“Alice.” Nellie appeared and forced Alice to stop. “Where are you going?”

Alice looked up. Goodness, she was headed toward the beach, to the wide expanse of ocean and sky. Maddie clearly wasn’t hiding in a conch shell, so it probably seemed like a silly choice. But when Alice left the tent, she hadn’t been thinking of anything other than escaping. “I don’t know. I wasn’t really thinking.”

Nellie’s expression softened. “I can tell.” She linked their arms together and continued toward the water. “Did the duke say something to upset you?”

“No!” Alice shook her head. “He was very kind.”

“Mr. Ward, then. I should have known—”

“No, no.” Alice stopped and heaved a sigh. “It was my mother. She can be . . . overbearing at times.”

“That is putting it politely. She makes dragons seem cuddly. I bet you will be glad to get out from under her thumb.”

An understatement. “Yes, and if I weren’t so terrible with men, it would have already happened.”

“Oh, Alice. That’s not true. You aren’t intimidated by the duke, certainly. I’ve seen you walk up and speak to him several times.” She led Alice toward the water again, the ocean breeze rustling their skirts. “And you and Kit have formed a certain friendship.”

The words and the way Nellie said them gave Alice pause. “What do you mean?”

“Well, it’s obvious the two of you are friendly.”

“It is?” Her cheeks grew hot. Had the other ladies noticed? Had her mother noticed? Oh, goodness. Was she making an utter fool of herself at every turn?

“Calm down,” Nellie said in a soothing voice. “I meant it is obvious to me. No one else has noticed a thing. I promise.”

“Katherine caught me staring at him. Maddie, as well. Everyone must think I am ridiculous, thinking myself capable of a man like that.”

“Whoa. I think you and I had better have a chat. This sounds more complicated than I assumed.”

They continued to the stone steps that led down to the ocean and sat. Alice arranged her skirts, hoping to minimize the damage to her pleats. Nellie unpinned her hat and turned her face up to the sun. “God, that feels good. I hate wearing hats.”

Alice studied this bold and unique woman at her side. How she wished she could be more like Nellie. “Is it true you spiked the punch at your debutante ball?”

“With brandy.” Nellie smiled. “Three of the girls vomited into the shrubbery.”

Alice couldn’t help but chuckle. “Aren’t you ever worried about what people will think?”

“Never.” Nellie grimaced. “At least, not anymore. I learned what I think of myself matters much more. I promised my mother before she died that I would live every day like it’s my last and I intend to never break my promise.”

“I’m sorry.” Alice knew Mrs. Young had died when Nellie was a girl.