Voices in the hall caught my attention. "I really must make my way back home, Philippa," I heard Miss Darkin say. "It has been lovely to see you again, but I cannot stay any longer."

"But you must stay!" came Philippa's protest. "I need someone to keep me company."

Holding back a sigh, I left the library to join them. "Philippa, you know that isn't reasonable," I called out. "It would ruin her reputation if it were to get out that she, an unmarried lady, stayed overlong in the home of a bachelor without a chaperone."

"Chaperone?" Philippa sputtered without looking at me. "That is ridiculous! Am I not chaperone enough?"

"No," Miss Darkin and I said at the same time. Her gaze caught mine for a moment and there was a smile that quickly vanished. Miss Darkin continued, "It is better if I return home."

She had her bonnet on her head and was in the middle of buttoning her spencer jacket. Her maid carried a small trunk towards the door.

Crossing her arms, Philippa pouted. "Just because I am eighteen shouldn't mean that I am not qualified," she argued. "I'm certain I can make sure you both behave yourselves just as well as any matron."

It was on the tip of my tongue to say that she could barely behave herself, but I knew that would only irritate her. "You know said matrons would have a different opinion on the matter," I said instead. "As my sister, it is nothing if you are here. Miss Darkin is not family."

"And I was not expected," Miss Darkin said, her tone much kinder than mine had been. "I can see that you are well, Miss Bywood, so I am not needed to nurse you back to health."

While she might not be needed to nurse someone, she would have filled a different need. I desperately needed someone with sense and reason on my side, and Miss Darkin had shown herself to be both of those things. However, I would never do something that would ruin her just for my sake. I was not that selfish.

"I need you," Philippa said, her tone pleading. "You cannot leave me alone with no company!"

"You really should have thought about that before you ran away from home," I told her, unamused. "You can't expect us all to just do whatever you please just because you want it that way."

Philippa bristled, her eyes flashing with anger. Miss Darkin sent me a sharp look. "Miss Bywood," she said, reaching over to put her hand on my sister's arm. "I do enjoy spending time with you, but it is obvious that your brother was not prepared for guests. It would be rude to put a strain on his household any longer."

"But you cannot just leave me alone with only gentlemen for company," Philippa protested. "How am I supposed to endure having Mr. Talbot in the neighborhood? I told you how he ignored me last night!"

Had he? I wouldn't have thought him capable of such a thing. Did he realize that it was the fastest way to get Philippa's attention? Or was he realizing that my little sister wasn't worth the effort?

"I know it will be difficult," Miss Darkin was saying, somehow managing to sound soothing and sympathetic. "Gentlemen can be so unfeeling and thoughtless sometimes."

Thoughtless? Unfeeling? Me? I was neither of those things and I resented that she said so. Or was she just trying to soothe Philippa's hurt feelings? All I seemed to do was annoy my sister.

The lady turned to me. "Thank you, Mr. Bywood, for your hospitality," she said with a smile. She offered her hand. "I look forward to seeing Pearsend when it is brought back to its original glory."

"You'll be the first I show," I told her as I took her hand in mine. Wait. Maybe that was too personal. "But I wouldn't hold your breath. I imagine it is going to take several years before Pearsend is ready for entertaining."

But she just smiled. "I look forward to it however long it takes," she said as she withdrew her hand.

"Oh, must you really go?" Philippa asked, her voice trembling. "I think I need your support more than ever."

If it was support that she needed, she ought to have stayed at home! Our mother, even though she was recovering, was more than capable of providing support. In fact, I couldn't think of anyone who was more qualified to support and comfort a person.

"We spoke about this," Miss Darkin said gently. She reached over and patted Philippa's arm. "I cannot stay. I'm sure you will do very well on your own. If you need my advice, all you must do is write to me and I will write back as soon as I can."

We walked out the door to where the carriage waited. "This is a merry send off," Miss Darkin said lightly. "You all make me feel as though I am royalty."

"Somehow I think you are more gracious than the Regent," I teased. "You haven't bankrupted Bywood with your visit."

"I will not compete with Princess Charlotte for being gracious," Miss Darkin said with a laugh. "You know how beloved she is by most of the country. I'd never be able to hold my head up in society if anyone heard I had dared to compare myself to the princess!"

I had never seen the princess myself, given how much the Regent kept his only legitimate daughter in isolation. Somehow, though, Princess Charlotte had made herself beloved to the entire nation, as Miss Darkin had said. I couldn't conceive how that royal young lady could hold a candle to Miss Darkin.

Perhaps it was just my personal bias showing, but I would not change my mind any time soon.

I couldn't help but feel regret as I watched Miss Darkin depart in her aunt's carriage. Standing on the driveway, I watched the carriage roll slowly towards the road. She had only been under my roof for one night, but I knew I would miss her sensible attitude.

If only there had been some way she could have stayed.

"You didn't even try to make her stay!" Philippa exclaimed, turning towards me. Her eyes flashed with fury. "How could you? I would almost believe that you didn't like her at all!"

Nothing would make me admit that I did, in fact, like Miss Darkin a great deal. Who knew what my sister would do next if she knew that! Instead, I said, "I am not selfish enough to persuade a lady to remain in a situation that would be harmful to her."

"So I'm the selfish one?"

"I didn't say that." Though I had certainly been thinking about it many times over since her arrival. "I suggest that you take some time and give your recent behavior a long, hard look."

Philippa raised her chin. "I will do no such thing," she declared, her voice defiant. "I am perfectly capable of handling myself. I have done nothing for which I should be ashamed of."

She spun to march towards the front door. "I trust you will make yourself available to Mrs. Wallace," I called after her. "After all, you wanted a picnic. You should play some part in making it come about."

That stopped her in her tracks. "What do you mean?" she asked without looking back.

"We are hosting a picnic in two days," I told her. "That means there is a great deal to do in a short time. Mrs. Wallace is going to have her hands full. You will need to help where you can."

"What do you expect me to do?" At least she didn't sound annoyed. Merely...cautious.

"I don't know," I admitted, spreading my hands. Was it better for me to be honest about this or should I have pretended to know everything? "I've never hosted a picnic. That dinner party last week with the vicar is the first time I've ever been host to anything."

My sister shook her head as she faced me. "You're hopeless."

"I can just as easily cancel it," I warned her, though it was a bluff on my part. "I don't need to throw a picnic."

"If you don't want to have a picnic, why would you have one on such short notice?" Philippa argued.

Her words made me want to throw my hands up. "You wanted a diversion. I am providing a diversion. If you do not wish to participate, then that is your choice. However, you will have to entertain yourself."

"I have been forced to entertain myself the entire time I have been here."

"That is an exaggeration, and you know it," I told her. "You are old enough to understand that not everything will be handed to you on a silver platter. Sometimes, one must make do with the circumstances they find themselves in."

"I don't see why you are behaving so disagreeably," Philippa said, crossing her arms over her chest. "You don't want to do something fun and now you're complaining because you are rushing. That is not my fault."

With a flick of her skirts, Philippa turned on her heel and marched back towards the house, muttering something about being treated unfairly.

Groaning, I rubbed the side of my head. Well, it was up to her whether she wanted to participate or not. However, her words still echoed in my mind, stirring a mix of frustration and guilt within me. Was I being too harsh on her?

Blast it all! Why hadn't Father come to get her?

~*~

On a whim, I had Phaeton saddled. Thankfully, he had munched on his breakfast and was ready to go out once again. I set out to clear my head and to visit a friend.

Crossing pastures, it didn't take long for me to arrive at the gatehouse of Blossom Manor.

To my surprise, Mr. Talbot was outside. He was playing fetch with an unfamiliar dog. It was a hound large-boned, long-eared, droopy-eyed, loose-skinned, and deep-wrinkled.

"Good morning," I called out as I approached.

The man paused with the stick raised in air. After a moment, he dropped the stick and made a stiff bow. "Good morning," he said.

With a whine, the hound picked up the stick and nudged Talbot's hand with it. "Who is this?" I asked as I dismounted. "I don't think I've seen him."

"Oh. Him." Talbot looked down as though surprised to find the dog beside him. "Mr. Ward brought Zeus home when he returned from Bath. I...offered to exercise the beast for him while he...entertained his daughter."

Poor Talbot! What made him uncomfortable about being caught doing Ward a favor? Was it because he'd made his dislike too well known? Had the enjoyment of a dog been too much for him to resist that he had offered such a favor?

"I intend to take my leave tomorrow," Talbot announced, turning his attention back to me. "I thought...I'd hoped I would be able to speak to Miss Bywood, but I can see now that our association is at an end."

"What?" I exclaimed in horror. "You can't mean that!"

"I have tried to do as you and Mr. Ward have advised," Talbot argued. "I have not sought her out, and what has it gotten me? She laughs and goes about as if nothing is wrong."

"If that were true, she wouldn't spend so much time complaining," I muttered. I shook my head and straightened my shoulders. "Don't quit the field just yet. The picnic is in two days."

He blinked, a confused expression appearing on his face. "Picnic? I remember Miss Bywood mentioning the possibility, but I had no idea it would be so soon."

Neither did I, but I didn't see any reason to tell him that.

"Do not make any decisions in haste," I advised him. "A few days more. Please."

I didn't want to be involved in my sister's relationship, but she had brought the problem to my doorstep. Leaving her alone hadn't solved it. Was it right for me to interfere? I knew all too well how annoying it could be when other people decided to involve themselves in my affairs. It felt hypocritical to do it myself.

Talbot hesitated, his brow furrowed in thought. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to stay a little while longer," he conceded. "Though I really don't see how it will make much of a difference. Your sister wants nothing to do with me."

"She is holding this grudge far longer than I would have expected," I admitted. "But I wouldn't give up hope just yet. She is unhappy."

His eyes widened. "Unhappy?"

"Very," I emphasized. Never mind that her unhappiness was more anger towards me. "She asked Miss Darkin to come support her."

"She did what?"

"It was a shock when Miss Darkin arrived because Philippa didn't warn me of what she'd done." I shook my head. "Poor Miss Darkin. She was gracious, but I can't imagine what she must have thought when she arrived!"

Talbot's frown deepened. "Where did Miss Darkin stay last night?"

"Miss Darkin stayed in the guest room near Philippa's," I responded. "I wasn't about to send her to the inn. I'm sure you've seen the place yourself. It's not a fit place for a lady."

After a moment, Talbot nodded. "True," he agreed. He shook his head. "I wish she had not done it."

"As do I," I agreed, though I had been very happy to see Miss Darkin. "I hope that this picnic will please her and help get her back to herself."

"Does she need a party for her to be herself?" Talbot's voice took on a bleak tone.

Oh, dear. That last thing I wanted was to give him a disgust of the girl he'd been about to marry. What if he decided it was best to let her have her way and then went off to London to find a lady who wouldn't give him such trouble?

"Absolutely not," I said swiftly. I paused and then correct4ed myself. "At least, the sister I knew before I left the country was not that way. I must admit, Philippa's behavior of late has left me confused. I can only assume it is because she is upset and believes she has made a mistake."

Talbot raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps you now regret choosing to travel?"

"Oh, never!" I declared with a laugh. For a moment, I had felt as though Talbot and I might be able to at least be friendly. That idea fled now. "Well, I shall leave you and Zeus to your exercise."

The hound dog leaned against Talbot's leg and stared up at him with dark eyes. He held the stick in his mouth, ready to continue playing.

It wasn't until I started for the front door that I heard the dog give a happy bark. I glanced back to see that Talbot had thrown the stick once again.The hound bounded after the stick, his tail wagging eagerly. Talbot watched him with a small smile playing on his lips, a rare expression of true joy on his usually reserved face. It was a stark contrast to the somber man I had grown accustomed to seeing around my estate.

Maybe there was hope for him and Philippa. I would just have to think of a way to interfere in a way that brought them back together without them realizing it.