Page 76 of The Wise Daughter
She loved Aaron.
She loved him deeply. Her conviction, her devotion, her commitment to him solidified each time she said it to herself, as did her mortification over how foolishly she had behaved. After a quick swipe of her eyes, she saw something on her dressing table that made her heart soar.
The signet ring was sitting with the hairpins as if it had never been missing. How could she have missed it earlier? Maybe it had been knocked out of the small container, and Janie had found it. Whatever the case, it was a relief to see that the thieves had not stolen it. Nora slipped it over her thumb and sighed with the happy, familiar feeling the added weight brought, steadying her like an anchor.
But then she remembered her last conversation with Aaron.
She dropped back onto her bed, plucked a nearby pillow, and hugged it to her chest. What a terrible thing it was to realize how verymuch she loved him when she had no idea what was occurring in his mind.
“He must be so upset with me.” She hadn’t meant to exclude him from her plans. She had only wanted to gain the upper hand on the thieves. She had assumed acting quickly would achieve that. She hadn’t wanted Aaron to protest or delay or stop her from–
“Oh no,” she groaned.
He was right. She should have trusted him more. What had seemed like such a simple, clever plan now looked flimsy and ill thought-out now that it had been executed. The truth was, she had put them both in danger by not confiding in Aaron. She had behaved so foolishly.
“It’s all because of that stupid wish on the bridge!”
She took a pillow and threw it across the room. She didn’t believe in wishes. Wishes were for children and fairy tales. And apparently naive ladies who thought themselves wise. She grabbed another pillow and plowed her fist into it, sending a small flurry of feathers bursting across her bed. A feather stuck to the wetness of a tear on her nose, making her sneeze.
Why had she rushed off on her horse like that? Only because she couldn’t stand how his gaze had made her feel naked, every weakness exposed, every flaw and every feeling seen. She had been humiliated in the very moment she realized she had completely lost her heart to him.
She hiccupped and plucked another feather off her cheek. “I’m being utterly foolish.”
“I can’t imagine you ever being foolish about anything, Miss Lacy, though when it comes to your own heart, I’m not entirely sure.”
“Janie!” Nora sat up and rapidly rubbed away the tears and any remaining feathers off her cheeks. “I didn’t hear you come in.”
Balancing a tray heavy with food, Janie dipped into a small curtsey. “I apologize, Miss Lacy. I did knock. Twice. When I heard noanswer, I let myself in.” She laid the tray on a table by the fire. “I thought you might want some refreshment.”
“Thank you.” Nora hadn’t realized she was hungry until the savory smells reached her.“Please disregard whatever nonsense you heard me mumbling to myself just now.”
“Of course, Miss Lacy.” Janie surveyed the room, her eyes landing on the pillow on the floor and the feathers scattered across Nora’s bed. “I’ll have this all cleaned up for you in a moment.”
“Oh no.” Nora couldn’t stand watching Janie gather those feathers. “Leave those.”
“But Miss Lacy–”
“You might as well call me Nora.”
“But–”
“We’re really not so different, Janie. I came here a beggar, remember? I’ll never forget that I was very nearly the one stoking the fires. And any way, I want you to leave those feathers right where they are for the moment. They’re my fault, and I want to see them.”
Janie twisted the apron tied around her waist. “Well, Miss Lacy–”
“Nora.” She could see that she was making Janie uncomfortable with her strange mood, so she took a deep breath and summoned her usual composure. “Please.”
“There is something I need to tell you, Miss Nora. I know how much you want to catch the thieves, and I want you to catch them too. We all do.”
“We?”
“All the servants. We all want you to stay. We’ve seen the changes since your arrival. The duke actually talks to us sometimes. He’s kind, and everyone seems a little happier. Did you know he’s going to raise our wages? We all used to look suspiciously at one another, but for some reason, once you arrived, that stopped.”
Before Janie could protest, Nora pulled her in and wrapped her arms around her. “Thank you for telling me that, Janie.”
Janie gasped at the surprise but hugged her back.
“Miss Lacy, this morning, when I was outside doing the washing, I saw something fall out of Mr. Ruthers’s coat. He didn’t notice, so I ran over and picked it up.” Janie dropped something cold and heavy into Nora’s hand, a diamond necklace and a ring to match. “They were the former duchess’s. I know because I’ve been selecting things from her wardrobe for you.”
