A Stranger's Kiss by Rosemary Smith

I? At his words, disappointment surged through me and as I walked towards the drawing room I idly wondered if he had another assignation.
    ‘Sara, Sara,’ called an excited voice and before turning around I realised it was Violet. ‘Have you noticed the decorations? Do you like them? I think they are lovely.’ As Violet spoke she clapped her little hands together and I looked to where she pointed.
    ‘I must confess Violet, I had not seen them,’ I said as I looked around at the green garlands which festooned the walls of the hall.
    ‘And see,’ said Violet excitedly, ‘the mats have been removed from the floor.’
    On looking down I could see they had. ‘And this is where you’ll dance,’ she said, twirling round and round on the polished floor. Fed up with her little game Violet ran across to me and whispered conspiratorially, ‘And who will dance with you, Sara? Will it be Tobias, Michael or Papa?’ Here she clasped her hands together. ‘Oh yes, please let it be Papa.’
    And as she ran up the stairs I could hear her saying, ‘Papa,’ over and over again in her shrill childlike voice.
    I stood there for some time sickened by the whole incident, half wishing I had left this house as I’d planned to, for I realised it was Violet who put a deep fear in my heart and as yet I couldn’t explain why. I felt I needed to get out of the cloying atmosphere of the house for a while just as Rosalind and Mrs Mallory arrived.
    ‘You look pale, Sara,’ observed the beautiful Miss Tremaine. ‘Please get some rest before this evening. I have invited a few people over for dinner and as you are to be the honoured guest it would be nice that you look your best.’
    ‘I promise you I shall, Rosalind. Now what I really need is some fresh air. Is there a conveyance that could take me and Tilly to Moll’s Bay?’ I asked her.
    ‘Why yes, I shall arrange for Seth to bring the small brougham to the front. Shall we say in half-in-hour?’ she agreed amiably.
    ‘Rosalind,’ I called as she walked towards the kitchen, ‘may I take Emily? She and Tilly get on so well together.’
    ‘Of course. I will tell Mrs Mallory that Emily has my permission,’ Rosalind called back and went on her way.
    After seeking the two girls out and arranging to meet them at the front of the house I went to my room, washed my face, pinched my cheeks to give them some colour and donned my white lace bonnet, ready for I knew not what. Before leaving the room I glanced at the portrait and said out loud, ‘And what secrets did you take to the grave?’
    The three of us, duly settled in the brougham made our way down the winding lanes I’d travelled with Tobias yesterday. The thought of him brought a smile to my face and then I thought of Michael and almost laughed out loud. I really was between the devil and the deep blue sea. But which one was the devil?
    Tilly and Emily giggled and chatted, the sun shone down out of a cloudless blue sky and Seth whistled as we went along. My thoughts turned to Amelia. Had the face at the tower window this morning been hers? And what significance did the small music box have to her birthright?
    Arriving at Moll’s Bay we stopped outside the teashop. A nice cup of tea would be most welcome was my thought as Seth helped the three of us to the ground.
    ‘What a nice village isn’t it, Miss Sara,’ said Tilly looking longingly around her. ‘I don’t ever want to go back to Bath now,’ she said linking her arm through Emily’s.
    Another problem I thought, and imagined myself going back home without Tilly. My hand on the door-knob ready to turn it, the two girls close at my heels, I stopped frozen to the spot. Inside, sat at a table talking earnestly while drinking tea, were three people. Two of them I could understand being there, Michael and his nurse, Miss Sutton, but the third!
    ‘What’s the matter Miss?’ asked Tilly.
    ‘I’m sorry both of you, but we cannot go in there today, I suddenly feel unwell,’