“Or I could always go with them,” Elodie suggested in a far too eager voice.
Lady Dallington gave her daughter a pointed look that left no room for argument. “Do I need to remind you that you are meeting with the dressmaker?”
“Drats,” Elodie muttered under her breath.
“Language, Dear,” Lady Dallington chided lightly.
Melody giggled. “You should have heard Elodie at the boarding school,” she said, her words laced with amusement. “At times, she sounded like a drunken sailor.”
Elodie’s mouth dropped. “That is not the least bit true.”
Lady Dallington gave Elodie a disapproving look. “I do hope that isn’t true, young lady.”
“Young lady?” Bennett repeated with a playful grin as he turned towards Elodie. “You are in trouble now.”
Miles couldn’t help but feel a pang of longing as he listened to the siblings banter back and forth. It reminded him of his own brother, who was always quick with a joke or a witty remark.
Edwina must have sensed his thoughts because she leaned closer and whispered, “This may seem amusing, but it gets old rather quickly.”
“Not to me,” Miles admitted. “It feels a little bit like home.”
Winston stepped closer to them and spoke sternly, “Go to the village and come back straightaway. No dilly-dallying.”
“Yes, sir,” Edwina replied with a mock salute.
With a shake of his head, Winston responded, “I wish you would take this seriously.”
“Why, Cousin?” Edwina asked. “Lord Hilgrove and I are just friends.”
Friends.
There was that word again. It echoed in Miles’ mind and for some reason, it left an unsettling feeling in his chest. He couldn’t quite say why it bothered him so much. It was the truth. They were friends- good friends even- but he cared for her far more than any friend should.
Botheration.
What happened to staying away from Edwina?
Winston crossed his arms over his chest and there was a warning glint in his eyes. “I expect you to behave yourself,” he said pointedly.
Miles nodded in agreement. “You need not worry,” he assured him. “I shall treat Lady Edwina with the utmost respect that she deserves.”
They stared at one another for a tense moment before Winston finally relented with a step to the side. “Very well,” he said. “Enjoy your carriage ride.”
As they made their way towards the entry hall, Miles didn’t quite know what to do. He knew he should keep his distance from Edwina, but at the same time, he wanted nothing more than to be near her. What kind of torture was this?
Edwina sat in the carriage as it traveled towards the village. She used to love this journey, but now her heart was heavy with worry and uncertainty. She wasn’t quite sure what reception they would receive. She hoped, and not for the first time, that Mr. Stanley would help her persuade her uncle to return the funding needed to sustain the upkeep of the village.
Miles eyed her with concern. “You have been rather quiet,” he remarked.
“I have been,” she admitted. “My father would have been so disappointed in my uncle. He loved the villagers.”
“Perhaps this is just a big misunderstanding,” Miles said.
Edwina frowned. “Do you honestly believe that?”
He shook his head. “No, I don’t.”
“My uncle has a duty to this village and he has destroyed their trust,” she sighed.