Page 18 of Hearts of Locke Hill

He ran his large hands over his face and looked back at the portrait, still draped with black. At Daniel. “You’ve done enough, don’t you think?”

Heat rushed to the surface of her skin. She was old enough and smart enough to realize his laugh had not been hopeful; his words were targeted with shame.

A footman cleared his throat at the door. “You needed something, sir?”

“Escort her to the stables for her riding lesson.”

“Shall I have Jacks ready your horse as well, sir?”

“No. I will not be joining her. She will ride with Jacks from here on out.”

Violet stood still, not knowing what she could say to convince Father to join her, to not cast her aside. “Please, Papa? I’ll be good. I’ll be a good girl.”

He turned his back, this time to the tall window. “What have I to do with a girl?” he murmured. “You are dismissed.”

Tears pricked her eyes. She opened her mouth to protest.

“Now!” he cried.

She jumped toward the door, nearly crashing into the footman, who jumped aside in time, and ran as hard and as fast as she could down the corridor. She pulled on the front door and burst outside and down the stairs. She skidded to a halt at the startled looks of Mrs. Burke and her son, Cyril, who’d just exited their carriage, little Ruby waiting to be helped down. Without a word, she turned toward the woods and kept running.

She ran until she came to a meadow still clinging to the remaining wildflowers of the season. A small brook ran through the center of it, trickling over rocks and navigating mounds of mossand clumps of chamomile. She sat down where the ground would not be damp and dropped her head to her hands. Her heart beat so strong she could feel it through her bodice.

What have I to do with a girl?

The words rang sharply in her head. Banging around like when she’d stood too close to the church bells after Aunt Genevieve’s wedding.

She put her hands over her ears and closed her eyes.

“Violet?”

Startled, she lifted her head. Cyril had been running, and he slowed his last several strides to reach her.

“Go away,” she said.

“It wasn’tmyidea. My mother made me come.”

He said it, but she knew how he sounded when he was only trying to placate her with sarcasm.

“Heaven forbid you should disobey your mother.”

“Would you?”

He had a point. She adored Mrs. Burke. She puffed out a sigh and rested her arms on her knees.

He approached and lowered to the ground behind her with his back leaning against hers. “What has happened?”

“Father told me he has no need for a girl”—her voice hitched most infuriatingly—“and he won’t be going riding with me anymore.” She heard the sound of tearing grass behind her and imagined Cyril with a long blade of it in his teeth. Several moments passed before he answered.

“My father says your father is still in deep mourning.”

She sucked in a breath and shouted, “But I am still alive!” She pounded her chest with her fist. “I’m still here!”

She spun on all fours to face him, angry and sad andfrustrated. “Why am I still here? Why couldn’t it have been me instead of Daniel?”

He stared at her.

She turned back to her seated position and folded her arms. “You can’t even answer that question.”