Her hands clenched at her sides as she walked the carpeted floor. She did trust him. She trusted him to come back for her—to keep his word. But she hated her lack of control over the situation. It made her want to scream.

And she might have done, had a knock not sounded at the door.

She opened it to find Jenny Finchley standing on the threshold. She was garbed in a stylish caraco jacket with a poplin skirt, her thick auburn hair arranged in intricate plaits at the back of her head.

“Mrs. Finchley,” Laura said. “I wasn’t expecting—”

“Pardon the intrusion. I thought we might talk while the gentlemen are away.”

“Of course.” Laura welcomed her in, shutting the door behind her. “Forgive me. I’m not in the best of moods at the moment.”

“Quite understandable. And do call me Jenny. We’ve no need to be formal, given the circumstances.”

“I suppose not.” Laura gestured to one of the chairs near the window. “You may call me Laura, if you like.” She went to the bell pull. “Shall I ring for coffee? Or tea, if you’d prefer?”

“Tea would be splendid.” Jenny sat down, fluffing her skirts, while Laura summoned a hotel footman and placed their order. “My husband said he might be gone for hours. I expect he and your husband are going to have a nice long reminisce about the past.”

Laura sank into the chair opposite her guest. “You make it sound very cordial.”

“My husband bears no ill will.”

“Should he?” Laura asked. “I understand the two of them parted badly, but it was many years ago—”

“Mr. Archer broke my husband’s nose. He still bears the scar from it.”

Laura didn’t know what to say.

“I don’t mean it as an accusation,” Jenny said. “Only to explain that the past casts a very long shadow. Especially where our husbands and their friends are concerned.”

“Do you know their friends? The other boys from the orphanage?”

“Indeed. I used to be companion to Lady Helena, daughter of the Earl of Castleton. She married Captain Justin Thornhill last year. It’s through him that I met my husband.”

“And the other boy?”

“Neville Cross? He resides with Lady Helena and Captain Thornhill at Greyfriar’s Abbey, their estate on the North Devon coast. He had a bad fall in his youth. Your husband rescued him. I don’t suppose you’ve heard the story? It was all very heroic, or so I understand. My own husband speaks of the incident in tones of awe.”

“My husband told me of it,” Laura said. “It’s not a pleasant memory for him, I fear.”