There was the sound of the back door in the kitchen banging open and small frantic footsteps approaching. Through the dining room burst a young girl with long, straight blonde hair and wearing a very pretty dress. She was laughing but stopped when she almost crashed into Thomas. His look of annoyance caused her to shrink backwards. She shrank even further when she saw that there was a stranger in the room. She drifted towards Mrs. Carrington and clung to her leg. Then, a man entered from the kitchen, out of breath. I recognized him from the party as the driver of the Carringtons’ carriage.

“I’m sorry, sir,” he said. “We were playing tag and I told her to stay outside, but she didn’t listen.”

“She seldom does,” Thomas grumbled.

Mrs. Carrington introduced the man as their valet, Theodore Whitlock. She then turned her attention to the little girl, hiding behind her hip. “And this little one is our daughter, Katherine.”

“Hello, Katherine,” I said, but she said nothing.

“You’ll have to forgive her. She’s painfully shy,” Mrs. Carrington said.

I nodded.

She glanced at her husband, then at me. “I can’t remember; have we invited you to the Fourth of July Celebration?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good. We shall see you then.” She looked at her daughter. “Say goodbye, Katherine.”

“Bye,” the girl whispered.

“It was very nice to meet you, Katherine,” I replied.

“I’ll show you out,” Thomas said, and escorted me to the door.

We walked down the path to the street, where the bicycle was resting against the bushes.

“She was supposed to be gone for a few more days,” he quietly said. “I only received the telegram yesterday that she was arriving this morning.”

I asked him why he didn’t tell her that I had made a delivery to the house before.

“My wife can be suspicious, sometimes.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It’s understandable around such a beauty as yourself.”

Can you believe he would say those words while only a few yards from his home and wife? I can and I relished it.

“You’ll forgive me if I don’t kiss your hand as before but there might be eyes watching us.”

I told him that I understood.

“If I had my way, I’d kiss more of you,” he said.

I fought to keep from smiling but lost.

“There also won’t be a delivery next week. I’m worried she’ll grow more suspicious, but I do expect to see you at the Fourth of July Celebration.”

“You may count on it,” I said.

His eyes gleamed with approval.

“Until then,” he said and walked back towards the house.

My eyes followed and I was certain for a split second, I saw Mrs. Carrington watching us from an upstairs window. The curtain fluttered and she was gone.