were out.’ She leant forwards and her smile widened. ‘Deny it at your peril, Louisa.’
Louisa pretended to take an interest in replacing the stopper on the tincture bottle. Carefully she explained the incident. ‘It was the purest chance. He thought I might be running away as well, but, Miss Daphne, Istopped running years ago. Miss Mattie taught me that problems were to be faced. Everything is possible if one holds true to one’s ideals.’
‘Mattie was always liberal with her advice, but rather less inclined to take it in her own life.’ Miss Daphne waved her hand, dismissing the reference. ‘Did you run the first time?’
‘I had no choice. Mrs Ponsby-Smythe—’
‘Piffle, you always have a choice. You simply chose not to use it. You were young. You were pushed.’ Miss Daphne put down the book of poetry that she had been reading. ‘You have a second chance.’
‘A second chance for what? I will not make a fool of myself again.’
‘You sound exactly like Mattie there and where did it get her? A lonely bed on a foreign shore, dedicating her life to bits of rocks and shell.’
‘She was happy. She had a fulfilling life. An exciting one. She travelled far and wide.’
‘Have you been living or merely existing?’ Miss Daphne tapped her finger against her mouth. ‘You have seemed a different person since we encountered Lord Chesterholm. Far more alive. There is a glow about you. Rupert remarked on it as well. My nephew would make an excellent catch.’
‘I have no intentions in that direction and your nephew has not said a word.’ Louisa gave Miss Daphne’s hand a pat.
‘That is only because you cleverly turn the conversation.’ Miss Daphne gave a sigh. ‘I suppose I shall have to discover someone else for him.’
‘Isn’t it better to let things take their course? Lord Furniss might have his views on the subject. Miss Daphne, you must call a halt to this matchmaking. You could get yourself in trouble, or cause serious damage to innocent people’s reputations.’
Miss Daphne wrinkled her nose. ‘It is far more amusing my way. I am merely giving Eros a helpful push, so he can aim his arrows of love straight. It is up to the couple if they get married or not.’
‘I am old enough to make up my own mind without any assistance—divine or otherwise,’ Louisa said firmly. ‘I don’t plan to be dependent on any man, even Sir Francis.’
Miss Daphne tapped her fingers against her mouth. ‘All in all today has presented me with a solution to a most perplexing problem. I am looking forward to the Chesterholm house party more than ever.’
A warning prickle went down Louisa’s back. ‘Miss Mattie is not here to pick up the pieces.’
‘Mattie would agree with me wholeheartedly … this time. I believe she might even have had it in her mind.’ Miss Daphne rocked back and forth like a young girl. ‘Mattie would completely agree with my assessment of the situation. I wonder that I did not see it before. It was she who suggested that I revisit old haunts.’
‘And you are not going to tell me?’ Louisa leant forwards. ‘I could assist you.’
‘When the time is right, Louisa, my dear. Please trust my instinct.’ Miss Daphne reached for the bell and summoned the maid for tea, ending the conversation.
Louisa forced her expression to stay bland. Miss Daphne might be confident about her matchmakingskills, but Louisa knew that there was no love in her future. Love was something that happened to other people.
A house party, a bloody house party, something he had sworn never to endure again after Clarissa had died—but Louisa had left him little choice.
He stared at the scrawled note. And now he had the added complication of Venetia arriving in the midst. Louisa would be protected from her, but he refused to allow the problem to fester. Venetia was even likely to take Margaret away if she heard about Louisa’s reappearance.
Jonathon strode back into Chesterholm Grange, his boot
Louisa pretended to take an interest in replacing the stopper on the tincture bottle. Carefully she explained the incident. ‘It was the purest chance. He thought I might be running away as well, but, Miss Daphne, Istopped running years ago. Miss Mattie taught me that problems were to be faced. Everything is possible if one holds true to one’s ideals.’
‘Mattie was always liberal with her advice, but rather less inclined to take it in her own life.’ Miss Daphne waved her hand, dismissing the reference. ‘Did you run the first time?’
‘I had no choice. Mrs Ponsby-Smythe—’
‘Piffle, you always have a choice. You simply chose not to use it. You were young. You were pushed.’ Miss Daphne put down the book of poetry that she had been reading. ‘You have a second chance.’
‘A second chance for what? I will not make a fool of myself again.’
‘You sound exactly like Mattie there and where did it get her? A lonely bed on a foreign shore, dedicating her life to bits of rocks and shell.’
‘She was happy. She had a fulfilling life. An exciting one. She travelled far and wide.’
‘Have you been living or merely existing?’ Miss Daphne tapped her finger against her mouth. ‘You have seemed a different person since we encountered Lord Chesterholm. Far more alive. There is a glow about you. Rupert remarked on it as well. My nephew would make an excellent catch.’
‘I have no intentions in that direction and your nephew has not said a word.’ Louisa gave Miss Daphne’s hand a pat.
‘That is only because you cleverly turn the conversation.’ Miss Daphne gave a sigh. ‘I suppose I shall have to discover someone else for him.’
‘Isn’t it better to let things take their course? Lord Furniss might have his views on the subject. Miss Daphne, you must call a halt to this matchmaking. You could get yourself in trouble, or cause serious damage to innocent people’s reputations.’
Miss Daphne wrinkled her nose. ‘It is far more amusing my way. I am merely giving Eros a helpful push, so he can aim his arrows of love straight. It is up to the couple if they get married or not.’
‘I am old enough to make up my own mind without any assistance—divine or otherwise,’ Louisa said firmly. ‘I don’t plan to be dependent on any man, even Sir Francis.’
Miss Daphne tapped her fingers against her mouth. ‘All in all today has presented me with a solution to a most perplexing problem. I am looking forward to the Chesterholm house party more than ever.’
A warning prickle went down Louisa’s back. ‘Miss Mattie is not here to pick up the pieces.’
‘Mattie would agree with me wholeheartedly … this time. I believe she might even have had it in her mind.’ Miss Daphne rocked back and forth like a young girl. ‘Mattie would completely agree with my assessment of the situation. I wonder that I did not see it before. It was she who suggested that I revisit old haunts.’
‘And you are not going to tell me?’ Louisa leant forwards. ‘I could assist you.’
‘When the time is right, Louisa, my dear. Please trust my instinct.’ Miss Daphne reached for the bell and summoned the maid for tea, ending the conversation.
Louisa forced her expression to stay bland. Miss Daphne might be confident about her matchmakingskills, but Louisa knew that there was no love in her future. Love was something that happened to other people.
A house party, a bloody house party, something he had sworn never to endure again after Clarissa had died—but Louisa had left him little choice.
He stared at the scrawled note. And now he had the added complication of Venetia arriving in the midst. Louisa would be protected from her, but he refused to allow the problem to fester. Venetia was even likely to take Margaret away if she heard about Louisa’s reappearance.
Jonathon strode back into Chesterholm Grange, his boot
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