Aching for the hurt Fairfax must have endured as a child from his brother’s accusations, Sophia began to change for dinner.Unlacing her boots, she couldn’t help remembering the last time she started to remove them, back in the flooded cave, until Fairfax insisted on carrying her.
Her cheeks heated as she recalled riding on his shoulders, his strong, broad shoulders.Her legs wrapped around him, her skirt rucked up scandalously high.How he’d caressed her knees, covering them with his hands.It was only to keep hold of her, she’d thought at first.Purely practical.
Until she’d felt him caress the bare skin above her stockings.Just his thumbs, slowly sweeping back and forth on the sensitive, naked skin.
Too stunned to reprimand him for taking such a liberty, she’d sucked in a deep breath, shocked at how much she’d enjoyed his touch.Grateful for the sound of the crashing waves that drowned out her ragged breathing and how loud her heart pounded.
Crossing the room to open a window so the breeze could cool her face, a package on her bed caught her attention.She picked up the slim, rectangular box, dealt with the string and brown paper, and lifted the lid.Inside was a white silk fichu, woven in a delicate jacquard pattern, with lace edging.She fingered the fichu tucked into her gown that had once looked just as elegant but was showing signs of its frequent wearing.
She stroked the new one, delighting at the feel of the smooth silk, and noticed something dark underneath.Lifting out the top fichu, she found another one folded in the box.
Black.Such a fine silk it was nearly sheer, like the one she had worn the night she’d become trapped in the cave with Fairfax.She had treated herself to it last Christmas, even though it cost the equivalent of a week’s wages, and regretted her frivolous indulgence when the Academy abruptly closed two months later.When she lifted this one up, a small square of paper fluttered out of its folds.
Apologies for ruining yours.
The note with bold handwriting was unsigned, but she felt confident she knew who wrote it.
Replacing the black scarf she had ruined by using it as a bandage for Fairfax seemed a gentlemanly thing to do.But why had he bought her the white one?
She stared in the mirror, trying to see herself through a viscount’s eyes.
Her serviceable gown of sprigged cotton in sunny yellow and spring greens had been designed to last and still set a proper example for her students, rather than be in the first stare of fashion.The print was fading and showed several new ink stains.She noticed every broken thread of lace on her fichu tucked into her neckline, the greying of the white fabric against her neck.
Well.
Was the black fichu a replacement and the white fichu a gift?Was he taking pity on the spinster schoolteacher who couldn’t afford to replace a worn garment, even a relatively inexpensive accessory like a fichu?
Her mind was still spinning in useless circles when she heard a scratch on the hall door and Ruby poked her head in.“May I help you dress for dinner, miss?”
Sophia waved her in, and gave a last, thoughtful glance at the two fichus.“Yes.Let’s see what masterpiece you can create with my hair.”
Soon she sat at her dressing table, wearing her second-best gown—indigo blue velvet accented with narrow black vertical stripes that the linen merchant assured her would make her seem taller—with the new black fichu tucked in, while Ruby brushed out her braids.
“Oh, I almost forgot.”Ruby retrieved two letters from her apron pocket.“These arrived for you today.”
Sophia eagerly broke the seal on the first while Ruby worked on her hair.
Thank you for your inquiry.We regret to inform you the position has already been filled.
Best wishes, etc.
“Bad news, Miss?”
Suppressing the urge to sigh, Sophia gave a tight nod.“I would dearly have loved to teach in Plymouth, but they’ve hired someone else.”
“Perhaps the second letter has better news.”
Sophia stared at the letter from a school in Manchester.Until she opened it, it could contain good news or bad.Did she really want to know if she’d been rejected again, just before she went down to dinner and would be expected to spend the evening among other people, a polite expression on her face?
“Oh!”She read the letter again, then a third time.“I’m hired,” she whispered, clutching the paper to her chest in relief.She met Ruby’s smile in the mirror.“They want me to start in September.With the Michaelmas term.”
“Congratulations!”Ruby retrieved the curling tongs she’d been heating in the coals.“I know how anxious it can make a body, not knowing where you’ll be working next.”Ruby had already swept up the back of Sophia’s hair in an elegant chignon and ruthlessly secured it in place with at least two dozen pins.Now she tried to curl tendrils on either side of her face.
They would likely be straight again by the time the tea tray was brought, but Sophia determined to enjoy the curls while they lasted.
* * *
Vincent tried not to grit his teeth during dinner.The food was excellent, as always.His heart had quickened when Miss Walden entered and gave him a discreet nod of appreciation as she made a minute adjustment to her new black scarf.He’d tried to choose one similar to the one he’d kept.
