Page 17 of My Favorite Mistake
“Are they about to roll the cheese?” she asked, starting to stand.
“Not yet, my lady,” Becky said, curtsying. “I’m from Brockworth. They don’t usually start for another hour or so. My name is Becky.”
“Lovely,” Lady Caroline said, lounging back in her chair. “I fancied a rest, but I don’t want to miss the cheese rolling. Harrington has announced that he is going to participate.” She caught sight of Fanny’s drawn expression. “Why, Fanny! Whatever is the matter?”
Fanny gave her a succinct version of the events of that morning, along with her past history with Nick. “I can’t bear to see him every day, my lady. I just can’t. I…” Fanny trailed off. She didn’t want to threaten to leave her post with Lady Caroline. It was the last thing she wanted. But she didn’t see how she could continue if Nick Cradduck was going to be living on the estate.
Lady Caroline pushed herself to standing, one hand upon her hip. “You won’t have to. I will speak to Henry immediately.”
Fanny felt tears pricking behind her eyes. “Oh, thank you, my lady!”
Lady Caroline wrapped a shawl around her shoulders. “La! You are the one doing us a favor, by the sound of things. Clearly, this is not the sort of man Henry will want anywhere near his horses.” She paused before Fanny, taking her hand. “And I hope you know that I would not allow anyone on the estate who makes you uncomfortable. You are important to me.”
Fanny nodded, the tightness dissipating from her chest. “Thank you, m’lady.”
“Well,” Billy said brightly once Lady Caroline departed, “that’s sorted. Shall we try to enjoy the fair?”
They attempted to do just that. Billy and Becky insisted on staying close to Fanny in case she had another run-in with Nick.
But it wasn’t long before the young couple was distracted by a stall selling sweets. And, given Fanny’s rotten luck, guess who should come strolling around the corner, as carefree as a summer’s day?
She noticed straight away that Nick had changed his shirt. Whereas before he’d been wearing one in plain linen, this one was striped in blue.
Fanny squinted at him. It was remarkable, the effect a change of a shirt had. It made him look… quite different. It was strange, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it...
As he passed, she gave him a ferocious scowl. “Had to change your shirt, did you? Did the other one have grass stains? You always did like a roll in the hay on market day.”
He jerked back, startled, and then the strangest thing happened. A huge, doltish grin spread across his face, and he threw his head back and laughed.
Fanny recoiled. She had never in her life seen such an expression on Nick Cradduck’s face. Smoldering stares? Yes. Wicked grins? Absolutely. But right now, he was guffawing like the village idiot. What on earth had got into him?
He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed at his eyes. “I knew I was going to like you.”
He knew he wasgoing tolike her? What in tarnation didthatmean? Oh, who gave a fig—there was no use trying to make sense of anything that came out of his mouth. “Well, the feeling is not mutual,” Fanny snapped. “Now be gone!”
His grey eyes were apologetic. “I’m afraid I can’t do that. You see, this is all my fault.”
Billy and Becky had finally noticed her predicament and came up to flank her. “Well, of course, it’s your fault!” Fanny snapped. “You’re the one who went and married another woman.”
“Actually, I didn’t. That was the problem, all right. Noah!” he called.
The boy Fanny had seen earlier looked up from the neighboring stall.
“Run and find your Uncle Nick,” he said.
Suddenly, there was a roaring in Fanny’s ears. Uncle Nick? What did he mean,Uncle Nick?
“Uncle Nick?” she stammered. “But… but you’re…”
Noah apparently hadn’t had to go far, because he was already striding toward them, Nick Cradduck in tow. Now that the two men were side by side, it was easy to mark the differences. The man in the striped shirt lacked the little mole Nick had on his upper lip, and the bump on his nose. Nick must’ve broken his at some point. And whereas Nick’s every gaze was darkly seductive, this other man had a happy-go-lucky air about him.
“You… You have a twin!” Fanny exclaimed.
“That’s right,” Nick said. “This is my brother, Nat, and my nephew, Noah.”
“Nat!” Fanny pointed a finger at him, accusingly. “That’s why the preacher called you Nathaniel during the ceremony!”
“Exactly. I wasn’t up there because I wanted to marry Sarah. I was just standing in for Nat,” Nick said, jerking his head toward his brother.
