While he looked for a third rock, he said, “So your cousins joined the chorus against you three sisters. No wonder you are so close.”

She shrugged as she took the next rock she was to try. She rolled it in her fingers. “They were always accusing us of trading places and playing tricks on them. They hated that they couldn’t tell us apart.”

“Were you trading places and playing tricks?” he asked.

She tossed the newest rock and it skidded just barely before it sank. “Oh, so close!” she cried out in pleasure, holding out her hand for another rock. “Er, sometimes we traded places, and it was hard not to play tricks on people who were so cruel.”

He grinned. “I must admit, I approve that answer.”

“Even though you’ve been on the receiving end of the trick?” she asked, and hoped her voice sounded light. That night when she’d pretended to be Anne was still a tender spot between them. One she feared he didn’t fully forgive.

“I hope you didn’t do it because I was cruel,” he said.

She shook her head. “No.”

“To be fair, I did know it was you right away, so you didn’t trick me,” he said, and handed out another rock. He let his fingers glide along her palm gently before he released it.

She shivered at the contact of his skin on hers and blinked as she tried to focus.

“Try turning your body a little,” he said, leaning to one side to show her. “And move your thumb along the top there…” She adjusted and he nodded. “Just so. Perfect.”

She smiled and flicked the rock. It skipped along the surface of the water, bouncing out into the waves before it finally sank.

She jumped in place, clapping her hands with the pure joy of success. Jasper whooped and caught her waist, spinning her around before he dropped a kiss firmly on her mouth. She opened to him, and for a moment rocks were forgotten, problems were forgotten, everything was forgotten except the bond they were forging. She lifted into him with a shiver and sank into that connection with a sigh.

He parted from her after what felt like far too short a time and smiled as he steadied her. “Good show, Thomasina, that was wonderful.”

She laughed and smoothed her skirts as she stepped away from him. “I admit, I’m very proud of myself. I may not have a higher accomplishment than that in my life thus far.”

“I doubt that is true. Would you like to try again?”

“Yes!” she said, bending to help him find a flat rock to toss next. “This is my main duty as countess now, I’m afraid. Everything else will be secondary to skipping rocks on the lake.”

“Fair enough,” he said with a chuckle, and picked up a handful of perfect rocks.

As he handed the next over, she glanced at him from the side of her eye. “You mentioned again that you knew me that night at the ball. And I know I’ve asked you this before, but I’m not sure you ever answered me. How did you know? You said it wasn’t a trick to tell us apart, then what is it?”