Chapter Nineteen #2
“Brilliant.” Pere took a seat in front of her vanity as a maid knocked. “Enter.”
Anna took the same moment to escape to her own room, and ring for her own maid. In short work, she was presentable for breakfast. As she was reaching for the door, a knock sounded.
She opened the door to a smiling Pere. “Shall we?”
“We shall.” Anna followed her friend into the hall and down the stairs.
Anna couldn’t help but glance ahead, down the hall toward the door to the servants’ stairs. A blush crept up into her face and she placed a gloved hand to her cheek trying to cool her skin.
The breakfast room was already warm with the scent of toast and coffee when Anna and Pere entered, the morning sun gilding the silverware and casting lace-edged shadows across the tablecloth. Conversation was low and refined, punctuated by the occasional clink of porcelain or a subdued chuckle.
Edwin rose almost immediately upon seeing them, a practiced smile already in place.
“Lovely as always, Lady Anna. May I offer you a seat?” He withdrew a chair beside him and gestured for her to accept it.
“Thank you, Lord Devon.” Anna held her breath as she sat, heart fluttering with emotions that were anything but simple.
How she wished this was far less complicated.
“Pere.” Edwin’s voice greeted his sister with the dismissive tone of an elder brother.
“Brother,” Pere replied in a similar tone. “I’ll take it a step further, as the sibling that clearly has more manners, and ask you if you slept well?”
“Well enough.” Edwin gave a tight smile.
Anna poured herself some tea, needing something to do with her hands as the tension swirled around her—tension born of her own emotions. Movement caught her eye, and she watched as an impeccably dressed Lord Hawthorne strode into the breakfast room.
If I hadn’t known he was up last night, I’d never suspect. I wonder if that is the intention? Anna thought, watching as he selected a seat beside Pere.
Anna blinked as Pere’s face turned a little pink while she offered the gentleman tea.
He nodded and thanked her, reaching for the sugar just as Pere’s hand was about to grasp it.
Anna watched as both of their hands froze, then Lord Hawthorne mumbled an apology and served his own sugar, while Pere’s hand darted to her lap and was hidden from view.
It was a short and subtle interaction, but curious enough that Anna’s attention was so focused on her friend, she missed Henley’s entrance into the room.
“Good morning.”
His voice shook her from her focus on Pere, and her eyes darted to his.
He’d announced the greeting to the room, but his expression made it feel as if he’d been speaking to her alone.
Warmth crept up her back and pooled in her cheeks as she felt the blush singe her skin.
Henley took a seat across from her and was the first to break eye contact as he turned his attention to Pere.
“Good morning, Pere.”
Anna watched as Pere smiled at her brother, then gently nudged her other brother, seated beside her. “This is why he’s my favorite—he actually says good morning.” She directed the words to Anna.
“I said good morning,” Edwin defended himself, then offered a glare to Henley.
“Saying my name isn’t exactly a greeting,” Pere corrected him, then lifted a piece of toast from the stack. “Please pass the preserves,” she requested of Edwin.
“Here.” Edwin obliged.
“And how are you this morning, Henley?” Pere asked, scraping marmalade across her toast.
Anna’s attention kept volleying between the siblings, watching and listening to the interactions. When Pere asked Henley the question, her gaze latched on to his.
“It was difficult to find rest when the evening was so lovely. The moon was a little bright for sound sleep—wouldn’t you agree, Lady Anna?”
Anna didn’t dare glance at Pere, but she couldn’t help the deepening of her blush as she answered. “It was rather luminous.”
“Indeed,” Henley agreed.
“Would you like tea?” Anna offered, needing to distract herself—and perhaps others—from reading too much into the conversation.
“Of course. Thank you.” Henley offered her his cup.
She could feel his attention on her as she went through the simple motions of pouring the aromatic liquid.
“And what is the plan for today? I assume there is one,” Edwin asked.
Anna hazarded a glance toward him, wondering if he’d picked up on any of the nuanced cues. Would that be a bad thing? Did she want him to notice? She truly needed to sort this out quickly—but how?
“Last night they announced that we will be traveling to Skyline Park and having a picnic lunch, if the weather holds,” Pere added, taking another bite of her toast.
“I’ve heard of Skyline Park, but never have I seen it. Is it as lovely as described?” Anna asked, looking around for someone to answer.
“It’s a bit of a walk, and toward the summer the grasses can be a little brown from the heat, but this time of year it will be fine,” Edwin answered, reaching over and patting her hand.
Anna jumped slightly at the touch and glanced to Henley. How would he react to his brother’s movements?
Henley’s eyes dropped—just briefly—to her hand, then rose to meet hers.
The corner of his mouth curved into a smile, soft and secret, like something only the two of them knew.
Then, as if by accident—or intention so subtle it could be denied—his gaze dipped to her lips.
He licked his own, slow and almost imperceptible.
Anna’s breath caught.
The effect was immediate and shamefully physical. Heat unfurled across her chest, her neck, her cheeks—no touch, no words, and yet it was as if his fingers had skimmed down her spine, across her back, traced her mouth with a reverent thumb. Her skin tingled like a struck bell.
And this—this—was the breakfast table, for heaven’s sake. The clink of porcelain and quiet murmur of conversation felt obscene by comparison.
She tore her eyes away, heart thudding like she’d run full tilt up a hill. In desperation, she looked to Pere.
A mistake.
Pere’s teacup paused midway to her lips. Her eyes were wide, round as saucers, blinking rapidly as if she couldn’t believe what she’d just witnessed. Then slowly, slowly, she lowered the cup, mouth slightly agape. Noticing that Anna was watching, she mouthed Later and then stood.
“I believe I’ll prepare for the outing. Lady Anna?”
Anna stood as well, abandoning what was left of her breakfast due to the knots in her belly. Belatedly, Edwin stood and pulled out her chair the rest of the way.
“I look forward to this afternoon, Lady Anna.” He gave a slight bow, his eyes roaming her features and a charming smile teasing his lips as he bid her farewell.
Anna returned the smile, politely, noting the acute absence of any fluttering in her knot-filled belly.
She also noted that Henley had stood as well, as was polite when a lady was leaving.
Though she knew it was dangerous to do so, she looked over to him, unable to keep her eyes away.
He bowed slightly, his eyes never leaving hers, and wordlessly, he spoke with his expression everything that was scandalous to say out loud.
Anna’s heart pounded, and she bit her lip, looking to Pere, who called her name once more.
“Anna, shall we?” Her eyes widened, and with a playful tug, she wrapped her hand around Anna’s arm and pulled her from the room.
Anna turned toward the stairs but was halted by Pere’s hand.
“No. We need air. I need air. You, you certainly need air. A lot of it,” Pere remarked, leading them toward the back exit to the gardens that Anna was now quite familiar with.
As they exited the manor and into the warm morning sunshine, Pere began, “Merciful saints,” she breathed, low and reverent. “He just devoured you—with a look. At breakfast.”
Anna hissed, “Pere!”
“I need air.” Pere fanned herself, clearly enjoying herself far too much. “And possibly a priest.” She paused. “You need the priest. And my brother, Henley. Good Lord, I think I need to sit down.” She found one of the stone garden benches and took a seat. “I just have one question.”
Anna took a seat beside her. “Just one?” Anna teased.
“Very well, I have millions at this point. But this question … is one for myself, and that is…” Pere sat forward and grasped Anna’s hands. “How in the name of all the saints did I miss this? I think I might be going blind. That is truly the only explanation. Because even Lord Hawthorne—”
“Wait, Lord Hawthorne?”
“Yes, even he noticed. He gave me an odd look, as if wondering if I was aware, and unfortunately it was that moment I had my mouth gaping open like a fish because my brother—who is usually the most circumspect human I know—was trying to set the breakfast room ablaze with a flirtatious glance at my best friend.”
“Do you think everyone else noticed?” Anna asked, gripping her friend’s hands tightly.
“No. Everyone else was oblivious, including my other brother. You know, the one everyone expects you to be marrying? Not that it’s official, just the gossip …
but wow.” Pere fanned herself again, raising her eyebrows at Anna.
“Again, I question how I missed this, and to think!” She faced her friend fully.
“I was pushing you, encouraging you toward Edwin! It’s …
as your best friend, I feel like I should have known, or have seen it sooner.
But, that is beside the point. The second question is… ”
“There’s a list of questions, isn’t there?” Anna asked, feeling the tension of her upcoming decisions weighing heavily on her shoulders.
“There’s a book of questions,” Pere remarked with a wry expression. “But I’ll limit myself, never fear.”
“The second question?” Anna encouraged, certain she knew what it would be.
“What are you going to do about it?”
“It?” Anna asked, smoothing her skirt and glancing around the empty garden.
“Very well, them,” Pere corrected herself. “My brothers. Both of them. In case you wanted further clarification.”