He sat back on his heels, actually looking surprised. “I think you are making a mistake. As I said, there won’t be many more offers coming your way at your age.”
Unable to hear much more without resorting to violence, she wrenched her hand free from his and stood. “That might very well be, Mr. Harris, but since marriage is not something I pine for, I will have to take my chances and pass on your offer. Should I change my mind, perhaps some elderly gentleman looking for a nurse would be willing to take me on to save me from the horrors of spinsterhood.”
He stood and brushed off his pants. “What can I say to change your mind?”
“Nothing. Now, if you will excuse me, I must give my dog a bath.” She pulled her skirts close and swept past him. Speaking over her shoulder, she said, “Lacey will see you out.”
She raced up the stairs to her room, closed the door, and leaned against it.
And burst out laughing.
* * *
It was Thursday, and the book club was to meet at Amy’s house, as there was some sort of event at Atkinson & Tucker. Rather than cancel their meeting, Amy had offered the use of her house.
“How long does the meeting with your cohorts in crime last?” Aunt Margaret entered the drawing room, her hat clutched in her hand. “I want to be certain to stay away long enough not to walk into a discussion of dead bodies and gruesome murders.”
“We are generally finished by ten o’clock.” Amy moved a vase of flowers from a rectangular table near the window to the top of the piano. They would use the table for tea and small sandwiches and tarts that Cook had prepared and Lacey was in the process of laying out. “Where are you off to this evening?”
Aunt Margaret walked to the mirror in the entrance way and adjusted her hat. “Mr. Darling is hosting a card party.”
Amy joined her aunt as she shrugged into her coat. “Tell me, Aunt Margaret. You know how men often call each other by their last name?”
“Yes?” Aunt’s attention returned to the mirror as she smoothed back the few strands of hair that had loosened from her chignon.
Amy grinned. “Do the men in your circle of friends call Mr. Darling by his last name?”
Aunt Margaret frowned at her. “What?” Then she began to laugh. “Oh, yes. I see what you mean. You know, I have never noticed. Now if someo
ne calls him that I will be forced to swallow my laughter.” She patted Amy on the cheek. “Thank you for that, dear niece.”
With a sweep of her skirt and the light scent of lavender, Aunt Margaret left the house.
No sooner had the Winchester carriage carrying Aunt Margaret pulled into the traffic than William strode up the steps, followed by a very out-of-breath Eloise. “Good evening, Amy.” William offered his bow.
“Eloise, you are looking so much better.” Amy gave her a warm hug.
“Yes, much, much better.” Eloise rolled her eyes. “I thought I would never be allowed out of bed. Mama is very overprotective, as you know.”
Eloise had a younger sister who had developed influenza a few years back, and despite healers, physicians, and numerous prayers, she had succumbed to the illness after six days with a fever. Mrs. Spencer had never gotten over losing her child and had been overly cautious with Eloise since.
Amy had not seen either Eloise or William since Mr. Harris’s proposal a few days before. She linked her arms with them both and started walking. “I am so glad you arrived before the others. I have a very interesting and funny story to tell you.”
“How very intriguing,” William said as they all walked together to the drawing room, where they took seats across from each other.
“I had a visit Monday evening from Mr. Harris.”
“Who is Mr. Harris?” Eloise asked.
Amy took a few minutes to bring Eloise up-to-date with what had been happening with the murder investigation.
“I still cannot believe you broke into someone’s flat.” Her eyes danced with amusement as she glanced back and forth between Amy and William.
“Yes,” Amy smirked. “I cannot believe it myself.”
William straightened in his seat. “Whatever did Harris come here for?”
She grinned, anticipating this reaction. “To ask me to marry him.”