“Selah, that’s an unusual necklace,” Phoebe said. “Is it new?”
“It was a gift from Teme,” Henry answered for me. “He gave it to Selah in gratitude for healing him.”
“Isn’t he the chief’s son?” Phoebe asked.
“Yes,” I said, forcing myself to be polite in light of her previous comments. “Henry and I rode to the Lenape village a couple of weeks ago to help him.”
“He’s such a fine looking man,” Phoebe said. “And so wild, the way he rides around in nothing more than buckskin pants.”
“It’s their custom,” I said testily. “There’s no reason for him to dress like an Englishman.”
“Just ignore her, Selah,” Nora said, her dark eyes snapping with anger.
Phoebe sneered at Nora, but then creased her brows as though trying to sort out some great dilemma. “How very peculiar,” she said after a moment. “I would have never thought to wear a gift from another man to my own wedding party. Mr. Kilbrid, you are a most liberal-minded husband.”
A shadow crossed Henry face as he studied my neck. “More so than you can imagine.”
“Oh, my!” Phoebe cried delightedly. “Someone just called for the Collier’s Daughter. I do love that dance. Henry would you mind escorting me again?”
“My pleasure,” he said, and offered his arm. Phoebe took it, smiling triumphantly.
I wanted to cry. Or snatch Phoebe bald-headed. Either one would have done just fine.
Nora’s hold on my waist grew uncomfortably tight. “What nerve!” she hissed. “How dare she behave like that at your wedding party? I swear if I weren’t a Quaker, I’d thump her to a pulp this very minute!”
“Henry doesn’t appear disappointed by her attentions.”
“You can’t be serious!”
“Look at him, Nora. Do you see any indication that he’s not pleased to be standing up with her again?”
Nora watched him for a minute before responding. “Well, no,” she admitted. “But that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t prefer to be dancing with you. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. If a man were ever in love, it’s Henry Kilbrid.”
I shook my head, well aware of the truth. I was too different for someone like him to truly love. Phoebe, in all her malicious, conniving simplicity, would make him much happier than I ever could...
“Excuse me, Selah,” a man said from right behind me. “Would you care to dance?”
I turned and saw Mark Flanders, the man whose heifer I had been accused of killing.
“Go on,” Nora whispered conspiratorially in my ear. “It would be a shame if Phoebe were to catch a heel and topple up tail in front of everyone. I’m surprised it hasn’t happened already the way she’s prancing about.”
My eyes suddenly filled with a vision of Phoebe sprawled on the dance floor. “It would be my pleasure,” I said, smiling sweetly at Mark. “And look, there’s an open place right next to Miss Trumble...”
*
It was well past midnight when we started for home. Jealousy fumed like an inferno inside me, taking the chill from the night air, while Henry was so distant, even the stars in their perch high up in the dark sky felt closer. We both remained absolutely silent until Henry stopped the shay in front of the carriage house. He let the reins go slack, but made no movement to get out.
“Once Nathan is found, I will be returning to England,” he said coolly, without so much as looking at me.
I pursed my mouth to keep from yelling. “Will you be taking Phoebe with you? When you’re in England, there won’t be anything to get in the way of your attachment.”
Henry turned toward me, his face etched with fury. “What are you talking about?”
“I just assumed, based on how much fun you were having tonight.”
He snorted with derision. “Fun is the last word I would use for tonight. Without a doubt, it was one of the worst evenings I’ve spent in the Colonies. Or ever, for that matter.”
“I would never have guessed by the way you two were carrying on.”
“You’ve no right to judge me,” he said, his voice rising. “I asked her to dance one time tonight. After that she hounded my every movement. What was I supposed to do? Refuse her requests? It’s not like my wife was vying for my attention.”
My chin jutted forward. “She’s a beautiful woman. I’m sure it wasn’t too much of a hardship for you.”
“I could say the same thing about Teme. After I’m gone, just how long will you wait to marry him?”
“Marry Teme?” I said incredulously. “Don’t be absurd.”
“You wore his necklace tonight. To our wedding party. What else am I supposed to think?”
“He only made that offer out of respect for my family,” I huffed. “Do you have any idea how bad such a marriage would be for him, or what an awful wife I would make? I’ve never been taught to skin a deer or to cook. The man would starve in a week if he had to rely on me to take care of him.”