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I sent you a proposal, you did not even do me the courtesy to tell me no directly. Instead, you had your imbecile brother send the letter for you because you could not bear the burden of telling me yourself.”
    “What?” she asked incredulously. He must have lost his mind. There was never any proposal. “Do you seek to make fun of me?”
    “No,” he said, reaching for the door. “It is you who has made a fool out of me. I am not your trifle, Rowena. You cannot play with me then discard me at your whim. I am done.” He exited the room, and before the door slammed closed, she heard him say, “Find someone else to toy with.”
    Rowena sat dumbfounded for a moment. She didn’t understand what was going on. She’d never seen any letter from Simon.
    Regaining her senses, she scrambled to the door and went out in the hall to find him, but he wasn’t there. He wasn’t in the adjacent room either. She called his name, but there was no answer.
    Realizing that she was almost naked, she called for Molly, who came to help her properly dress. Rowena rushed her through it, barely letting the girl put up her hair into a bonnet and almost forgetting her gloves.
    She went to find Mrs. Pennyworth. The housekeeper was in the kitchen with the cook, arguing over the excessive price of the wheat that he’d purchased at the market.
    “Forgive the intrusion, Mrs. Pennyworth, but I should like to find either Lord Rutherford or Lady Chilton.”
    “My lady, I cannot say as to Lord Rutherford, as I saw him rush out a bit ago with no word as to where he went off to. But her ladyship and Miss Sharpe went out to the Old Church a ways down the road, down by the Willow’s End pond.”
    “Then I shall go and join her.” She smiled at the two, who were still glowering at one another, and said, “Good day to you both.”
    A footman in the front hall pointed her toward the church and offered to escort her. Rowena waived him off and set down the lane on her own. The footman ran after her with a cloak. She’d forgotten about the frosty cold weather. Though the sun was shining, the chill prickled her skin and bit at her nose.
    She took the cloak from him, but did not stop walking. She’d managed to remain calm until now. Her thoughts started racing.
    Had Simon proposed? How could he without her knowledge? No such letter had ever been delivered to her. She could not even fathom why he would lie about such a thing other than perhaps to confuse her into acquiescence. Simon would never be that dishonorable, however.
    Rowena ran the rest of the way, her boots digging into the mud. It was imperative that she find Alice. She had to know the truth of the matter.
    She kept running until she spied the group at an old stone church with a crumbling roof. The servants had prepared an afternoon snack and the two women were lounging together, laughing and talking.
    Rowena slowed her pace. Her bonnet was askew, causing tendrils of hair to whip about her face. She must look quite a fright. She panted and caught her breath.
    “Alice,” she called, slightly embarrassed now at her frantic run and disheveled appearance.
    Alice’s eyes widened as she motioned her over. Delphine stared in horror.
    “Are you well, Rowena?” Her sister stood up to greet her. “Surely you did not run all the way here on your own?”
    “Please, sit down,” Alice said.
     “I shall, but first, I must ask you something. Something of grave importance. Perhaps I should have asked you long ago, but my pride—”
    “Whatever has alarmed you so?” Alice asked. “Please sit down.” She gestured to an empty spot on the blanket.
    Rowena obeyed, not wishing to distress everyone further. She spoke softly to Alice. “I must know if Simon offered a proposal.” Her heart beat faster. “Did he write to my family to offer for me all of those years ago?”
    Alice blinked and took her hand. “Surely, you knew.”
    Rowena shook her head, causing her bonnet to loosen and fall back. “No, I