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She nodded.

“I was very scared to meet you after all this time. I was worried you would hate me for leaving you. I hated myself for a long time. That is the thing about lies. They hurt people. I do not want you to fear me or feel that I will ever leave you again.”

“It was a mean thing you did. Everyone says so. They did not like you for it, but if you promise you are going to stay, then I guess I would like that.”

He deserved that. So, she did know more than he thought on the subject. She had yet to really confront her feelings. Most likely too scared that he might leave. “I did not intend for it to be mean, but it was unfair to you and to the family. When you are older, I will explain it better, I promise. I appreciate your honesty, and I want you to be able to come to me if you have any questions.”

“Oh, I have lots of questions. Like why is the sky blue? How did a tree first grow if it needs a seed, but where did the seed come from if there were no trees?”

Not really the questions he had envisioned. “They are good questions. Perhaps we can research the answers together?”

Max nodded again and left him in the foyer. Edward watched his daughter climb the stairs. That went better than expected, though he may need Charles’s help to answer some of her more scientific questions in the future. He suspected that as she became more comfortable with him, her questions about what prevented him from being in her life may be more forthcoming.

It would be uncomfortable, but he was willing to be uncomfortable to have her in his life, and if working on his proposal to Rose helped with that, he was willing to wear flowers in his hair if that was what she suggested.

*

The summons to Epping Cottage came the next day, and Rose, perplexed as to why they could not have sent Maxine back directly, ordered a horse made ready and a groom to lead the way. Wearing her nicest riding habit with a stylish hat in dark navy gave her a splash of London style. The horse was not unfamiliar to her. It was the same bay pony that she had ridden with Max many times. When she would talk about her father as if he were some mythical creature far out of reach.

“How long will it take to get there?” she asked the groom once they were out of the mounting yard.

“About an hour or so, quicker if we canter some of the way.”

“A good canter would be nice. Lead on, John.”

The groom smiled and kicked his horse into a canter, and Rose followed. When Epping Cottage came into view, she smiled. It was a neat house. It was larger than she had expected for a cottage, but nowhere near as grand as Ashtonvale.

“If we were to take the left road, we would be on our way to Harlow Manor.”

“Do all the brothers have homes on the estate?”

“The late duke wanted all his children close, so he made sure they all had a home. Lord Anthony has the hunting lodge, but he rarely uses it, seeing as he mostly stays in London, and when he is here, he stays at Ashtonvale.”

They dismounted, and Anna met them at the stables. They embraced, and Anna guided her towards the house.

“I did not tell you, but when Max heard you were back, she wanted to surprise you with something very special. I think she may have missed you.”

“A surprise? That is curious. I missed her too.”

“It requires a blindfold, I’m afraid.”

“How could it not?” Rose laughed. Perhaps this was the distraction she had needed. The ride over had been lovely, and the day was surprisingly warm, just perfect for a surprise. She had not heard from Edward or his mother, but it had only been a day since she had arrived at Ashtonvale.

Anna placed the blindfold on her and led her around the house. “An outside surprise then?” Rose guessed.

“You will see. They have spent days getting this together.”

They? Oh, most likely all the cousins were involved. Perhaps a performance of some kind?

Gravel and leaves crunched under her boots. Where was she leading her to?

“Not much farther,” she assured Rose, and a couple of steps later they stopped.

“Are you ready?” It was Max’s voice.

“Yes. I am very excited to see what you have done.”

Max took her hand and led her up some steps. “We are here,” she said, and then a violin started playing. “You can take your blindfold off now.”