“Polly!”

Trying not to weep, Polly threw herself into Violet’s arms, hugging her tightly.

“My goodness, how I have missed you!” Violet exclaimed, grasping Polly’s shoulders and looking into her face. “Your letter was just what I needed, although I was a little surprised to get it right in the middle of the Season.” She tilted her head and studied Polly, the smile slowly beginning to fade. “I do hope there isn’t anything wrong?”

Polly swallowed and tried to smile. “I will tell you all about it a little later,” she replied, softly, as Lord Greville finished greeting Lord Taylor and turned toward her. She greeted her sister’s husband warmly.

“Thank you so much for having me, my lord,” she said. “I do hope I haven’t put you out.”

“Not in the least,” he exclaimed, placing an arm around Violet’s shoulders. “We are glad to offer it. You should know that you are always welcome here. Indeed, I haven’t seen my wife so overjoyed in some time.”

Violet smiled into her husband’s eyes, making Polly’s stomach clench. She had done much the same with Lord Yardley, yet it had all been a shallow facade, not anything like the depths of affection her sister and Lord Greville shared.

“And you must refer to me as Joshua,” he continued, turning back to Polly. “We are family now, are we not?”

“Of course,” she replied, quickly, her heart lifting just a little. “Then I shall be Polly.”

He chuckled, glancing over at Lord Taylor. “A merry little party, I should think,” he smiled, before gesturing up toward the front of the house. “Now, shall we go in? I am sure you will need to rest before dinner.”

Lord Taylor smiled and bounded up the steps. “Not I,” he declared, making Violet laugh. “It was not a particularly hard ride and I did enjoy the beautiful country views once we left London. It has altogether revived me.”

“Then you must be hungry, at the very least,” Violet answered, looping her arm through Polly’s. “I shall have some refreshments sent to your rooms at once.”

Polly looked up at Violet, not wanting to be left alone. “Might you come up with me?” she asked, softly, as Violet looked back at her with somewhat wide eyes. Polly knew what she must be thinking. She had always been rather independent and her request must seem somewhat strange to her sister, who knew her so well. “I feel like it has been an age since I last saw you.”

Violet smiled, though her eyes were troubled. “Yes of course. I do not have to change for dinner, given that it is just family and we are not one to stand on ceremony here at Colemore.”

“Lord Taylor is not family.”

Violet chuckled and gestured at the two men ahead of them, who were walking together and laughing. “He may as well be. I believe he and Joshua have been close friends for a great many years. Joshua considers the man to be as much a brother as I consider you a sister.” She led Polly up the staircase, following the two men. “Now, your room is just to the right. Come with me.”

Polly followed, smiling as she was shown into a beautiful bedchamber, decorated in soft pastel colors, the drapes of the one large window pulled open to welcome the late afternoon sunlight.

“There is the dressing room, of course,” Violet said, pointing to a door within the room. “And the window overlooks a rather lovely part of the estate gardens.”

Making her way to join Violet at the window, Polly caught her breath. Her room was at the back of the estate and allowed her to see a large part of the gardens, filled with beautiful blooms of all different shades and colors. Polly smiled, a small sigh escaping her lips. Here, she could forget Lord Yardley, forget all that had occurred. Here, she was safe.

In no time at all, her things were nearly all put away by some very efficient maids and a tea tray sat on the small table in the middle of the bedchamber.

Quickly discarding herself of some of the more cumbersome traveling garments, Polly joined Violet at the table and gratefully picked up a cup of tea, smiling over at her sister. “It seems you are very happy here.”

“More than happy,” Violet agreed, her eyes lighting up. “Despite our rather troublesome beginnings, Joshua has made such a wonderful husband. I feel quite fortunate to have found myself such a man. To my mind, they are often in short supply!”

For a moment, Lord Taylor flashed into Polly’s mind. Lord Taylor was a good man, there was no doubt about it. She had been utterly shocked when he had kissed her in the field. She had sworn she would not so much as look at another gentleman after Lord Yardley, and yet when his lips had come down on hers, all thoughts had left her, and all she could think of was how wonderful the moment felt. Instead of the feeling of uncertainty that had filled her in the gardens with Lord Yardley, with Lord Taylor she had only wanted more.

She could not explain the quickening of her heart when she thought of that moment together, but chose to ignore it, giving herself a slight shake. What must Lord Taylor think of her flighty affections? She vowed she would not allow her heart to become overtaken with feelings of another, only to be broken once again.

“Was Lord Taylor good company on the road here?” Violet asked, looking at her with a slight suspicion in her eyes, as if she had read her thoughts. Polly tried to keep all emotion off her face. “I was surprised Mama and Papa allowed you to share a carriage!”

“They did not,” Polly replied, quickly, not wanting Violet to think ill of Lord Taylor. “Lord Taylor rode here, and I was in the carriage with Lucy.”

“Oh, of course,” Violet replied, with a wry smile. “He said as much, did he not?”

Polly smiled. “Yes, he did.”

“Did poor Lucy suffer on the trip as much as ever?”

“She did,” said Polly with a nod. “The poor girl. I told her she could remain in London and I would have another maid accompany me, but she refused to stay behind.”

“And did Mama take some convincing to allow you to come here?” Violet asked, her question a little probing. “I confess I was surprised that you wished to visit in the middle of the Season. I thought you had been looking forward to it, and from Mama’s letters, it seemed you were enjoying yourself. She even hinted at a slight romance blooming between you and another gentleman.”

Recalling the various arguments she had endured with her mother, Polly closed her eyes for a moment. “It was rather difficult to talk to Mama about my change of heart but, in the end, Papa was able to convince her that I should be allowed to come here if I wished it.”

Violet nodded slowly, capturing Polly’s gaze. “And why did you wish to come here, Polly?”

Now it came to it. Polly shook her head, her eyes immediately filling with tears as she ducked her head.

“Oh, my dear!” Violet exclaimed, evidently seeing her sister’s distress. “Whatever is it? What happened?”

Haltingly, Polly began to explain. “I was convinced that a particular gentleman truly cared for me,” she said, slowly. “Mama and Lord Taylor tried to reason with me that his roguish ways were not something he had simply discarded, but I refused to acknowledge their concerns. I thought he had changed his ways for me. Lord Yardley – for that was his name – was rather convincing.”

“Lord Yardley?” Violet repeated, her eyes widening. “Oh, Polly!”

Realizing that her sister knew of Lord Yardley by reputation, Polly dropped her head, knowing her cheeks were brushed with color. “It was foolishness, I know, but even Mama seemed to like him by the end of it.”

“He was always able to play a part very well,” Violet agreed, quietly. “Had I been there, I would have told you to stay well away from the man.”

“Lord Taylor would have beaten you to such a warning,” Polly replied, miserably. “I did not believe him. In fact, I thought he was being rather petty and perhaps jealous even, but then, at the end of it, it was he who saved me from a dreadful situation.”

Violet leaned forward and put one hand on Polly’s. “Lord Taylor is a good man,” she said, quietly. “It does not surprise me that he did such a thing.”

“Lord Yardley tried to press his attentions on me,” Polly whispered, unable to look at her sister. “He was rather forceful – and even then, I did not want to believe that he had ill intentions.” Her throat constricted, the ache within it growing with every passing second. “It was only when he laughed at me, told me that I was nothing more than a bet that my world came crashing down.”

There was a moment of silence.

“A bet?” Violet whispered, her expression something between upset and furious.

“He told his friends he would be able to seduce me, I believe,” Polly replied, her head dropping still lower as shame burned within her. “I tried to push him off but, had Lord Taylor not been present, then I believe Yardley would have forced the issue.”

“Thank goodness Taylor was there,” Violet exclaimed, sitting back in her chair in relief. “Whatever was he doing in the gardens?”

Polly shrugged, not sure where to look so as not to give away the swirling emotions within her. “I believe he was looking out for me, since he knew that I would not listen to the truth about Lord Yardley. And he said he was involved in an investigation of some kind.”

Violet nodded. “It seems Joshua and I should be ever more grateful to the man,” Violet said, softly. “And did Lord Yardley threaten your reputation?”

Recalling how Lord Taylor had stood over Lord Yardley, Polly shook her head. “I think Lord Taylor made sure that such a thing would not happen. He also threatened to tell Father or even Daniel, and we know what he might do in response. But still, I could not remain in town. I do not have the strength of character needed, I don’t think. How could I go to a ball and carry on as though nothing had happened? How could I pretend that all was quite well when everything was so very wrong? To see him again, and to even think of opening my heart again to another…” She trailed off for a moment, her eyes tightly closed. “I could not bear the thought of it.”

“And so, you came here,” Violet finished, quietly. “My dear Polly, I am so very glad that you felt able to write. Did you speak to Mama and Papa about all this?”

“I could not,” Polly said, helplessly, looking up at her sister. “Mama was so delighted about my success, for a great many gentlemen sought me out for dancing and the like, and she was slowly beginning to warm to Lord Yardley – how could I tell her that I had failed so terribly?”

Her sister gave a small smile. “Polly, none of this was your fault, but Lord Yardley’s. I am sure Mama would have understood, in time, although I can see why you did not say anything. My dear, you have been through so much. You must stay here for as long as you wish it. I will not have it any other way.”

“You will not tell Mama or Papa?”

Violet shook her head, her eyes filled with sympathy. “No, of course I will not.” Sitting forward, she held Polly’s hand for a moment. “And why is Taylor here?”

Polly shrugged, not quite sure how to explain his presence as she hardly knew herself. “I asked him to come with me. I can’t really explain why I simply … wanted the companionship, and he knew all that had occurred. I wouldn’t have to pretend with him.”

“Is that all?”

“I’m not sure,” Polly said slowly, uncertain how much to tell Violet. “There is something about him that I can’t quite determine, but I seem to feel much more at ease when he is around. Does that make sense?”

“It does,” said Violet with a smile. “Do you think perhaps, Polly, that you have feelings for him?”

“Oh, no,” Polly said quickly. Too quickly, she realized, as Violet looked up at her, questions in her eyes. “I was so easily fooled by Lord Yardley. I will not be so again. No, I will never again give my heart away.”

“Oh, Polly,” said Violet with a sigh. “You had one terrible experience, true. But don’t give up. You have always wanted to know the love of a good man, and you can still have that. Listen to advice, Polly. Taylor did speak to you about Yardley before, did he not?”

There was nothing to do but agree to that, even though her sister did not understand her emotions.

“Yes, he did,” she admitted. “My stubborn heart refused to believe him. I suppose I do feel something for Lord Taylor, Violet. There is something between us that almost requires him to be nearby for the time being, although I cannot explain what that is.”

Violet nodded slowly, a look in her eye that Polly could not quite make out.

“You must talk to me whenever you wish it,” Violet said, getting to her feet. “I am so glad you are here, Polly, truly. I can’t imagine what you must be feeling, but I assure you that the pain will fade in time.”

Polly shook her head. “It is not so much pain, but embarrassment. Can I ever again trust my heart?” She gave her sister a wane smile. “Perhaps I shall become a spinster aunt to all my nieces and nephews, whenever they come along!”

Violet’s smile was warm at the mention of children, her eyes bright. “Do not give up on gentlemen so easily, Polly. You have met one man that treated you horribly, but I assure you there are plenty of others who are exactly the opposite of Lord Yardley. Believe me. Just give it time, Polly. You will have your chance at love.”