Read The Spinster & The Coquette for Free Online Page B

them are called.”
    Hester smirked at him. “Surely you could identify a bluebell?”
    “Is it blue and shaped like a bell?”
    “Indeed. And suddenly, you are not as ignorant as you claim!”
    Hester and Mr. Hargrave’s whispering ceased. Hester wanted to enjoy the calm serenity of the garden, but her sister insisted on talking nonsense to her suitor.
    “Hester and I are both deathly afraid of insects,” Cordelia admitted. “Deathly, deathly afraid!”
    “Which ones?”
    “ All of them!” She saw a large bee flitting between the flowers in front of them, so she halted in her path and waited for it to pass.
    “It sounds like it would be very easy to torture you, Miss Waverly,” Alexander teased her.
    “True. If my torturer resorted to bugs, I would relinquish any and all information immediately. Any insect would work on me. Except, perhaps, butterflies.” Cordelia tapped on her chin as she considered the thought. “Actually, butterflies would probably work as well. They are deceptively pretty.”
    “I quite like butterflies,” her suitor said. “I like it when they land on me. Dragonflies too. It feels as if good luck will come my way.”
    “Dragonflies? Landing on you ? Oh, that would be horrid !” Cordelia squealed. “Once, I found a centipede in my bonnet. Can you imagine my reaction? It was easily one of the most terrifying moments of my life! I shall never know how long the vile creature was weaving through my hair, in and out, in and out!”
    Cordelia tightened her grip on Mr. Snowley’s arm. At the same time, Hester saw movement from the direction of the cottage. A curtain was peeled back, and Frank was peering at them from behind the gauzy veil, where he likely thought no one would see him. Though Hester pitied him, she did not want to draw attention to him. If they caught him staring, he would likely become the subject of ridicule, and she did not want to see him exposed to that sort of cruelty.
    “I once knew a man…” loquacious Cordelia continued, “who looked strangely similar to a bird. His eyes were round, and his nose was large and misshapen… like a beak.”
    “And I knew a young lady who resembled a horse,” Alexander said, “though I feel like a cad for admitting it.”
    As the younger couple engaged in useless repartee, Mr. Hargrave whispered to Hester, “I prefer my conversation to be a bit less… inane.”
    “It is my sister’s fault. She is a sweet, lovely girl, but she has always been a bit silly.”
    “You and your sister have very little in common. I know I am practically a stranger, but that is how it appears.”
    “Perhaps you are right,” Hester agreed, “nevertheless, she is a very dear friend. Shared interests are not always a requirement in a companion.” Hester watched a bee hover behind her sister’s head and held her breath. If her sister heard the buzzing, Cordelia would likely throw a fit that would not impress Mr. Snowley.
    “I’ve often wished I had a brother,” Mr. Hargrave admitted, “Of all the people I know, the ones with siblings seem the happiest.”
    “Silly as she is, Cordelia’s companionship is invaluable. I am sure I shall never have another friend I care about as deeply as my sister.”
    “I used to feel that way about my wife. I never thought anyone else would compare to her. As of late, I am more optimistic.”
    “Your… wife?” Hester swore she felt a claw around her stomach, gripping her with irrational dread. “Are you married, Mr. Hargrave?”
    “I am a widower,” he explained. “I lost my wife and daughter nearly a decade ago.”
    “Oh no… I am so very, very sorry to hear that! How terrible!”
    “It was very sudden… a carriage accident. I lost my entire world in that day, and nothing could have prepared me for it.” He briefly closed his eyes as they walked. When he opened them again, Hester thought she could see tears glistening within them. “If my daughter was alive today, she would have been twenty…