Page 78 of Hearts of Briarwall

Or was she more angry with herself for being selfish with Spencer’s precarious dreams?

“But I don’twantSir Lawrence!” She cringed at the whine in her voice. “With or without Spencer.”

“Does Andrew know that?” Ruby asked.

Her simmering anger rose to a boil inside her. Would it even matter if Andrew knew how she felt? “I’m so tired of being treated like I don’t know what I want.”

“Whatdoyou want?”

Lydia threw her arms out at her sides. “I want to feel comfortable in my own skin. I want to learn to drive a car and participate in that exciting industry. I want to learn so many things beyond how to host a tea. I want to have asay. I want to kiss a man without it ruining me, and I want to fall in love without it ruining a man’s future.” Her voice quivered, and she swallowed against it. “And I want pigs to fly, apparently.” She breathed heavily from her speech.

“Well, at least you know what you want.” Ruby smiled up at her, and Lydia was reminded once again how fairylike her friend was.

She growled. “You are infuriatingly disarming; do you know that?”

Ruby lifted a shoulder. “I’ve learned to be as a matter of survival.” She patted the space next to her on the blanket.

Lydia took another deep breath and sat down, pulling her arms around her knees. “The next time I’m around Andrew I’m going to give him a piece of my mind.”

“Are you certain?”

“Yes. I don’t give a fig about Sir Lawrence even if our mothers were friends. Who does Andrew think he is?”

“Your brother,” Ruby said. She nodded toward the house. “And here he comes.”

Lydia looked up to see Andrew and Spencer strolling toward them, hands in pockets. Hero raced in circles around them. Her gaze lingered on Spencer, on his shoulders and jawline, the tone of his skin, the shape of his nose and lips. His curious eyes were bright as he took in his surroundings.

“Have any of your brothers tried to tie you to anyone?” she asked Ruby.

She shook her head. “They can’t even manage to tiethemselvesto anyone.” She threw a meaningful look at Lydia.

Lydia huffed. Neither could Andrew. Her anger calmed, and resolve grew in its place.

Ruby tilted her head, watching the men. “I don’t know. I could very well imagine Mr. Hayes a bird-watcher. With a poor-boy cap, a pair of binoculars, and a sketchbook.”

Lydia nodded in absolute agreement. “His sleeves rolled up and a pencil between his teeth.”

They both sighed.

Hero bounded up first, greeting the girls with a sniff and a wagging tail. He received hellos and pats in return.

The gentlemen approached and removed their hats. “Good afternoon, ladies,” Andrew said. “Miss Burke, I’d like to introduce my friend Spencer Hayes. Spencer? This is Miss Ruby Burke. I’d push for formality, but you know as well as I that by the end of the day we’ll all be on a first-name basis.” He said this in resignation, and Lydia stuck her tongue out at him. He ignored her.

Spencer bowed. “Pleasure to meet you, Miss Burke. I’ve met your brothers. Three of them, anyhow.”

Ruby cast a weary glance at Lydia. “I hope you don’t hold that against me, Mr. Hayes.”

He chuckled. “Indeed not. If anything, you’ve earned my respect even knowing nothing more about you.”

“A perk that comes with having such siblings, then.” She scratched Hero’s chin and lifted her eyes to Spencer. “Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

Spencer’s expression gentled. “A sister. I do what I can to earn her compassion from others.”

She laughed. “A dutiful brother, then.”

Spencer chuckled again. Was that a blush?

“If only some brothers knew how much duty to be full of,” Lydia mused. She caught all three discerning gazes and smiled innocently. “Generally speaking, of course.”

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