“HAVE YOU AND the viscount had a fight?” Sitting cross-legged on Violet’s bed that night, Lily patted May-dew on her face from a bottle she’d purchased in London. “He didn’t seem very happy when he came back for his watch.”
Violet paced her bedchamber, restlessly touching things at random. “No, we didn’t fight.”
She had no idea how to explain what had happened in the woods, because she hadn’t yet figured it out. The two of them had walked back in silence, as though they had nothing left to say to each other. But Ford hadn’t seemed angry. Before they’d reentered the house, he’d even brushed a kiss across her forehead at the door. And then sighed before he opened it.
She sighed now. “I still cannot believe he isn’t going to do anything with the watch.”
Rose played with her hair, examining herself in the mirror at Violet’s dressing table. “Not everyone is as ambitious as you are, Violet.” Holding her tresses twisted up high, she turned from her reflection. “Do you prefer it up or down?”
“Up,” Lily said at the same time Violet said, “Down.”
“Some help you two are.” Rose stood, fluffing her white night rail. Violet was struck anew by her younger sister’s stunning beauty, but quickly suppressed the stab of envy. “It’s not like you can change him,” Rose told her. “And why would you want to, anyway? You keep insisting you’re not interested in him.”
Violet plopped on her bed so hard the ropes creaked a protest beneath the mattress. “I just find it hard to believe he can invent something so important and not be interested in selling it. Or patenting it, at least. At the Royal Society event, I heard that Christopher Wren patented a device for writing with two pens. If anyone uses his idea, they have to pay for it.”
Lily scooted nearer and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Why is this bothering you so, Violet? It’s not your invention.”
“I just hate to see such brilliance go to waste.”
Blinking, Lily shifted to face her. “Perhaps Lord Lakefield isn’t motivated by money, but it’s not as though he’s lazy. It’s only that he does things for other reasons than you would. He might invent something to make someone happy, or create something he hopes will be a benefit to mankind. His values may be different than yours, but that doesn’t mean they’re wrong.”
Violet wondered when young Lily had become so wise. “I never thought of it that way,” she murmured, more confused than ever.
Her two sisters exchanged a glance. “Did he kiss you again?” Rose asked.
“Maybe.” Violet stood and resumed pacing—then stopped, wondering if it were a habit she’d picked up from Ford. Feeling her sisters’ gazes on her, she turned to face the wall. “Very well, he did.”
“And was it as marvelous as before?” When Violet failed to answer, Lily rose and came up behind her, placing a hand on her arm. “If you love him,” she said softly, “why won’t you consider marriage?”
“He hasn’t asked me.” Violet twisted out of her sister’s grasp. And because Ford had as much as said he loved her, something in her middle twisted as well. “And even if he did ask me, I would wonder if it were only for my inheritance. I’m not the type of girl who inspires love.”
Compassion flooded Lily’s deep blue eyes. “We love you, Violet!”
“You’re my sisters. That’s different.”
“Now I see why you’re so upset,” Rose said. “You wish he would sell watches and make a lot of money. Because if he still kissed you then, you’d know it was for yourself.”
That could be so, Violet realized. Rose was far too shrewd for her comfort.
Lily stepped closer. “Or is it your dream of publishing you don’t want to give up? Are you afraid that if you marry, your money will go to your husband instead of your dream?”
“No. Not that.” Maybe she would have agreed with Lily last month. But although she still wanted to write a philosophy book, she had new dreams now.
Yet she was sure, deep down, that if Ford were suddenly showered with gold—or figured out how to make gold himself—those new dreams still wouldn’t come true. And it irritated her that she’d even begun dreaming. She used to be content with her lot, and that had been much easier.
“My own money has nothing to do with it,” she said. “I just hate to see wasted potential. It disagrees with the practical in me.”
“But Violet,” Lily said quietly, “what is it you really want?”
Good question, Violet thought. She didn’t know anymore. “Maybe we should talk of something else.”
Rose shrugged, then grinned. “We could read more of the Master-piece.” She snatched the book off Violet’s bedside table. “Where did we leave off?”
“Here, give it to me.” With a sigh, Violet took the book and climbed into bed.
Lily ran around to the other side, and the three of them huddled together beneath the covers. “Just like old times,” Lily said. “Do you remember when we couldn’t read yet, Violet, and you used to read to us at night?”
“Read to us again, big sister,” Rose lisped, stretching her mouth wide in a silly, babyish smile.
Giggling, Violet turned to the next chapter. “‘Chapter Seventeen: A Word of Advice to Both Sexes, Being Several Directions Respecting Copulation.’”
Rose rubbed her hands together. “Sounds like a good one.”
“That’s strange…” Violet flipped a page, fingering the book’s binding. “It appears most of the pages in this chapter are missing.”
“Oh, no!” Rose looked crestfallen.
“I can’t believe I never noticed before.” Violet closed the book and examined the tailband at the bottom of the spine. “Look, you can even see a little gap.”
“Could they have fallen out just recently?” Lily asked. “Maybe the pages are somewhere in your room, or in the summerhouse.”
“No, it looks like they were cut out.” Violet turned back to Chapter Seventeen to show them the skinny strips of paper still attached to the binding.
“Hang it!” Rose leapt out of bed with an angry huff. “Someone ruined the book!”
Lily shook her head. “Who would do such a thing?”
“It must have happened before Mr. Young sold it.” Violet shrugged. “I’m sure he didn’t know the book was damaged.”
“I suppose,” Rose said with a pout. “I bet they were the best pages, so someone decided to take them.”
“Maybe.” Lily looked disappointed, too.
Violet raised her chin. “Get back in bed, Rose. We’ve got plenty more to read.”
“Very well,” Rose grumbled as she climbed back under the covers. “Let’s get on with whatever’s left of Chapter Seventeen.”