‘Yes.’
‘And she really…?’
‘Yes.’
‘And the time you told me about, when she…in public?’
‘Yes, that, too.’
‘Hello?’ I waved a hand in the air. ‘Anyone remember I’m standing right here?’
Shaking himself, Edmund came out of his daze. ‘Of course. Forgive me, Miss Linton, where are my manners?’
‘I don’t know. They’re yours.’
‘Um. Yes. So…you know about the two of us?’
‘Yes.’
He straightened. ‘Well, let me assure you that my intentions are nothing but honourable. I mean to marry your sister.’
‘And how’s that working out so far?’
‘Lilly!’ Ella hissed.
‘What?’ I hissed back. ‘He’s been at it for nearly two years. It’s a legitimate question.’
Edmund, who by now was as red in the face as a virgin tomato on its wedding night, cleared his throat. ‘There have been some difficulties in gaining the consent of her guardians for Ella’s marriage, Miss Linton.’
‘Such as the fact that you haven’t actually asked yet.’
‘Lill!’
‘True, Miss Linton. However, the doorstep is hardly the right place to discuss this. Would you like to come in to have a cup of tea? My parents will be back in half an hour, so I’m afraid you cannot stay long, bu
t—’
‘Oh, half an hour will be plenty of time to wrap this little matter up. I have lots of other things to do today, anyway.’
He stared at me for a moment—then nodded and stepped aside.
‘Very well, Miss Linton. After you.’
I entered the modest home. The brick house was almost an exact replica of Uncle Bufford’s. Whoever had built these things had not possessed a great deal of creativity. Edmund led us to a small sitting room, where we sank into two plush armchairs while he busied himself with the tea kettle in the kitchen. Ella turned her head from left to right, gazing at everything as if this were the Palace of Versailles and we were two poor peasants taken on a tour as a last treat before our execution.
‘What’s the matter?’ I demanded.
‘I…well…it’s just so overwhelming, seeing it for the first time.’
‘Wait a minute…for the first time? You’ve never been here before?’
She looked shocked. ‘Of course not!’
‘You’ve been sneaking around with this fellow for nearly two years, and you’ve never seen the inside of his house? What if he had a collection of previous wives stacked in the cellar?’
‘Lill!’
‘Should I check? Just in case?’