“I have an important family. An old one that means something in Charleston. That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t move. I went to California.”

Pandora rolled her eyes. “I promised him I wouldn’t tell you.”

“Tell me what?”

Pandora ground her teeth.

“You have to tell me now.”

Pandora blurted out, “Gordon’s father is a peer of the realm.”

Linnea felt her stomach fall. “What?”

“He’s the only son of a viscount. When his father dies, he will be Lord Gordon Carr of Rochester.”

Linnea couldn’t speak.

“Granted,” Pandora said, “his family doesn’t have much money. And the house isn’t all that grand. But the man will someday in the not too distant future inherit the title and all the responsibilities that title brings. Gordon will have to live in England. In Rochester, to be precise. Where his ancestral lands are. Do you understand what this means? Your dream of him moving to the United States is just that. A dream.”

“What I understand,” Linnea said, “suddenly and with great clarity, is why you’re in hot pursuit. You don’t want Gordon. You want his title.”

“That might have been true last summer,” Pandora admitted. “But the more I spent time with you both, the more I realized how much I really like him. Everything about him. Maybe even love him. It drives me crazy to know you aren’t sure you want him, when I… I want him so badly.”

Linnea was stunned by her honesty. “Why didn’t you talk to me about it?”

“What would I say? ‘I want your boyfriend’?” She shook her head. “I couldn’t.” Pandora looked at her hands. “Full transparency. I tried to kiss him. Just once. I knew he felt something for me. But he wouldn’t. He said he cared too much about you to do that.” She scowled at Linnea’s shocked expression. “Don’t look at me like that. You kissed him when you knew I liked him.”

“You weren’t dating him. And he told me he thought of you like a sister.”

Pandora flushed.

“Thanks for telling me about Gordon. All of it,” Linnea said after a moment.

“I’ve wanted to tell you, so many times.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“I swore to Gordon I wouldn’t. But after tonight… I told you to help you make up your mind. Because you have to, Lin.”

Linnea leaned back against the pillows with a soft groan.

“Will you tell Gordon?” Pandora asked.

“I have to talk with him about all this.”

“It will make things easier for all of us.”

“I know.”

Pandora pulled herself together and rose from the bed. “I’ll leave the tea and be going.”

“Yes. Good night. Thanks for the tea.”

She closed her eyes and heard Pandora’s footfalls cross the room, the door softly closing behind her.

LATER THAT EVENING, Anna sprawled out on Linnea’s bed, her head perched on her palm. Across the room, Cooper sat on the cushioned chair, hands on his knees. Linnea leaned against a pile of pillows with Luna in her lap.