Page 14 of The Misfortunate Miss Farthington
The thought of the sun’s gravitational pull had her mind turning once more to Richard. Though truly, most everything anyone said or did had her thoughts returning to that man. Had she been too presumptuous? Was he having second thoughts about her?
Anthony frowned when she visibly shivered. “Are you sure you’re not too chilled for a walk? It’s not exactly a balmy spring day out there.”
The wind chose that moment to rush by so quickly, it made a whistling sound within the carriage.
Daphne patted Tessa’s knee and answered on her behalf before Tessa could open her mouth. “Nonsense. The sun is out. I’m sure my cousin will be right as rain just as soon as she’s in the sunshine, won’t you, Tessa?”
Tessa nodded, laughter bubbling up inside her at her cousin’s enthusiasm.
As Daphne had hurried them all out the door, proclaiming to their mothers that they all needed some fresh air to reinvigorate their spirits, she’d muttered to Tessa, “If we don’t leave soon, all my work will be in vain.”
She’d refused to answer Tessa’s questions on what precisely that meant, but the closer they drew to the park, the more excited Tessa became.
And the more nervous.
The two sensations overlapped and seemed to incite one another, which was why she was a shivering, shaking mess at the moment.
If only her girls at the finishing school could see her now. How they’d laugh that their calm, poised headmistress was as giddy as a child at the thought of seeing Mr. Grant again.
He would be here…
She glanced at Daphne.
Wouldn’t he? Wasn’t that why Daphne was forcing them on this frigid outing?
She rubbed her hands together to warm them.
If he’d needed any encouragement, surely she’d given it when she’d told him to act on his jealousy.
As always, the memory of his jealousy had her heart trilling with joy. Not that she needed him to be jealous. But for the first time in her life, she was the one a man wanted and not the forgotten friend in the background, or the helpful headmistress aiding the romance from the sidelines. And it was…
Well, it was rather lovely, really.
When the carriage came to a stop by Hyde Park, Anthony helped each of the ladies down. When Tessa was on her feet, he leaned down and lowered his voice. “I don’t suppose this is why you were so on edge on the drive over…”
His teasing tone caught her off guard, and she heard Marian sigh, “Ahh” in understanding.
Only then did Tessa see him.
Mr. Grant was watching her with a small smile on his lips from the entrance to the park.
Tessa grinned as Daphne came up beside her. “How did you manage this?”
Daphne’s voice was smug. “I have my ways.”
Tessa turned to look at her. “You’re a little terrifying, do you know that?”
Daphne smiled like it was a compliment. “I’ve heard that, yes.”
“You look so sweet…” Tessa continued.
“Yes.”
“And I always thought you so quiet.”
“Many do.”
“But you’re really very…” Tessa trailed off, starting to laugh along with Daphne as she struggled to figure out how to end that sentence. She finally settled on, “Clever.”
