Page 59 of A Bachelor’s Lessons in Love

Besides, Felicity was fiercely independent. She had fought to remain part of Daphne’s life, and once her charge no longer needed her, she would undoubtedly seek a new purpose. Perhaps elsewhere—at a cottage by the sea, as he had heard her say before. Alone.

The thought was most unsettling.

Daphne, watching him closely, hid a knowing smile—not before he caught sight of it, though.

He glanced at the coachman. “I think we are going to walk for a few more minutes.”

“As you say, Colonel.” The coachman touched the brim of his hat, then climbed back into his seat.

They walked in silence for a few paces before Daphne said, with studied nonchalance, “It would be nice if she had a reason to stay nearby, would it not?”

He raised his eyebrows at that, looking down at the slip of a woman on his arm. “Are you not reason enough, child?”

“Well. Aunt Felicity will not wish me to feel smothered. She has said as much. Brides need to make their home and their life their own. Or so I have been informed.” She batted her eyelashes innocently. “It is such a shame. I should like to keep her close. I doubt I would feel smothered. Especially if she lived in a place familiar to me.”

Edward snorted. “Daphne.”

“What?” she asked, voice sweet as honey.

“You are many things, but subtle is not one of them.”

She grinned. “I do not know what you mean, Colonel.”

He gave her a look.

His young ward, utterly unfazed, continued speaking while looking directly ahead. “She is very fond of you, you know.”

Edward sighed. Honestly! “I should have left you in the bookstore to live out your days, especially if you are going to start plotting romances.”

She laughed, seemingly utterly delighted. “No, you should not have! But if I am to plot a romance…”

Edward shook his head, hiding a small smile.

Daphne had struck him as clever from the first, but it had been smothered by grief. This was a new level of mischief. She continued to smile teasingly as she turned her face toward the sun, as though the afternoon were too lovely for serious conversations.

Edward, however, was still considering her earlier words. It would indeed be nice if Felicity had a reason to stay. The thought lodged itself in his mind, stubborn as a burr; but Felicity was not a woman who waited for things to happen. She would stubbornly stick to her word. She would not linger where she was not needed.

If Daphne no longer needed her, she would go. It could be in a matter of months, or a matter of years. A time he had no control over.

Edward frowned. Felicity was right about him resenting a lack of control…but how could he help it when he thought of her leaving? He simply did not like where that thought led.

Daphne glanced at him from the corner of her eye, clearly waiting for him to say something.

Instead, Edward changed the subject. “We should return home before the streets become too crowded. You must be tired.”

The young woman made a thoughtful sound in the back of her throat. “Or,” she said slowly, as though weighing the thought carefully, “we might make one more stop.”

Edward cast her a wary glance. “One more?”

The smile he received was far too sweetly. “My seamstress is only a few streets from here.”

Edward arched a brow. “And?” Surely she had everything she needed at this point. Felicity had presented him with meticulous notes with each purchase, partly he rather thought to justify the expense. She was quite thorough on all matters concerning Daphne’s needs.

“And,” his ward continued, “I thought perhaps you might like to visit my seamstress, Madame Bisset.”

Edward’s suspicion deepened. “For what purpose?” He would not mind buying her fripperies, if she asked for them, but dancing around the subject did not seem like her.

Daphne lifted her shoulders in an exaggeratedly careless shrug. “You are always saying that my gowns are ‘lovely.’ I thought you might wish to see where such loveliness is crafted. And, you know, Aunt Felicity had her gowns made by the same seamstress, though they are certainly not as lovely, given how dark they are.”