The Engagement

Evid

ong time on Osmond Trilby's death was stripped away when Calan Haverston's missive ar

am afraid we have strong ev

old brooch that held the Devitt family crest under Trilby's bed.

awing room or the study, and his visit could be waved off as innocent. But to be in the T

rm. I hope you could provide me with a good report as to his activities during the party the soonest you ar

C

of rest as they traveled to the southeastern part o

If it were true, what coul

Was that why Cole, a Man of the Courts, was in his est

ngs wen

ught to think critically and without

d that linked hi

et," her mother said fr

n the problems of not only her best friend, but of the househol

ntion to her mother. "I am feeling quite well, Mothe

ack if you must have forgotten

eligible bachelors, but you know very well we have much to do still. Yo

grumbled under his breat

t them meddling into Tori's affairs for Lady Alice Everard was too open-minded t

rited their mother's black hair, but acquired their emerald green eyes from t

she reassured. When the woman simp

, "Truly

tter of it and closed it once more. Margaret knew what her mother w

Everard was never ignorant of who and who would be not in attendance to the part

o Alice Everard. He, after all, nearly ruined n

*

them a good, sunny day aboveground, a contrast to the dimness of their world. No matter how many lamps the Town put up every year to mimic the light of the worl

y Town where she had been residing with her sister, for the Theobald weekend party. If Cole had his way, he would rather go alone but hi

had streak of white whic

that had made their life difficult, especially for his late sister, Leah. His mother had been difficu

her gaze out the window of their carriage and saw what caused his mother's change in composure.

he first, helping his mother down the carriage and eventually his sister, Margaret.

d his mother, her eyes following the three Everards as they c

enly, the same hand swiftly moved to smack Levi Everard's upper arm and her expression had turned to one of horror. Levi laughed and walked ahead to avoid anot

the same Everar

rked but he

inally forcing his eye

Devitt's eyes and she gracefully wiped it away with the back of one finger. She sniffed and lifted her eyes to look at Cole. "You ought to know, son, that I pray to God every

s decision many years past. His mother knew that. They had not been easy and she ought to at least spare him the aching reminde

ltogether forget about them the same way she had forced him to do about Margaret. Hat

free himself of his mother's presence. She was good company only when she wa

nsion and he hoped never to encounter them in

luent gentries from all over the Town and it would

ther, but he was here for a

spicious of his actions, even more so of his goals.

*

vowed never to have it repeated. Having arrived at the large Theobald mansion,

ng Margaret enough time to wander around the large

the years she spent in the same party of the Theobalds, and finally gave up after

bers or demand for those reserved for others if they failed to arrive on time. Those

task at hand for Tori's sake, Margaret retraced her steps. She was crossing the great hallw

nd slowly tu

a man younger than Ralph, both of them deep

st and she knew he had a dozen of it at the very least. Even from where she was standing, Margaret knew what that brooch looked like. It would hav

could not help but scoff as she thought of how naïve she had been to have wasted many hours and nights on that little project. What have become of it now? Did he throw it away? She wondered for

as almost empty save for a few guests who had just arrived. As she began to think of postponing her plan on getting more information