The Spinster (Emerson Pass Historicals 2)

“When I came to, five sets of eyes were peering at me,” Quinn said. “I thought I’d gone to heaven and been met by angels.”

“Little did she know then that we weren’t exactly angels,” Flynn said.

“That quickly became apparent.” Quinn raised one eyebrow.

“Phillip’s commissioned his first piece of furniture,” Josephine said. “Making a kitchen table for the Cassidys. Papa, he’ll need your help with the wood.”

“We’ll go out to the mill tomorrow and pick up what you need,” Lord Barnes said.

I warmed under my dinner jacket. I’d wanted to ask Lord Barnes about his offer of wood when we were alone. Would he assume I’d taken his help as a given?

“They desperately need one,” Josephine said. “The one they have is about to collapse.”

“How are they doing?” Quinn asked. “I’ve been worried about Moira.”

“She was ill with one of her headaches again today,” Josephine said. “Shannon asked after you, Flynn.”

“How nice?” Flynn asked as he cut into his piece of meat.

“Why’s that a question?” Josephine asked.

I glanced his way. He was giving his sister a saucy grin. “Am I supposed to be excited that sweet little Shannon asked after me?”

“She’s not so little anymore,” Cymbeline said.

“She’s very, very pretty,” Fiona said. “Everyone thinks so.”

“Which you’d know if you ever attended church,” Quinn said.

“Last time I saw her, she was in pigtails,” Flynn said.

“She’s only a year younger than you,” Cymbeline said. “I mean, your real age. Not the one you told the army.”

“She’s sweet, too,” Fiona said. “Which is most important.”

The sisters were all so different: cerebral, reserved Josephine; tough and feisty Cymbeline; kind and compassionate Fiona. Lord Barnes was a lucky man to have these girls as daughters.

“When you were away, Shannon always asked at church if we’d heard from you,” Cymbeline said. “She was genuinely concerned.”

“She said she prayed for you every night.” Fiona turned to Lord Barnes. “I feel terribly sad for them. They adored their papa, just like I do mine.”

“As I do you, sweetheart,” Lord Barnes said.

“They wanted to come to the festival,” Josephine said. “But Moira wasn’t well and they didn’t want to leave her alone. That’s why they haven’t been at church the last few months. The poor girls are missing out on so much.”

“I thought you said I would know what she looked like if I were at church?” Flynn asked Quinn.

Quinn smiled. “Don’t be wicked.”

“Don’t encourage Shannon when it comes to me,” Flynn said to Josephine. “I have no intention of settling down. I certainly don’t want the burden of that farm of theirs.”

“Any girl who’s praying for my son is good in

my book,” Quinn said.

“The whole town was praying,” Josephine said. “For Isak, too, of course.”

“There wasn’t a Sunday that Pastor Lind didn’t include you in the group prayer,” Cymbeline said.