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Honor’s heart to slamming against her ribs. He closed his eyes and reached for her mouth with his own. The moment Honor’s lips touched his, desire hot and deep claimed her.
    When Davis pulled away, ending the kiss, Honor felt strangely bereft, as if the blazing parlor fire had gone out on a cold winter’s day. She wanted to pull him into her arms and kiss him again, but her courage failed her.
    “Congratulations,” he said.
    “I owe it all to you. If you hadn’t helped me study, I—”
    “It was my pleasure.”
    They rode the rest of the way in silence.
     
     
    One night three weeks later a stranger came to the front door of the brownstone and asked to see Mrs. Sydney Tree on a matter of grave importance. When Jackson saw the man’s card, he nodded and admitted him at once, for he knew his mistress had been anxiously awaiting this call. Theo received the caller in the library. They spoke for an hour; then the man left.
    Theo reread the report the visitor had prepared for her, then locked it safely away in the bottom right-hand drawer of her late husband’s desk. She prayed that no one else would ever see it.

Chapter Three
    With Christmas just two weeks away, Honor sequestered herself in the library to wrap Robert’s gift, a pair of butter-soft cordovan leather gloves to replace his old, moth-eaten knit ones.
    Just as Honor finished tying the ribbon, Aunt Theo appeared in the doorway, waving a cream-colored envelope. “This just arrived for you, sweet Portia. It’s from Penelope Grant and it looks like an invitation.”
    Penelope Grant had been Honor’s best friend when she first moved to Boston, but had drifted away once Penelope made an excellent marriage to an up-and-coming young lawyer and started having babies.
    Honor opened the heavy vellum envelope and read the message: “Penny has invited me and a guest to attend a dinner party this Saturday.”
    Theo looked at her. “Will you go?”
    Honor made a face. “I really don’t have much in common with her anymore.”
    “Why don’t you go anyway? You haven’t seen your old friends in years, and your studies certainly wouldn’t suffer if you took one evening off to relax and socialize.”
    Honor glanced down at the wrapped gloves. “I could ask Robert to accompany me.”
    Theo’s brows rose. “Really?”
    “I sense you disapprove. May I ask why?”
    “Do you think he’ll fit in?”
    “He’s got nothing to be ashamed of.He’s not a mill worker anymore; he’s studying to be a lawyer.” Honor frowned. “Why the reservations, Aunt? I thought you liked Robert. You certainly enjoyed his company when he came for Thanksgiving dinner.”
    “You know how closed and stuffy Boston society is. They tolerate my eccentric behavior only because the Putnam family has been here for the last two hundred years and because I was married to one of the Trees, who’ve been here even longer.” She smoothed her skirt with a restless hand. “Proper Bostonians can be so closed-minded and snobbish. I wouldn’t want Robert to feel uncomfortable, that’s all.”
    Honor contemplated her point in silence.
    “I doubt that Robert even owns evening clothes,” Theo added. “You can’t expect him to go in his usual attire when all the other men will be wearing white tie.”
    Honor’s spirits sank. “I hadn’t thought of that. He can’t even afford to pay fifteen cents for a new collar, let alone buy expensive evening clothes.”
    She suddenly brightened. “I have it! Aren’t some of Uncle Oak’s evening clothes packed away in the attic?” she said, referring to her late uncle Sydney by his nickname. When Theo nodded, Honor added, “Perhaps something could be altered to fit Robert—that is, if you don’t mind seeing Uncle’s clothes on another man.”
    “I’d rather someone use them than let them rot away.” Theo glided over to the fireplace. “Come to think of it, Oak was the same height and had almost the same build as Robert. But aren’t you