Page 44 of Winterset

“Thank you. I will miss you, too. The twins, of course, are most loath to leave. They have been trying to convince us that they should stay and help find the murderer. But I can see that their pleas are lacking their usual spirit. I think that finding that body yesterday has affected them more than they would like to admit.”

“I am sure it has. I am so sorry they were with me.”

“You could have had no idea,” Kyria reassured her. “I am very glad you were with them and they did not stumble upon it by themselves.” She leaned forward, impulsively reaching over to take Anna’s hand. “I do hope that this will not be the end of our friendship. I would like it very much if you and your brother would come visit us in London. We could do all sorts of things. It is the height of the Season, and I would love to show you around. Please say you will come and stay with us. I shall have my mother write you an invitation. She would love to meet you. And Broughton House is huge, far too large for our family. You would not have to worry about being squeezed in with all of us.”

Anna flushed a little with pleasure. She liked Kyria, and she could not help but wish that things had been different, that she and Kyria could have become fast friends. But, of course, they could not. She could not go for a visit to the ducal mansion, living in the same house as Reed. It would be an impossible situation. No, no matter how empty the upcoming days would seem, it would be far better for Reed and Kyria and all the rest of them to leave. In the long run, it would be far easier on her heart.

“I am sorry,” she said, real regret in her voice. “But I am afraid that Kit and I do not often visit the City. We are simple country folk.”

“What nonsense. That is the sort of thing Rafe says—usually when he is trying to put something over on someone.”

Anna laughed. “No, I promise you, I am not trying to ‘put anything over’ on you. But the summer is a very busy time here. Kit has to keep track of everything for both estates, and I could not leave him to do it all by himself.”

“Well, I shall write you, and you must promise that you will write back to me.”

“I will, yes.”

“And I will convince you to visit. You’ll see.”

Rosemary and Kit strolled back into the room soon after that. Their faces were flushed, and Anna thought that Miss Farrington looked a little teary-eyed. Kyria rose, and they took their leave. Kit and Anna walked with them out to their carriage.

“Please say our goodbyes to Lord Moreland, as well,” Anna said, carefully keeping her voice neutral.

Kyria looked at her in surprise. “Reed? Oh, but Reed is not going with us to London. I am sorry, I did not realize you thought that he was leaving, as well. No, it is just Rafe and I and our baby and Miss Farrington and the twins.”

“Oh.” Anna’s heart was suddenly much lighter. She told herself that the news should not make her happy; she should not be looking forward to seeing Reed again. “He—he really should leave. You must persuade him to go with you for his own safety.”

Kyria let out a lilting laugh. “Oh, no! If I were to tell Reed that, it would only make him even more determined to stay.”

Kit handed the women up into the carriage, bowing toward them, his eyes going to Rosemary. She lifted her hand to him, and the carriage pulled away. Anna glanced over at her brother. He was watching the carriage as it receded down the drive.

“I am sorry, Kit,” Anna said, slipping her hand into his.

He did not look at her as he said, “It is better that she leave now. It will make it easier in the end.”

“Yes, but I know that it is hard right now.”

He squeezed her hand. “We have not fallen in love. But I did like her…very much. She wanted me to come to London to visit. She said that Kyria was inviting us to stay with them at Broughton House.”

“She did.”

“I told her it was impossible. It hurt her. I could see it in her eyes, though she tried to hide it. And that makes me feel worse than ever.”

“Oh, Kit…”

He mustered up a smile for her. “What a sorry pair we are, eh? Ah, well, I do not suppose I could ask for a better sister to grow old with here. Can you not see us when we are Nick Perkins’ age? Playing cribbage in front of the fire every evening?” He turned back into the house, standing aside for her to walk through the door before him and saying lightly, “It’s the very devil behaving responsibly, isn’t it?”

* * *

Anna was surprised the following morning when the butler interrupted her in a conference with the housekeeper to tell her that Lord Moreland and his two younger brothers were there to see her.

She hurried out of the servants’ area, stopping at a mirror in the hall to examine her face and hair, and to repin a lock that was threatening to slip out. Reed and the twins were waiting for her in the formal drawing room. Alex and Con, who had been tussling with each other, straightened, letting go of each other, and turned to grin at her.

“Anna!”

“Hello, Con. Alex.” She went over to them and took their hands. “How glad I am to see you. I was afraid that you were going to leave without saying goodbye to me.”

“Never!” Con declared stoutly. “Reed told us he would bring us.”