Page 24 of A Secret Correspondence
You may have the entire bottle.
Was it a promise or a threat? Whoever had left this must have known its significance to Marguerite. They had to know it was the scent her mother had worn, that it would be important to her.
But that was not the relevant detail. She lowered the paper and looked to the window Mr. Harding had seen someone peeking through just last night. Whoever was leaving these notes, if they knew what her mother’s perfume was…that meant they knew who her mother was.
Who herfatherwas. What she had run from.
Marguerite had changed her name twice. She had thought she was safe.
She had believed no one but her father’s friend, Paul, knew where to locate her, or furthermore, that no one but Paul would have any reason to. Her French past was behind her. It was no longer relevant.
None of this made any sense at all.
Marguerite lifted the letter and carried it up the stairs to her chamber. She pulled out the first note and flattened the two papers, side by side, on her writing table. They had the same hurried writing, like the person had dipped the pen and not taken much care when forming any of the words.
This is only the beginning.
You may have the entire bottle.
Marguerite leaned back. Whoever was doing this had a plan. Neither of these were complete notes. They were building up to something, that much was clear.
But what?
Chapter Nine
Lady Faversham was clearly making an attempt at proving her French knowledge and prowess, because the meal had been extensive and foreign thus far. Samuel was perfectly aware that a good portion of what was typically served on an English table was French. What decent hostess didn’t use a good French recipe in her meal? But this was too much—it was decadent. The food was too rich, his stomach too full.
At least he was sitting beside Aurelia and Ryland. If he could not have a seat near Miss Farrow, then he could pass the meal beside his friends.
Though, Aurelia looked excessively pregnant and uncomfortable. When she shifted for the third time in her seat in under a minute, it was clear she needed to move.
Samuel leaned close to her. “You should have made your excuses after the first course. No one would blame Ryland for taking you home in your condition.”
“And miss all these delicacies?” She didn’t roll her eyes, but Samuel gathered that she would have liked to. “Ruth would not hear of us turning the invitation down.”
“Ruth would also prefer you were not miserable.”
Aurelia nodded. “That is probably true.”
Samuel looked over the table, noting very few people still holding their forks and knives. “I think dinner is nearly over. Shall I escort you elsewhere? Or may I fetch you a cushion?”
Aurelia smiled, her soft blonde hair gleaming in the candlelight. “Thank you, Samuel. I will be well enough. You may distract me instead. I am afraid my husband’s attention is being stolen by a very persistent neighbor.”
“Would you care to know whose attention I hope to be stealing later this evening?”
“Yes, do tell.”
“Miss Isabella Farrow. Are you familiar with her?”
“I’m afraid not. Which lady is she?”
Samuel located her across the table and six seats down. She had dark hair pulled to the crown of her head, a narrow nose and gently rounded features. He looked at her a moment longer, imagining her sitting at a desk, writing him letters directly from her heart. Her dark lashes fanned over her cheeks in his mind, her pink lips curving into a smile.
“I can clearly see which direction I’m meant to look,” Aurelia said drily.
“Dark hair, green gown. Purple ribbon in her hair.”
“Samuel, she’s lovely.” Aurelia glanced at him. “Quite your opposite, in fact. You’ll make a handsome pair.”
