“No, I have a different plan in mind.”He hadn’t yet let go of the hand he’d kissed.Now he gathered the other so he could stroke his thumbs across the back of her hands.“What I would like is—”
He broke off at the commotion in the hall.Another coach had arrived and visitors disembarked.
Henry took off running, barking madly at the newcomers, almost tripping Enid on her way into the room with a tea tray.
Kendall appeared at the drawing room doorway.“Lord and Lady Ravencroft,” he announced.
“More guests!”Mrs.Royston exclaimed, clapping her hands together.
Enid quickly bowed her head and darted out of the room to get another tray so there would be enough cups to serve everyone, but not before Sophia noted her rolling her eyes.Then the name that Kendall had announced registered.
“Ashley?”Pulling free from Fairfax, Sophia wended her way through the crowd, ducking under arms where expedient, to greet her friend.
“Sophia!”They embraced, then pulled apart to inspect each other.
“Marriage seems to agree with you,” Sophia said, admiring her friend’s flattering traveling gown of royal blue that clearly cost more than their quarterly salary had been at Madame Zavrina’s.
Miss Ashley Hamlin, now the Countess of Ravencroft, had been a student at the Academy for two years.She left to have her Season in London, only to return a few months later after her parents perished in an accident and Madame Zavrina added Ashley to the Academy staff.After some initial awkwardness transitioning from student and teacher to colleagues, she and Sophia became fast friends.
Beyond the exquisite clothing, though, Ashley seemed to radiate a joy that Sophia had not seen in her friend since before they’d heard the news that the Academy would close.
Ashley blushed but couldn’t hold back a broad smile.“Allow me to introduce you to my husband, David.”
They had to wait a moment, as Lord Ravencroft was still greeting Mrs.Digby.After he hugged Mrs.Royston and bussed her on her weathered cheek, he turned back to his wife.
Sophia gave Ashley a knowing grin as her friend performed the introduction.A startling streak of white framed the right side of Ravencroft’s handsome face, but the rest of his hair was a rich chestnut, worn loose and so long that it swept across his shirt points when he bowed over her hand, even longer than Fairfax wore his hair.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Walden,” he said in a rich, rumbling bass that rivaled the depth of Fairfax’s voice.If Sophia had not already given her heart away and Ashley had not claimed him, Sophia admitted Ravencroft would have caught her attention, too.“I’ve heard such wonderful things about you.”
“I see you made excellent time,” Fairfax said from directly behind Sophia’s shoulder.
She startled, not having realized he’d remained so close.He stepped beside her to shake hands with Ravencroft.
“We were nearly ready to depart the inn when you arrived,” Ravencroft replied.
“And very happy to rearrange our visits with family.”Ashley brimmed with excitement.
Much more excitement than Sophia thought was warranted for a change in their honeymoon travel plans, despite how delighted she was to see her friend.There was no opportunity to quiz Ashley, as Mrs.Digby and Mrs.Royston demanded to be introduced to the girl who’d “stolen dear David’s heart.”
Mildred gave an undignified squeal of joy as she realized who had arrived and dragged Huntley over, their arms still linked, so she could greet Ashley.
Sophia tried valiantly to keep a smile on her face, her happiness for her friends woefully inadequate at making up for the pain of having Fairfax so near, knowing he would soon depart.
And so would she.Him for Italy, her for Dover.Or Exmouth.She needed to decide soon.Today, even, recalling the neatly tied bundles on the desk that indicated she’d completed her work for Mrs.Digby.
Perhaps she’d holiday in Brighton first.Or take a break from the seaside to erase memories of being trapped in sea caves with Fairfax and go somewhere inland.The waters at Tunbridge Wells were reputed to be healing.
“Oh good, they’re finally distracted,” Fairfax said, so close his lips brushed her ear.She shivered with delight.“May I steal you for a moment?”Without waiting for a reply, he tucked her hand in his and stole out the door, towing her along, their fingers intertwined, not stopping until they reached the library.
He shut the door firmly behind them and led her over to the window, where the afternoon sunshine flooded the room and they could see every minute detail of each other.“I cannot tell you how much I missed you these past few days.”
Before she could think through what he said, he cupped her cheeks and slowly leaned down toward her, tilting his head to one side, and kissed her.
“Oh,” was all she could manage when he pulled back a few inches.
He licked his lips, tasting her, his warm brown eyes searching hers.
She stretched up on her toes to reach one hand around the back of his neck, the other tugging on his neckcloth, and urged him close.“Try telling me again.”
