The Peacock and the Wallflower by Laura Greenwood

Author:Laura Greenwood [Greenwood, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Drowlgon Press

Eleven

Esther

* * *

I sip my tea and nod along to whatever Victoria is saying. I've honestly managed to forget what she's talking about while my gaze is fixated on some of the gentlemen playing a game of cricket.

Laurence's sleeves are rolled halfway up his arms, and it's a sight I'm finding it difficult to ignore, though I cannot fathom why.

"Esther, is everything well?" Victoria asks.

"Oh, I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I asked you how your courtship with Mr Peabury was going, but I think I can see the answer on your face." She takes a sip of her tea and gives me a knowing look over the top of her cup.

"I'm afraid I do not know to what you refer."

"Mmhmm."

I sigh. "It is complicated."

"Perhaps I may help uncomplicate it?" she offers.

"I don't think you can."

Victoria sets her teacup down and gives me a pointed look. "We are alone for the moment and your mother is caught in conversation with poor Lady Swanley." She nods in their direction. "I would feel for her if her daughter had not cruelly rejected poor Edmund."

"Surely Miss Swanley's rejection of your husband is a good thing?" I ask, a little confused.

"I suppose you would be right. But you are also changing the subject."

"You're too clever for anyone's good."

"I have told people that many times," Victoria responds in an amused tone. "They never believe me."

"I do."

"Good, then you can be assured that I will help if I can."

I let out a loud sigh and make sure to keep an eye on Mother lest she reappear and overhear my situation when I least want her to. "Laurence and I aren't really courting."

She raises her eyebrow, and it takes me a moment to realise what I've done.

"Mr Peabury and I..."

"Too late," she says. "Go on."

"After you introduced us, we got to know one another, and he suggested that we take part in a ruse. We would pretend to court so I could have a break from Mother's constantness, and he could avoid the mindless flirting of the eligible ladies."

Victoria nods. "I see. And then?"

"I agreed and we've been pretending to court ever since by doing the normal things one does when courting, I suppose. Promenades, dances, he's sent flowers a few times."

"Has it crossed your mind that it may not be a pretence?" Victoria asks.

"We agreed to it, there is no doubt that's what it is."

"But what if it wasn't any longer?" she prompts. "Presumably you have talked while fake courting or else it seems very unlikely he would have asked you to refer to him by his first name."

"You caught that," I mumble.

"It was rather obvious," she admits. "But it is nothing to worry about, we have all done something similar at one point or another."

"None of that means anything."

"Perhaps not. But it also might. Often it is unguarded moments that lead to the most intense feelings."

"You sound as if you're speaking from experience," I say.

"I am." She smiles indulgently. "Edmund and I reconnected over an ill-advised wager.

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