The young woman wore a long shawl that concealed her expanding belly. Her face was still a bit thin, but her cheeks had a healthy pink glow. She accepted the copy of the London Hearsay that Sophie offered with a shy smile, cleared her throat, and began reading.

Dear Debutantes,

Do not despair if circumstances require you to be apart from a gentleman you admire. Prolonged separations can be difficult but are not a death knell for a relationship—unless you allow it to be so.

Use the time away from your partner to ascertain your true feelings. Write him letters if you wish, but do not spend your days pining for him. If the connection you have with your beau is genuine, nothing will sever it. Neither time nor distance will keep you apart—and your hearts will find a way to be together.

As the women immediately launched into a lively discussion about the column, Sophie retreated to a corner where she didn’t have to pretend to agree with the column’s advice. Usually, she believed every word, but this week … the sentiment simply didn’t ring true. If a genuine connection was enough to reunite lovers, she would be spending the night with Reese. She’d be spending the rest of her life with him.

But some obstacles—like duty to one’s family and the scars of war—couldn’t be overcome. Not even with true love.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Sophie sought out Violet and handed her a basket filled with fruits and cheeses. “A little something for you,” she said surreptitiously. “How are you feeling?”

“Large and unusually clumsy,” Violet said mirthfully. “But I cannot complain. I told my mother about the babe, and she took the news better than I expected: one day of hysterics, followed by two days of not speaking to me, followed by a great deal of worrying.” The dark-haired woman gave a matter-of-fact shrug of her shoulders. “It was the best result I could hope for.”

“I’m glad you told her.” Sophie stacked a couple of plates and teacups on her tray, eager to finish tidying the shop so she could head to Fiona’s house. “You must be relieved to have someone you can talk with about your situation.”

“Yes, but I’d rather hoped to see Sarah tonight. She shares more information than my mother does. Whenever I ask Mama a question about pregnancy or childbirth, she just looks at the ceiling, wrings her hands, and tells me I mustn’t dwell on such things.”

Sophie had noticed Sarah’s absence too. “It’s not like her to miss a meeting,” she said. “I hope neither she nor the girls have taken ill.”

“She’s been so kind to me,” Violet said. “Even though it’s obvious she misses her husband terribly and has her hands full with the young ones.”