the swishing of fabric as evidence to their movements. With all of the stress caused by the eventful evening, Kate's head was beginning to hurt in earnest. At least now my excuse is no longer a lie.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"Oh dear, Oh dear, what a disastrous end to what was supposed to be a lovely evening." Rose was pacing around her bedroom, wringing her hands as she went. "I thought Matilda and Clara behaved rather poorly towards Katherine."
Edward walked over to his wife and gently pushed her into the nearest chair.
"Dearest, you are making more out of this than there is. Clara was one of Emily's closest friends, can you really not understand her trepidation?"
"Emily was my best friend.” Hurt flashed across Rose's face and Edward immediately felt bad for causing her any grief.
"Yes indeed, no one doubts that. But you have spent more time with Ms. Dornacher than they have, and in time, they may come to like her as much as you do." He placed his hands upon her shoulders and kissed the top of her head.
"I doubt Matilda will. She has had her eye on Nicholas ever since she came of age."
Edward chuckled at that remark. "Nicholas is a smart, dependable man, capable of making his own decisions. If Miss Beverly turns out to be the one he sets his heart to, we as his friends must be supportive."
Rose sighed and stood from her seat. "I know you're right. Still, I must call upon Ms. Dornacher tomorrow and apologize just the same."
Edward took hold of Rose's hands and gently pulled her into his arms.
"Have I told you yet today, how much I truly love you?"
"I believe so my dear, but those are words that can never be spoken too often."
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
As she had on countless other evenings, Mrs. Thompson watched Ms. Rusch set up a service of tea in the library. It was customary for Mr. Bennett to engage Mr. Baxter in idle chit chat about the evening, but not this night. Instead, Mr. Bennett stood quietly alongside Ms. Dornacher. Without looking directly into her face, Mrs. Thompson could tell that the young woman had been crying once again.
Nicholas led Kate to a chair in front of the fire, taking the seat directly across from her. She watched as Nicholas pulled a small glass vial out of his pocket and poured a small amount into the cup of tea Ms. Rusch had handed him. When he looked up, he saw a quizzical look upon Kate's face.
"Preston gave me some sleeping powder before we left the Dickson home. I had spoken to him about my recent sleep issues and he supplied me with a cure." Nicholas then leaned forward in his chair and handed the vial to Kate. She turned the vial in her finger for a few moments, contemplating the contents and their abilities.
"I suppose I too could use a little bit as well." As she finished her sentence, a yawn escaped her lips. "Perhaps I should take my tea to my room."
Nicholas laughed as he found himself yawning in response. "Perhaps I should as well." He directed Kate to the secret passageway. "It will be much quicker and we will be less likely to spill our tea on Mrs. Thompson's freshly cleaned floors."
Once they had reached the doors to their prospective rooms, Kate turned to face him. "Nicholas?"
"Yes, Katherine?"
"Thank you for the lovely evening. Despite everything, I had a nice time... for the most part." Her sleepy smile was so sweet, Nicholas nearly forgot himself. It seemed almost instinctive to reach out and kiss her goodnight. He silently chided himself for being so tired as
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"Oh dear, Oh dear, what a disastrous end to what was supposed to be a lovely evening." Rose was pacing around her bedroom, wringing her hands as she went. "I thought Matilda and Clara behaved rather poorly towards Katherine."
Edward walked over to his wife and gently pushed her into the nearest chair.
"Dearest, you are making more out of this than there is. Clara was one of Emily's closest friends, can you really not understand her trepidation?"
"Emily was my best friend.” Hurt flashed across Rose's face and Edward immediately felt bad for causing her any grief.
"Yes indeed, no one doubts that. But you have spent more time with Ms. Dornacher than they have, and in time, they may come to like her as much as you do." He placed his hands upon her shoulders and kissed the top of her head.
"I doubt Matilda will. She has had her eye on Nicholas ever since she came of age."
Edward chuckled at that remark. "Nicholas is a smart, dependable man, capable of making his own decisions. If Miss Beverly turns out to be the one he sets his heart to, we as his friends must be supportive."
Rose sighed and stood from her seat. "I know you're right. Still, I must call upon Ms. Dornacher tomorrow and apologize just the same."
Edward took hold of Rose's hands and gently pulled her into his arms.
"Have I told you yet today, how much I truly love you?"
"I believe so my dear, but those are words that can never be spoken too often."
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
As she had on countless other evenings, Mrs. Thompson watched Ms. Rusch set up a service of tea in the library. It was customary for Mr. Bennett to engage Mr. Baxter in idle chit chat about the evening, but not this night. Instead, Mr. Bennett stood quietly alongside Ms. Dornacher. Without looking directly into her face, Mrs. Thompson could tell that the young woman had been crying once again.
Nicholas led Kate to a chair in front of the fire, taking the seat directly across from her. She watched as Nicholas pulled a small glass vial out of his pocket and poured a small amount into the cup of tea Ms. Rusch had handed him. When he looked up, he saw a quizzical look upon Kate's face.
"Preston gave me some sleeping powder before we left the Dickson home. I had spoken to him about my recent sleep issues and he supplied me with a cure." Nicholas then leaned forward in his chair and handed the vial to Kate. She turned the vial in her finger for a few moments, contemplating the contents and their abilities.
"I suppose I too could use a little bit as well." As she finished her sentence, a yawn escaped her lips. "Perhaps I should take my tea to my room."
Nicholas laughed as he found himself yawning in response. "Perhaps I should as well." He directed Kate to the secret passageway. "It will be much quicker and we will be less likely to spill our tea on Mrs. Thompson's freshly cleaned floors."
Once they had reached the doors to their prospective rooms, Kate turned to face him. "Nicholas?"
"Yes, Katherine?"
"Thank you for the lovely evening. Despite everything, I had a nice time... for the most part." Her sleepy smile was so sweet, Nicholas nearly forgot himself. It seemed almost instinctive to reach out and kiss her goodnight. He silently chided himself for being so tired as
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