Page 76 of Hearts of Briarwall

The girls laughed, their heads close together. Lydia had been friends longest with Violet and had embarked on the most adventures with Florrie, but with Ruby, she knew she was in gentle hands, and sometimes that was what she needed most.

“So,” Ruby said as they reached a willow and paused. “What will you do about Mr. Hayes?”

Lydia sobered, remembering the way things had turned the night of the musicale. “I do not know that there is anything to be done. He—that is, I believed—” She folded her arms and paced, then stopped. “Why does it feel as though felicity landed right in my lap, and just as I had the courage to embrace it, it turned to sand.” She reached out and pressed her hand to the willow trunk. “Have you ever tried to embrace sand?”

“I imagine it’s a little frustrating.”

“Yes, and difficult to scrub away. It gets everywhere, and days later you’re still—you’re still—”

“Agitated?”

Lydia groaned and slapped her forehead. “There’s that word again.”

“What word?”

“Agitate.Violet hinted at its connection to love.”

“Did she?”

“And I was stupid enough to believe that I agitated Spencer as well.”

Ruby suppressed a giggle and pinched her lips closed at Lydia’s sharp look. She sighed. “Forgive me. You’ve painted a very intriguing picture, that’s all. Are you sure Mr. Hayes is not ... agitated?”

Lydia pulled at a willow branch. “I’m not sure of anything!” She hushed herself immediately.

“How can I help?” Ruby asked, her green eyes sincere.

Lydia glanced about and saw Andrew drawing closer, likely coming for her. She took Ruby’s arm again and began walking away from her brother. “Come home with me. You have vastly more experience with the male species than I do. Is your mother still in need of you?”

Ruby shook her head. “My aunt returns to Suffolk this afternoon.”

“Excellent. Then your mother can spare you, and I daresay you need a change of scenery.”

“That I do.”

“Then come. You can quietly observe and see what can be done.”

“You wish me to spy.”

“No. I wish you to help me figure out why a man who ‘may be in love’ would fight so hard to stay away from it.”

“As I said, you wish me to spy.”

Lydia caught the gleam in her friend’s eye. “Fine. I wish you to spy.”

“I’m no expert.”

“Have any of your brothers been in love?”

Ruby shrugged. “Some have claimed to be.”

“And you live with these men?”

“Incessantly.”

“Then you are more expert than I.”

Ruby grew quiet, then asked, “Has Andrew never been in love?”

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