The next day, Emily received a note from Alice in the morning post, urging her to come for dinner that evening. Mark was to be in town and requested she be invited.

Emily immediately replied in the affirmative and went to drop her note in the nearest post box so that it could be delivered by the afternoon post.

The mood at home was, to say the least, mixed. With the trio now defunct, Mr. Skeffington needed to be notified to cancel the tour, and Linton would have to be informed he was required to seek new employment. Ruth took it upon herself to take charge of the trio’s dissolution, much to Emily’s relief, as she wished to have no more dealings with Silas.

Ruth stood up, decisively, from her place at the table and announced. “I shall inform Mr. Skeffington this very morning of our decision to disband the trio. There is not a moment to waste. It is time to move on.”

It appeared that Ruth, now freed from the trio and with her engagement now out in the open, had found the will to assert herself and show that she could be a successful future wife and mother.

Father still moped about the house when not at the shop, but Mother began talking about wedding plans and appeared to have a renewed energy in her rather sedate life.

And even though the trio had become suddenly defunct, and Teresa could no longer obsess over Linton, Emily decided she still wanted to go through with her plan for Teresa’s romantic life. And she would start this very afternoon.

As it was a bank holiday, Emily knew both Fanny and Trent would be at home, and decided to invite them to tea with Teresa present. She began by writing a brief invitation to her two friends and hand delivered it to the Allen house herself.

Then she roused the still sleeping Teresa, oversaw her morning toilette, and told her that she was expected to be at tea that afternoon with Fanny and Trent.

Teresa looked askance at her and asked, “But they are your friends. Why do you need me there? I would much rather read or take a walk in the park.”

“No. Believe me, it is for your benefit,” Emily insisted.

“My benefit? Whatever are you talking about?”

“Just wait and see. And I want you to look your very best.”

Teresa had her new eyeglasses and she did, indeed, look much handsomer. After Teresa was dressed under Emily’s direction, Emily stood back and inspected her handiwork.

“Very nice. You look quite lovely.” She took Teresa by the shoulders and turned her toward the standing mirror. They stood side by side gazing at themselves, and both had a faint smile. After all her effort, it was amazing to see how much they resembled each other.

Then Emily admonished her. “And do not go and mess yourself up during the day. You are to look quite presentable at tea time. Is that understood?”

“Yes, Emily,” Teresa said, with less enthusiasm than Emily had hoped for.

“And put on a fresh coat of lip rouge just before they arrive.”

Teresa flopped down on the edge of her bed. “Oh, Emily, you can be such a tyrant.”

“Good. And remember that all day in case you feel yourself becoming lax.”

“Oh, I do wish it was I who was becoming married. How I long to get out of this house and away from all of you. Not that I do not love you all, but really this is becoming such a chore.”

“Hmm. Very well then. You may not know it, but that is exactly what I am trying to accomplish for you.”

* * *

As it was such a lovely summer afternoon, Emily decided to hold the tea party in the garden. The Dunns had a set of table and chairs that the family often used for outdoor teas or lunches—particularly in the height of summer when it could be uncomfortably close inside the house.

The rest of the family was out. Ruth was now openly visiting with Spencer, and Mother and Papa were visiting some of their friends for tea, and it was Molly’s day off.

Just before Fanny and Trent were due, Emily visited Teresa in her room to see if she was ready. Emily found her sprawled out across her bed reading.

“Stand up. Our guests are about to arrive, and I want to look at you.”

Teresa groaned but stood up and submitted to Emily’s inspection.

“Oh, Teresa. Look at your hair.” She went over and pulled loose strands of hair away from her face, tucking them back into place. “And more lip rouge. Now.”

Her sister grumbled but complied.

When done, Emily led Teresa to the kitchen to help prepare the tea.

“Set the table in the garden and wait out there. Fanny and Trent should be here any minute and I will heat the water and prepare the rest.”

And, indeed, the front doorbell rang and Emily went to answer it.

Trent was holding a large bunch of flowers and Fanny was beaming with delight and clapping her hands.

“For you,” Trent said, thrusting the bouquet toward her.

Emily smiled, but said, “Trent, might I suggest you save those to give to Teresa. She is so excited you are going to be here this afternoon and I know it would mean the world to her if you presented them to her instead of to me.”

At first Trent seemed taken aback but smiled. “She is excited to see me?” he asked.

“She has not stopped talking about you since she bumped into you on the street recently.”

“Oh. Very well then, these shall be for her.”

Emily shepherded them inside and led them toward the garden.

“The water is on the boil and I shall bring the tea out shortly,” Emily said as they passed through the sitting room.

Fanny said, “I stopped at the bakery to bring some scones but they were closed. But knowing you, you probably made some yourself.”

“You know me too well,” Emily said leading them to the tea table where Teresa was seated with her book.

“Look what Trent brought you,” Emily exclaimed as she pushed Trent forward.

Teresa looked up and gasped. She stood and dropped her book. “Are those for me?”

“They are,” Trent said. “Early blooms from our garden.”

Teresa took them and held them to her bosom. “They are lovely. Let me put them in water.”

“Please sit and make yourselves comfortable,” Emily instructed, and then she and Teresa retired to the house.

As Teresa found a vase and put the flowers in water, she babbled, “Can you imagine Trent bringing me these flowers. That was so very sweet of him. And I have to say he is quite handsome. I must not have looked at him very much before.”

“My dear, you always have your nose in a book. It is a miracle to me that you can walk down the street without striking a lamp post. Is it any wonder you never really saw him?”

“Well… it was very nice of him to think of me.”

“I think you will find him to be quite delightful. And you know he has a job as a junior clerk with definite prospects for promotion.”

Teresa stopped and squinted at her sister. “Are you trying to set me up?”

Emily had been caught out. “Well… maybe just a little.”

“But Linton…”

“The trio is to be no more… at your insistence. Linton will be moving on now.”

It was clear her sister had not considered that when she proclaimed her manifesto of freedom, but now it was sinking in.

“Oh…”

“And Trent is charming, handsome, close by, and available… unlike Mr. Hawthorn.”

“You do have a point,” Teresa said, seeming to warm to the idea of Mr. Trent. “The water is boiling,” she pointed out.

“Oh, thank you.”

During the tea, Emily directed her conversation to Fanny, but kept an eye on Trent and Teresa, nudging their interaction along as both seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Without warning, a bank of clouds covered the sun and, looking up, they could see the promise of rain was imminent. The scent of rain was already heavy in the air.

“We should probably go inside the house now,” Fanny said rising.

“Must we?” Trent asked, still engrossed in his conversation with Teresa.

“Unless you want to sit out here with umbrellas, I suggest we go home before the clouds burst,” Fanny insisted.

And right away, large drops of rain began splattering on the walkway.

They scurried inside, leaving the still set tea table to be soaked by the pending storm.

Fanny grabbed Emily’s arm. “We should dash. We did not bring umbrellas, and if we hurry, I think we can make it home.”

“Of course, off you go.”

Trent was still facing Teresa and taking her hand said, “That was a most enjoyable conversation, Miss Teresa. I should very much like to read the book you suggested.”

“Then I shall lend it to you,” she said shyly.

“Perhaps we can meet for tea again sometime soon, or even take a walk in the park.”

“I should love that and I can give you the book then.”

Trent backed up and let her hand slip from his. “I will contact you soon.”

“Come, Brother,” Fanny insisted. “This is my nice afternoon dress and I do not want it ruined.”

Trent turned from Teresa, and the brother and sister left at a run, as the tempo of the rain increased.

Emily and Teresa, arm in arm, watched from the front door as their friends ran down the street.

Emily thought it best if she did not comment on what appeared to be a budding romance between Trent and her sister. If Teresa wanted to say anything, she would eventually. The important thing was that the seed had been sown.