wasn’t there or else all would be revealed within seconds. Still, Jane was not only her sister, but her eldest sister and for whatever reason it was harder to lie to Jane than Charlotte or Michael.
“Now, tell me what you’re thinking,” Jane said quietly.
“Nothing.”
Jane’s laugh filled the room. “It isn’t nothing. I might not be as close to you as Olive is, but even I know that’s a lie just as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow.” Jane grasped the grips on the side of the wheels on her chair and backed up, then turned to face Daphne. “I’ve seen the way you look at him.” She smiled softly. “And the way he looks at you.”
Daphne exhaled and sat on the edge of Jane’s feather mattress. Only a fool could be persuaded to think that there wasn’t some sort of attraction between Daphne and Aaron. But it couldn’t be. “It’s just a flirtation.”
“Oh, I agree, I’ve born witness to plenty of flirtation.”
Daphne blushed. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?” Jane’s face softened. “I didn’t mean to shame you, dearest. I just meant—” She broke off, clasping her hands in her lap. A moment later, Jane licked her lips. “Daphne, I don’t think your feelings for Mr. Lentz fall in line with a simple, innocent flirtation.”
A hard, immobile bubble of air formed in Daphne’s throat and she tried desperately to gulp it down. But it didn’t budge and the more she gulped the bigger another one grew in her chest until she was almost gasping for air! “N-n—” she stammered. “I—I—”
Jane lifted a delicate hand, halting Daphne’s attempt to explain. “He’s a little older than you, is he not?”
A little older was one way to word it, she supposed. Daphne gave a small, single nod.
“And divorced.”
Again, Daphne nodded solemnly, the lumps in her throat and chest still not receding. Though she did wonder how Jane knew of Aaron's past. Never mind. Jane had spent a lot of time indoors with their great grandfather, who, Daphne had learned was the most knowledgeable gentleman she'd ever met. There wasn't a fact or rumor he hadn't already heard, of that she was certain.
“Can you see past the blemish on his reputation?”
“ He has none!” Daphne said more fiercely than she meant. Her hand flew to her chest then up to her throat. Her strong response had dislodged both suffocating air bubbles. She cleared her throat. “Forgive me, I didn’t mean to snap at you.”
Jane waved her off. “I’m rather glad to hear such a tone.” She grinned. “It gives me hope.”
Daphne pursed her lips. “Just because I was quick to point out he was the wronged party, doesn’t mean—” She broke off. There was no use. The more she attempted to explain, the brighter Jane’s smile became. And that wouldn’t do. The last thing Daphne needed was for Jane to join Danby in his bold matchmaking attempts.
“Actually, whether he was in the wrong or not—which just to be clear when there is a parliamentary divorce granted, the man is never wrong , even if he is.” She shook her head. “The point is, I didn’t ask you if he was wrong or right. I asked you if the shame of his having been divorced was a problem for you and your sudden need to defend him proved that it’s not.”
Daphne couldn’t argue Jane’s logic, and to attempt to do so would be futile.
“Now, as for the other important issue at hand. His age. Is it so unforgivable to you that he’s so much older than you?”
“Unforgivable,” Daphne choked. “I didn’t think one had a choice in their age.” Truly, she hadn't given his age much of a thought except how her family might react.
“No,” Jane allowed. “But is it something you dwell on or worry about?”
Daphne’s top teeth worried her bottom lip. “Plenty of young ladies marry older men,” she said using Jane’s own words from when they first arrived.
“Indeed. And to most of those matches, it’s not twenty years that separate them, but perhaps
“Now, tell me what you’re thinking,” Jane said quietly.
“Nothing.”
Jane’s laugh filled the room. “It isn’t nothing. I might not be as close to you as Olive is, but even I know that’s a lie just as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow.” Jane grasped the grips on the side of the wheels on her chair and backed up, then turned to face Daphne. “I’ve seen the way you look at him.” She smiled softly. “And the way he looks at you.”
Daphne exhaled and sat on the edge of Jane’s feather mattress. Only a fool could be persuaded to think that there wasn’t some sort of attraction between Daphne and Aaron. But it couldn’t be. “It’s just a flirtation.”
“Oh, I agree, I’ve born witness to plenty of flirtation.”
Daphne blushed. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?” Jane’s face softened. “I didn’t mean to shame you, dearest. I just meant—” She broke off, clasping her hands in her lap. A moment later, Jane licked her lips. “Daphne, I don’t think your feelings for Mr. Lentz fall in line with a simple, innocent flirtation.”
A hard, immobile bubble of air formed in Daphne’s throat and she tried desperately to gulp it down. But it didn’t budge and the more she gulped the bigger another one grew in her chest until she was almost gasping for air! “N-n—” she stammered. “I—I—”
Jane lifted a delicate hand, halting Daphne’s attempt to explain. “He’s a little older than you, is he not?”
A little older was one way to word it, she supposed. Daphne gave a small, single nod.
“And divorced.”
Again, Daphne nodded solemnly, the lumps in her throat and chest still not receding. Though she did wonder how Jane knew of Aaron's past. Never mind. Jane had spent a lot of time indoors with their great grandfather, who, Daphne had learned was the most knowledgeable gentleman she'd ever met. There wasn't a fact or rumor he hadn't already heard, of that she was certain.
“Can you see past the blemish on his reputation?”
“ He has none!” Daphne said more fiercely than she meant. Her hand flew to her chest then up to her throat. Her strong response had dislodged both suffocating air bubbles. She cleared her throat. “Forgive me, I didn’t mean to snap at you.”
Jane waved her off. “I’m rather glad to hear such a tone.” She grinned. “It gives me hope.”
Daphne pursed her lips. “Just because I was quick to point out he was the wronged party, doesn’t mean—” She broke off. There was no use. The more she attempted to explain, the brighter Jane’s smile became. And that wouldn’t do. The last thing Daphne needed was for Jane to join Danby in his bold matchmaking attempts.
“Actually, whether he was in the wrong or not—which just to be clear when there is a parliamentary divorce granted, the man is never wrong , even if he is.” She shook her head. “The point is, I didn’t ask you if he was wrong or right. I asked you if the shame of his having been divorced was a problem for you and your sudden need to defend him proved that it’s not.”
Daphne couldn’t argue Jane’s logic, and to attempt to do so would be futile.
“Now, as for the other important issue at hand. His age. Is it so unforgivable to you that he’s so much older than you?”
“Unforgivable,” Daphne choked. “I didn’t think one had a choice in their age.” Truly, she hadn't given his age much of a thought except how her family might react.
“No,” Jane allowed. “But is it something you dwell on or worry about?”
Daphne’s top teeth worried her bottom lip. “Plenty of young ladies marry older men,” she said using Jane’s own words from when they first arrived.
“Indeed. And to most of those matches, it’s not twenty years that separate them, but perhaps
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