Chapter 19
By Sunday evening, Sylvie was growing worried.
There had been another dinner party on Friday, which Miles’s hosts had attended, but he hadn’t.
Then on Saturday, almost everyone on the island enjoyed a charming festival in Sandusky.
But again, no Miles. Sylvie hadn’t been bold enough to ask the Loftons where their houseguest was, and she worried asking anyone else might arouse suspicions about the nature of their relationship.
And if she were pressed to be honest, she would have to admit she hesitated to ask out of fear that Miles had made his choice at the Casburns’ ball after she’d revealed her secret identity. Watching him walk away with Lucy had revealed a depth of emotions Sylvie was terrified to examine.
So when she agreed to join a group of the younger members of society to experience the bowling alley at Cedar Point on Sunday evening, Sylvie prayed she would run into Miles there.
Upon arriving, however, her hopes took a blow at the sight of Lucy disembarking from the steamship.
She and her friends were chatting with a group of young men as they left the dock, headed in the same direction as Sylvie.
Even if Miles did come, Lucy would monopolize his time.
Sylvie followed the group at a distance until they reached the bowling alley.
The Moreau sisters were waiting for Sylvie near the entrance to the charming building, which was identifiable thanks to a huge red banner painted on the wall with “bowling” in ornate block letters.
The sounds of revelry and bowling balls hitting wooden pins spilled out from the building.
Strings of electric bulbs had been looped across the walls and between all the trees, lighting up the falling dusk in the most magical way.
It would have been quite romantic if Sylvie had any hope of being able to spend time with Miles there.
As it was, all she wanted was to keep away from Lucy and listen for any tidbit of information anyone might drop regarding his whereabouts.
Greeting the sisters with hugs, Sylvie started to catch a bit of their contagious excitement.
Adelle bounced on her toes, rubbing her palms together. “I can’t wait to try bowling. I’ve heard about it for so long, but Papa never let us go in Cleveland. He says bowling alleys are prone to drawing unsavory characters.”
Leila shook her head with the long-suffering expression of an older sister. “He’s quite right too. But I suppose with this many reputable people around, we’ll be safe enough.”
Sylvie couldn’t suppress a grin as she followed the sisters into the bowling alley, where the sounds intensified even though the lobby opened up into a much larger space.
Twelve polished wooden lanes gleamed under the simple milk glass and brass light fixtures suspended from the high ceiling.
At the end of each lane, pins were in various stages of being either knocked down by bowlers or reset by young boys who served as attendants.
Members of Cleveland’s high society had claimed most of the lanes, some already sending the heavy balls rolling along the wooden floors with plenty of laughter and excitement.
Sylvie and the Moreau sisters joined a group of three others at a lane, including Mr. Kinsey, who welcomed Sylvie with a conspiratorial smile.
“Miss Bryce, while I’m delighted to spend the evening with you, I’m ashamed to say that my two practice runs so far have been lamentable.
I hope you won’t judge me too harshly for my lack of skill in the game. ”
Without quite meaning to, Sylvie found herself laughing along with him. Mr. Kinsey’s company was enjoyable. If it weren’t for her feelings for Miles, she might have spent more time with this man during the summer.
But she did have feelings for Miles, which deepened every time they were together, and even on the days they weren’t. She missed him right then with a physical ache, imagining that he would join in the gentle teasing between players with ease.
The question of his absence marred the evening for Sylvie.
She kept skimming her gaze across the hot, crowded room, hoping to catch a glimpse of Miles’s dark golden hair or broad shoulders.
In between searches, Sylvie tried to keep her attention on the game at hand.
Adelle and Leila giggled through most of their turns as their bowling balls rolled around unbridled, hardly hitting any pins.
While Mr. Kinsey easily picked up the directions given by roaming employees, Sylvie struggled a bit more. Turning to him in defeat after yet another of her attempts ended up in the grooves they called gutters, Sylvie shrugged when he met her gaze. “I can’t seem to get it. What am I doing wrong?”
Patience radiated from his understanding smile as he joined her at the end of the alley. “Let me show you again.”
There wasn’t even a hint of frustration in his tone.
He gently explained for the third time how she needed to hold the ball, using his own hand to show her the direction to point her thumb so the ball would roll straight.
When she slid two fingers and her thumb into the holes drilled deep into the ball, he grasped her wrist with a light touch, straightening it correctly.
If it had been Miles, there would have been tingles in his touch. Fireworks in her mind. Was that a sign that what she reluctantly felt for Miles was special? Or would more time with Mr. Kinsey nurture those same reactions?
By the end of their first round, Sylvie was sweating and a little sore in her shoulder, but in a laughing, enjoyable way that proved the evening was a success despite her distraction.
She’d managed to knock down a few more pins on each successive turn, as good as winning in her opinion.
While some of their group opted to play again, Sylvie and Mr. Kinsey excused themselves to step outside for some fresh air.
Darkness had fallen while they were inside.
Sylvie admired glimpses of twinkling stars between the glowing strands of lights as she and Mr. Kinsey strolled to a bench under one of the huge trees near the building.
They sat in silence for a time, watching resort guests come and go and enjoying the warm evening breeze.
Mr. Kinsey finally cleared his throat, drawing Sylvie’s attention.
“Miss Bryce, I won’t mince words. I can see your romantic attention is…
aimed elsewhere. But if that target doesn’t come to fruition, I’d like you to know that I enjoy your company a great deal.
I can’t offer as much as a marquess, but I’m well off enough to provide a woman with a comfortable life.
And I know you and I would get along well together.
I don’t expect any commitment from you. I only ask for you to keep that in mind. ”
Sylvie’s mind spun even as her heart sank.
He claimed not to want a commitment, but she felt such a sweet, genuine offer deserved a response.
The only one she wanted to offer, however, was a rejection, which felt cruel.
And too final, somehow. If Miles had turned his attention to Lucy, could Sylvie afford to brush aside an interested man who would make a tolerable husband?
Before she could gather any kind of answer, boisterous laughter filled the air, causing both of them to look up.
It was Lucy with her usual group of hovering ladies, heading past on the curved path.
Sylvie held her breath, praying they would continue on their way, but instead, Lucy paused as the others kept walking.
“Mr. Kinsey, how lovely you could join us tonight. I hope Miss Bryce isn’t waxing on about her precious marquess too much. She tends to, you know.”
Heat burned up Sylvie’s neck. Lucy was embarrassing her on purpose. Mr. Kinsey, ever kind and noble, shook his head and cast a fond glance at Sylvie. “On the contrary, Miss Casburn. Miss Bryce and I always have very interesting conversations about a variety of subjects.”
Lucy shrugged a delicate shoulder and made to leave, throwing a parting comment back toward Sylvie.
“That’s probably for the best, since the marquess has returned to England with hardly a word to anyone.
Except for me, of course. You ought to ask your mother about our conversation on Thursday, Sylvie. It was enlightening for her.”
With her thoughts tumbling over one another as she tried to sort out what that meant, Sylvie could only sit there next to Mr. Kinsey while Lucy sashayed down the boardwalk to catch up with her friends.
Miles couldn’t have returned to England, could he?
Why would he leave without telling Sylvie?
Had he really been so angry at her confession that he left the country without telling her? Or was something else wrong?
Lucy’s words buried themselves deep in Sylvie’s heart, despite her best efforts to remain reasonable. Thursday was the day Miles hadn’t shown up at the archery show. A tiny notion niggled in the back of Sylvie’s mind, asking if it might be true that he’d been with Lucy instead.
And what had Lucy revealed to Sylvie’s mother? Mother hadn’t confronted Sylvie about her show, and it was impossible to imagine she would allow Sylvie to continue it if she knew. There was no chance Mother was keeping that kind of knowledge to herself.
“Miss Bryce, would you like me to escort you home? You’ve gone quite pale.”
Mr. Kinsey’s soft words jolted Sylvie out of her spiral of questions.
The warm glow of emotion in his eyes nearly caused Sylvie to burst into tears.
What must he think of her? Here she was, pining for a man who may have left her without a word, when there was one at her side displaying such concern.
“I’m sorry. Miss Casburn has a way of getting to me.
But I am feeling a bit unstable at the moment and would appreciate your assistance. ”