Page 35 of Lady Mary's May Day Mischief
“I love you, Fee. I do. I was so afraid you had played me for a fool.”
“Why would you think that?”
“I spoke with Millicent Weaver earlier today. She told me that Lady Mary helped her fool a friend on mine into thinking she did not care for him.”
In horror, Mary lifted her head.
“That’s true. But Mary regrets it.”
“She should. Does she do that often?”
“No, no.”
“What’s the matter?” he asked her.
“I just worry.”
“About what?”
“That she’s pretending to care for Lord Bridges.”
Beneath Mary’s hands, every muscle in Blake’s body went hard as rock.
“Why would she do that?” Charlton asked, incredulity in every word.
“Because she and I made a pact to do that here.”
“What? Why?”
“A long story.”
Fear told Mary not look up at Blake. But the sooner, the better.
Oh, no. No.He glared at her, then blinked away any confusion.
She shook her head, clutched at his lapels, but he backed away.
Turned and parted the palms with a crisp rustle of the foliage.
“Pardon me,” she heard him say to the others. He strode away, the clack of his heels on the tiles a death knell to her hope.
She stepped out of the shadows to face her startled friend and Charlton. Without a word to excuse herself, she fled.
Grief followed like a ghost.
Chapter 10
The next morning, Mary hobbled down the hall as the clock struck seven bells. In the wee hours, she’d packed. Surprising Welles when the maid appeared after six, Mary had explained that she would return home as soon as possible but that Welles should stay to serve Fifi.
“My lady, you cannot travel by yourself.”
“I’ve no fears of it, Welles. The journey is short to Bath. And Lord Courtland will, I hope, allow me to go into Chippenham in the pony cart. They won’t use that this morning for the wedding.”
“Oh, ma’am, stay! This is your friend who marries. You’ll regret it if you go. You love a wedding so!”
“I do.”I did.
“Miss Esme will miss you.”
