‘Tom, I need to ask you something.’

‘Oh?’ His words whispered in her hair.

Calm, Lou, focus. She swallowed.

‘Will you promise to support Charlotte if she asks your father for permission to enrol at university?’

A pause. One and two … ‘What makes you think my father will listen to me when it comes to decisions on my sister’s future?’

‘You can try.’

Another pause. Longer this time. ‘Is Hill House so awful that a woman needs to escape it to find happiness?’

‘No … no! Not at all. I just believe that it’s what Charlotte needs to do or … or …’

‘She will wither and die like an orchid in my father’s hothouse?’

How did he do it? How did he reach inside her mind and pluck out the thoughts she had yet to form into words?

‘Very well,’ he said. ‘I’ll plead Charlotte’s case to my father. On the condition that you do something for me.’

‘Anything,’ she sighed, a wave of relief washing over her.

‘Tell me why you ran away when you saw me in the woods yesterday.’

She stumbled, stepping on his feet again.

‘Do you know how reckless that was? You could have been shot.’

Three and four … He looked down at her. The crease had returned to his brow. Was he rummaging around in her thoughts again? If he was, he would see that yesterday, like now, she was running away from her feelings for him. That it was taking every ounce of self-control to hold back. Because in her world, in another time and place, free from the straight jacket of strict manners and the promise to steer him into the arms of another, she would have kissed him. Kissed him and never stopped.

The music ended. Couples applauded. The band struck up the next song. Other guests began to move around them, and Tom escorted Lou from the floor. They stood to one side.

‘You’re trembling,’ Tom said.

‘I …’

A person coughed beside them, bringing the world of the party crashing through their private moment.

‘Tom. Miss Arnold,’ Edward said. With his hands in his pockets, he rocked back on his heels.

Tom cleared his throat. ‘If you’re looking for a dance partner, I’m afraid you’ll be out of luck with Louisa. She’s playing her dance card rather close to her chest this evening.’ His jollity, for once, sounded false.

Edward ran his fingers through his fringe. ‘It’s you I rather wanted to speak to, Tom.’

‘Oh?’

Lou felt Tom tense beside her. Did he think Edward was about to reveal all about his maid? Depending on how much Edward had drunk, it was possible he could blurt out anything.

‘Father has opened a good malt in the billiard room,’ Tom said. ‘Perhaps we should take our conversation through there.’

‘No, it’s all right, really. What I have to say can be said in front of Miss Arnold. You see … I felt it right … that’s to say I had it pointed out to me that … look here, Tom, I just wanted to apologise for my shocking behaviour since you’ve been home. I’ve had a rum time of it recently, which is no excuse, I know. But … well, we’re brothers, and I’d hate to think there was bad blood between us. Especially as you’ll be returning to barracks after the New Year.’