“Well, my dear. I’m so glad you came. I thought you wouldn’t have the time now that lodging house has stolen you from me.” Frances turned to her brother. “You remember, Miss Douglas?”
“Absolutely.” He bowed. “Miss Douglas.”
“Mr West.” She inclined her head stiffly, noting the greenish-purple bruising surrounding his right eye and wondering what had caused it.
“Are you aware it is my sister’s birthday today, Miss Douglas?”
Nicola smiled at Frances. “No, I had no idea. Oh, you should have mentioned it before, Frances.” She hugged her close. “My very best wishes to you.”
“Nonsense. Birthdays are awful days reminding a person how old they are getting, nothing to be celebrated in the least. I’m thirty, a disgusting age for a woman, neither young nor old, and definitely not worth rejoicing.”
“But celebrate we will.” Mr West turned to Nicola. “I’m taking my sister out for the day once she has everything here underway, would you care to join us, Miss Douglas?”
“Oh, yes do, Nicola!” Frances urged, untying her apron.
Nicola shook her head. “I don’t think so, Frances. It’s a family occasion. I can help here.”
“Pathetic excuse, Miss Douglas.” Mr West smirked, his eyes darkening in challenge. “Birthdays must be shared by family and dear friends.”
“Nat’s correct, Nicola. You are one of my dearest friends. I insist you join us. My day will be ruined without you.”
“Frances, I’m expected back-”
“We’ll send a note to the lodging house and tell them to cope alone for a few hours. They’re all grown women. Surely they can manage that.” Frances glanced up as two young women and Mrs Lawson arrived. “Oh, our replacements. I’m naughty Nicola, as soon as Nat arrived wanting to take me out, I wanted you to come so I organised for two women to take our place.” She grinned like a cheeky child. “Do put your cloak on, Nicola. I insist upon it.”
Within a short time, Nicola found herself back out on the street climbing into Mr West’s elegant carriage. Frances had paid a young boy to deliver a message to the lodgings and despite her last attempts to forgo the entertainment, Nicola was beaten down by Frances’s arguments that she must accompany them.
“Where will we go, Nat?” Frances grinned, looking mischievous. Today she wore a dark blue skirt and matching bodice with a white blouse beneath. A black hat covered her short hair and Nicola realised that when dressed properly, Frances West was indeed an attractive woman, especially when she smiled instead of wearing her usual scowl.
Mr West relaxed into the seat, giving the appearance of a gentleman at ease, but watching him, Nicola could tell it was a front to the world. His violet eyes were watchful, his smile strained and more telling to her was the tapping of his fingers on his thigh. Underneath his calm expression she felt tension radiate from him like heat. She didn’t understand why she had such insight, especially in respect of this man, but something about him caught her awareness so acutely, she wanted to stare at him. However, when he raised a sarcastic eyebrow at her attentions, she blushed and looked away.
“I thought that since this was your special day, dear sister, that we would have a picnic. The weather is fine enough.”
“Wonderful idea.” Frances beamed. “I haven’t been on a picnic for…” She frowned. “Well, fancy that, I can’t even remember the last time I went on a picnic.”
“Probably because you spend all your time with the poor.”
“No. I apologise.” Nat took her gloved hand and kissed the top of it. “Forgive me.”
Frances smiled tenderly. “Don’t I always?”
Nicola shifted in her seat at their show of sibling love. Suddenly she felt more alone than ever before. There was no one to love her, to care for her as Frances had. Her father’s love had been the one constant thing in her life. She had adored him, his kindness, his intellect, the way he would smile when she did something for him, the way he always had time to share with her. She’d felt his passing far more keenly than her mother’s. When he died from a short illness a light went out in her world, and although she had her mother for another six months, they’d never shared a strong bond for her mother’s continued ill health had made her a fragile woman for many years, one who took little interest in anything outside of her bedroom.