a lovely city. In the past, she’d always found something new to interest her. Now she simply didn’t care about the scenery.
Their driver was evidently becoming impatient with the traffic because he asked permission from Ellen to take another route. She concurred, and they turned left at the next corner.
She wished Ellen hadn’t insisted on going to the Campbells’. She didn’t feel strong enough to feign politeness. All she really wanted to do was go to sleep.
A man on the sidewalk looked like Gordon, but it wasn’t the first time she’d been reminded of him. Would she always think she saw him, as if her mind wanted to ease her heart with the pretense? This man had the same purpose in his stride. She sat up and looked harder. She only caught a glimpse of his face before the carriage turned, but he even looked like Gordon. She sat back. It couldn’t have been him. Gordon was in London. The momentary glimpse of someone who resembled him made her feel even worse than before.
Ellen thanked the maid for bringing her cloak and then smiled at Hamish, who helped her don it. He’d invited her to see the addition to his garden, and she would do almost anything to escape the atmosphere in the drawing room.
To her great surprise, Lauren was barely talking to Jennifer. Nor did Jennifer do anything to fill the silence. You would think that the two women had never met, hadn’t been friends for the past year or, even worse, were archenemies.
“That was exceedingly uncomfortable,” Ellen said as she took Hamish’s arm.
She would never have made that remark to anyone other than Hamish, but he had been a friend for years. He’d known Colin well, and after her husband’s death, he’d been exceedingly kind in helping her navigate financial waters. Plus, he had been kind in other ways, demonstrating that he, too, knew the power of grief.
“Indeed, it was,” he said. “I think perhaps my daughter is more disturbed than she has let on about her marriage. I, myself, am bothered by the attitude Harrison has taken.”
Ellen sighed. “I wish I could give you some advice in that quarter, Hamish, but I’m afraid I can’t. He has proven to be a thorn in a great many people’s sides. Yet he was raised by a wonderful woman.”
“You can’t always blame the parents, Ellen. Sometimes, a child will go astray for no reason.”
“Jennifer has done her part to make the visit uncomfortable,” she said, determined to be fair. Lauren shouldn’t be blamed for the entirety of the strain in the drawing room. Jennifer sat on the end of the sofa and stared at the carpet, rarely speaking. When she did, it was like someone had just awakened her. “She’s been different ever since she came to visit. I haven’t the slightest idea why, and I’m at my wit’s end about it.”
Hamish didn’t say anything. His attention was suddenly on his footing, as if he was afraid he would trip in his own garden. His arm beneath her hand tensed.
“Do you know something?” She stopped and faced him. “Hamish?”
“Nothing that makes any sense, Ellen.”
“Nothing has made sense since Jennifer arrived in Edinburgh. If you could tell me anything, I would appreciate it.”
“I found her one day on the lawn. She’d evidently just been given some terrible news.” Hamish didn’t look at her but continued to stare at his shoes. “I’ve never seen anyone cry like that, Ellen. It was like her soul was wounded.” He finally glanced at her. “She wouldn’t tell me what was wrong, but I knew that something had happened. I never did learn what it was, but I’m not surprised that she hasn’t acted herself.”
“Are you certain you don’t know what happened?” Ellen asked, more confused than before. “What about Mr. McDonnell?”
“Who?”
“Gordon McDonnell.”
“I don’t know who that is. I was never introduced to anyone by that name.”
That was very strange, but everything about this visit was odd.
When Hamish showed her the new greenhouse, she made admiring noises, all the while wondering exactly how to broach the subject of Gordon with her goddaughter. She was determined not to endure this state of affairs for much longer. Jennifer was simply going to have to tell her what was wrong.
Mr. Campbell certainly appreciated Scottish history, to the point that there were various framed documents scattered through the hallway and the parlor attesting to his family’s participation in several battles. The Campbells also seemed to have been active in political