uncomfortable to fend off such advances from the sister of his soon-to-be espoused wife. That could be counted as a blessing.
And while overt, those young ladies’ flirtations held none of the improper invitations of Mrs. Banfield’s. Theirs were nothing more than those of young ladies newly released on society testing their prowess and attraction. Another blessing.
Glancing around the grounds, Oliver searched for a companion, but found Miss Caswell, Lily, and their group engaged in a game of jeu de volant, the young ladies laughing as their battledores swung wide, allowing the shuttlecock to slip by them and fall to the grass. Miss Dosett returned to Miss Miriam’s side, and the other young men gathered around as they took their arrows and bows. The older gentlemen were gathered, likely in the midst of some heated debate, while the matrons were scattered here and there around the lawn.
And none of them held any appeal. Oliver was in no mood for games or debate. He simply wished to quietly enjoy the afternoon and the fine scenery.
Try though he might to ignore it, his eyes pulled him towards Miss Sophie, who was seated away from the others with her nose pressed in a book, thankfully; as she was otherwise occupied, it gave him an added determination to leave her be. His conviction had held strong for the past few days, but it was difficult to avoid temptation when the opportunity was seated before him, calling to him with far more allure than the other diversions.
But then her brother snuck up behind Miss Sophie, his hands moving quickly to snatch the book from her. Oliver was too far to hear their exchange, but Allen snapped the cover shut and shook it at her like a schoolmaster reprimanding a student. Though there was a good-natured smile on the fellow’s face, Oliver couldn’t help but notice that Miss Sophie’s eyes dimmed, her shoulders drooping. The fellow tossed the book to the ground beside her and strode back to his companions, the other young gentlemen cheering his return as though his presence was the greatest gift they could receive.
Oliver felt Miss Sophie’s bone-deep sigh as she lifted the book once more, flipping through its pages to place her bookmark in its proper place. Clutching it to her chest, she stared out at the others, seeming so very solitary. A part of the gathering, yet apart from it all.
“That was unkind of your brother,” said Oliver, unaware of when he had approached her side.
Glancing up at him, Miss Sophie brushed the words aside with a wave of her hand. “Brothers are made to try their sisters’ patience.”
Oliver took a seat beside her, stretching out on the grass. “I hope I don’t give my sister such trouble.”
“It is a brother’s nature,” she replied, turning her gaze towards the others. “Allen means well.”
The words were kind, and Oliver did not doubt that Miss Sophie believed them, but there was a quality to her tone that whispered of that resigned sigh he’d witnessed before.
“I do hate to see you unhappy, Miss Sophie.” The words came to his lips before Oliver could think better of it, and the young lady’s eyes widened and met his.
“That is a stark assessment of my mood, Mr. Kingsley.”
“It doesn’t make it any less true.”
Miss Sophie’s gaze dropped, her grip on her book relaxing as she rested it on her lap. “Unhappy is too hard a word for it. I know I am blessed, and I am grateful for the life I have.”
“And yet…?” he prodded. When Miss Sophie met his gaze, Oliver gave her a challenging raise of his brow. “Your tone was rife with those unspoken words.”
Giving a wry smile, Miss Sophie shook her head. “There is not a person on earth who has no wants. No life is that perfect.”
“True,” he said with an appreciative nod. “But that is no answer. And yet…?”
Miss Sophie’s brows drew together, and she sucked in her lips, nibbling on the edge as her gaze drifted away from him and to the others’ games and conversations.
“Do you ever feel out of place, Mr. Kingsley?”
The question was hardly more than a whisper, something easily lost among the sounds of frivolity surrounding them. Yet those tentative words struck Oliver with more force than Miss Sophie likely intended and settled into his heart like a physical weight. His shoulder brushed hers, and Miss Sophie’s eyes snapped open to gaze at him while his thoughts sorted through what he might say to drive away