having very little understanding of what her friend meant, Almeria nodded slowly.
“I recall how angry Marcus was.”
“But do you recall something else?” Miss Madeley lifted her eyebrow. “Did you note how he mentioned, when speaking to Lord Penforth, that you had receivedtwotypes of flowers in your most recent bouquet?”
Resisting the urge to throw up her hands and exclaim that such a thing was of no consequence, Almeria took a breath.
“Of course, I recall such a thing – but what of it? I would have mentioned to him that I had received both roses and tulips, I am sure.”
Miss Madeley grinned.
“But what if you had not?”
Blinking, Almeria’s lips twisted as she considered.
“Well, if I had not, then I would think –” In an instant, what Miss Madeley was suggesting flung itself so hard at her that she recoiled, stepping backward toward the door, her hands lifting as though she were to defend herself. “No.” Her breathing was coming quickly, her heart beating in a furious rhythm as her eyes fixed themselves on her friend. “No, it cannot be. I do not think he…” Trailing off, she considered what Lord Coppinger had said to her on previous occasions, how he had looked at her, how he had smiled with that softness about his eyes. Could it be thathehad been the one to send her those bouquets? “You are not suggesting that he…”
Still struggling to accept what was being said, she looked long and hard at Miss Madeley, who, after a moment, nodded slowly with a slight smile on her face.
“As hard as it may be to believe, yes, that is precisely what I am suggesting.” Taking a moment, she put one hand on Almeria’s arm, her eyes searching hers. “I know it must be greatly astonishing to hear me put forward such a thing, but would it not explain his utter vehemence when Lord Penforth confessed the supposed truth to you? Would it not explain why he was so very angry?”
Almeria could do nothing but stare at her friend. It was the most extraordinary thing to even contemplate! And yet, the more she thought of it, the more it seemed to be a possibility. Why, she had never evenallowedherself to think of the possibility! These last few weeks, all she had considered was how lost she was in her confusion over what she felt about Lord Coppinger and, thereafter, she had become tangled in all Lord Penforth was laying upon her. But what if, in the midst of all of that, Lord Coppinger was simply standing, waiting and watching, looking at her with the love she had been seeking for so long?
“Ohhh…”
“I do hope that I have not shocked you too much.” Miss Madeley gave her a small smile. “I felt it my duty to share it with you. That is not to say that I am correct, however. There is always the possibility that I could be wrong but–”
“You are not mistaken,” Almeria spoke quickly, putting one hand over her eyes, her whole body suddenly caught with a tremble. “Good gracious, I have never so much as imagined that such a thing could happen! I have always considered him my friend, but perhaps in the midst of all of this, he has been looking at me with an entirely different view. As you have said, this might be why he was so against Lord Penforth, even from the very beginning.”
She shivered lightly, recalling just how her heart had leaped upon seeing him as he had come to greet her that night of the ball. How much she had missed him – and how much she yearned for him now.
Miss Madeley laughed softly.
“My dear friend, I am certain that Lord Coppinger would have disliked any gentleman who sought to court you! He would not have shown even the slightest inclination towards him because of his own unexpressed feelings.”
