“But—”
Mr. Marshall made an annoyed noise. “Think of things from my point of view. I’ve only your report to go on, and by your own admission, you’re a liar. So I can hardly trust your account of the matter. You may be going through a rough patch in your marriage, but you might also make it up to her. I’m doing my damned best not to wound you permanently, because it could make Christmases awkward for many years to come. If she tosses you to the side, well.” Marshall gave him a not-quite pleasant smile. “Then I’ll have my chance.”
For just a moment, Edward felt as if his head had burst into flames. This was not how he’d envisioned this conversation proceeding. Not at all.
And that, strangely, was what made him finally feel as if he knew what he was doing, because that feeling of being utterly turned about was all too familiar.
He screwed his eyes shut. “Free gets that from you, I see.”
“Gets what?”
“That ability to set the world on its head.”
There was a long pause after that. “No,” Marshall finally said. “You should come in and meet her mother.”
“SO YOU’RE HEADING BACK to Cambridge.” Genevieve sat next to Amanda on the long sofa. Their skirts did not quite touch—Amanda had twitched hers out of the way when Genevieve sat down. But they were close enough that Amanda’s heart was pounding in a low, insistent rhythm.
“I must,” Amanda said. “Alice was running the paper all by herself yesterday, and if I’m not back by this afternoon, she’ll get no rest at all.”
“Has Free returned yet?”
Amanda considered this. She’d felt almost guilty yesterday when her sister had harangued the officers at the arrest. They’d been on the other side of the park from Free—and Maria had taken hold of Amanda’s arm with one hand, and Genevieve’s with the other. She’d pleaded fatigue, pointed out her state of being with child—and consequently, Amanda had not been dragged to the station with those closer to Free.
Amanda had used her unencumbered state to send a messenger to the station. Free had been released a scant few hours later, and so there were no worries on that end.
“Free didn’t say anything about when she was returning,” Amanda said. “But she’s newly married. I suspect she was otherwise occupied last night.”
“Married!” Genevieve’s eyes widened. “I’d heard nothing at all of that. Does her brother know yet? Does Jane?”
“It was…sudden,” Amanda explained. “Although, not precisely sudden to me. We do share a house, after all. She’s been besotted for months, smiling every time one of his letters arrived, acting as if she’d won top prize in a contest. It will be great fun teasing her when…”
It was at that point that Amanda realized something very important. Between planning for the demonstration, reconciling with her sister, and the enjoyment of spending a little time afterward with Genevieve, she’d failed to notice one thing.
“Oh, no,” she groaned, putting her head in her hands. “I was going to say, when we’re both back in Cambridge. But I just realized.”
“Oh dear.” Genevieve caught on, too, and she too grimaced. “You live with her. Will she…” She paused delicately.
“Will Free throw me out?” Amanda shook her head. “No. She wouldn’t. But I’m not sure how I feel about living with a newly married couple. Things might be a little awkward.”
More than a little, she suspected. Free had kissed Edward in public. God only knew what might happen behind a door.
“What will you do?”
“Spend more time in London. It would make sense, given what I write about.” Amanda swallowed. “But I suppose it’s just as well. It will mean seeing my sister more. And Maria says Toby wants to see me—I haven’t seen my eldest brother in ages.”
But it wasn’t the thought of Maria that had her heart pounding. She didn’t look at Genevieve, but she blushed anyway.
“You could see me more, too,” Genevieve said.
Her tone was light and…and…
And no, oh no, Amanda was not going to even think of what else it was. Unbidden, though, the word whispered in her mind.
Flirtatious.
It was almost flirtatious, and Amanda had been trying her best to see everything Genevieve did in the light of friendship, not flirtation. It wasn’t working so well any longer.
“That would be very nice.” That sounded rather too stiff.
Genevieve reached out and set her hand on Amanda’s knee. It was a light, gentle touch. A friendly touch. That’s all it could be. “Good. Then that’s settled. I should like to see more of you.”