As they started walking down the corridor, Edwina remarked, “I haven’t seen a lot of Winston.”
“That is because he has been hiding away in his bedchamber working on a case that he has coming up,” Bennett shared. “I was surprised when he agreed to go angling with me.”
“He works too hard,” Edwina said.
“Winston always has and he always will,” Bennett remarked. “It is as if he is competing against himself.”
As they descended the stairs, Edwina caught sight of Miles in the entry hall, causing her breath to hitch. He was finely dressed, and his dark hair was brushed forward. He was handsome, there was no denying that, but she had seen his heart. And it was kind. Loving. He was a man that she could spend forever with.
But he didn’t love her.
That realization hit her and she grew somber.
Bennett glanced over at her. “Is everything all right?” he asked.
She mustered up a smile. “It is,” she replied. “I was just thinking about… my book. Yes, I love reading. It is so much fun.”
An amused look came to Bennett’s face. “You really are a terrible liar. It is almost painful to witness,” he joked.
As they stepped onto the last step, Miles strode forward and greeted her. “Good evening, my lady. You are looking lovely.”
“Thank you,” Edwina said.
Bennett spoke up, addressing Miles. “Are you sure you don’t want to go angling with me and Winston tomorrow?”
“I am sure,” Miles replied.
In a hushed voice, Edwina asked, “Would you be willing to escort me to the village so we can speak to Mr. Stanley?”
Miles smiled. “It would be my honor to do so.”
Edwina found herself returning his smile. “Thank you, my lord.”
Her words had just left her mouth when her aunt stepped out of the drawing room. “Shall we adjourn to the dining room?”
Miles offered his arm to Edwina. “May I escort you?”
She accepted his arm and they began to make their way to the dining room. She snuck a quick glance at him and wondered why he couldn’t love her. But she stopped herself. This had nothing to do with her, and everything to do with him. His heart had been claimed long ago, and it was up to him to decide how to proceed.
Miles’ voice broke through her musings. “I have been working on my whistling. I can now emit a sound loud enough that everyone knows it is a whistle.”
“I’m impressed,” she said.
“I thought that might please you.”
They stepped into the dining room and Miles pulled out a chair for her. Then he claimed the seat next to her.
Winston sat across from her, as did Bennett, and her aunt and uncle sat at the ends of the table. The footmen promptly came around and started placing bowls of soup in front of them.
Edwina reached for her soup and started eating. No oneseemed to be in a talkative mood and a silence engulfed the table.
Her aunt glanced at the long clock in the corner. “I wonder what is taking the girls so long to arrive,” she said.
“The roads might have been such that they might have stopped at a coaching inn for the evening,” her uncle remarked. “There is no need to worry.”
“I am a mother. Worrying comes with the title,” her aunt said.
Her uncle gave his wife an understanding look. “I sent my best team to bring our girls home. Do try to enjoy dinner.”