“Still?” The rough edge to his voice remained.

“Yes. You know what the worst part is?” she asked with a wry smile.

“What?”

She scrunched up her nose. “The truth is it makes me want to eat even more teacake.”

Without thinking, he reached out and squeezed her hand. “Those children were wrong, Jane. You are even more lovely than the lilacs.”

Her breath hitched a bit and she slowly pulled her shaking hand away and placed it on her lap. “Yes, well, that’s why books have always been my closest friends. They never tease you, they’re always there for you, and they couldn’t care less how many teacakes you have gobbled.”

He looked at the flowers where they rested on the white coverlet. “I should have brought you teacake instead of lilacs.”

She laughed. “It’s probably best that you did not.” She waved a hand in the air. “Enough about me and my sad past. Speaking of hideous adults, has Mrs. Langford asked about me?”

He shook his head. “Only to inquire as to whether you’d be able to attend the wedding. I assured her you would.”

“I’m certain she’s delighted.” Ah, Jane’s sarcasm had returned full force.

“I truly wish she hadn’t come here,” Garrett murmured.

Jane met his gaze with her own steady one. “I think she sees me as competition for you. You say she’s not your mistress, but what exactly is she to you, Garrett?”

He expelled his breath. Hearing his name on her lips did something unexpected to his insides, but how had this conversation taken this turn? “It’s complicated.”

Jane nodded softly. “But it’s not … intimate?”

“No, nothing like that. She’s Harold’s widow.”

“It seems she would like to be more,” Jane replied. “Do you want more too?”

Was that regret in her voice? Or was he merely reading that into it? “No. I’ve been sending her— I feel a responsibility toward Harold. That’s all.”

Jane nodded. “I see. So you’ve been kind to her, and she’s interpreted that as opening the door to a courtship.”

“I don’t believe I’ve done anything to lead her on, to allow her to hope … The widows of deceased soldiers have been treated poorly by the government. That’s why I’m in support of Swifdon’s new bill.”

“A noble cause to be sure,” Jane murmured. Once again, she looked him directly in the eye. “What happened over there, Garrett? Were you with Harold Langford when he died?”

Chapter 28

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Garrett hadn’t answered. He’d said something vague about war being hell and promptly left the room. But Jane was certain Garrett knew more about Harold Langford’s death than he wanted to say, something that tied him to Harold’s widow.