Love Comes in Three

Chapter Forty-Five "Returning to Where I Belong"

            Freddie just watched me during the ride back to the Edgehills. He was probably trying to figure out if it would be wise to talk to me or not. When I opened my reticule I saw Percival's handkerchief. I had forgotten to give it to him. I'm pretty sure the noise that escaped my mouth was odd sounding, somewhere between a gasp, a sniffle and a sigh. But it was then that Freddie first spoke, "Are you all right?"

            I took a deep breath so my voice would sound more normal, "Yes," I replied, "I forgot to give Percival his handkerchief back."

            "Is that all," he laughed, "I thought you were having second thoughts . . . "

            "That's not funny, Freddie, it was hard enough the first time."

            "Did he take it well?" he asked me quietly.

            "He asked me to run away with him," I breathed as I let my fingers follow his initials on the linen.

            "Margaret," Freddie said putting his hands over mine, "If that is what you want . . . " he looked empathetically at me, " . . . then go."

            I was completely taken aback by his words, "Freddie, the contract . . . the arrangement . . . Patience!"

            "I will handle Patience, but we're talking about your happiness right now," he leaned down a bit so he could look up into my face, "Say the word and I'll stop the carriage."

            "No . . . "

            "Margaret, I only want you to be happy," he went on, "I told you I would break the contract by any means necessary and you told me not to. That offer still stands . . . but you need to make your decision . . . Percival asked you to run away with him," he let out a breath, "You are only tied to Thomas by a contract . . . "

            "It's more than that," I corrected, "There's something . . . "

            "So you'd marry him without the contract?"

            "If he asked me," I felt my cheeks redden.

            "Well then, the carriage will not stop," he leaned back, "But I think I should hang on to this," he tucked the handkerchief into his pocket. "You concentrate on that flower bauble if you need to feel sentimental."

            At first I thought that Freddie was being flippant saying such things, but as I looked at him, he gave me a gentle smile. In his way he was telling me to let go of Percival and concentrate on Thomas. It was what I had decided, so I should follow it through. "I wish he did not leave today," I commented as I looked out the window.

            "Thomas left?"

            "He had business to conduct, he said he would return as soon as he could," I shrugged a bit, "He did ask Lord Edgehill to look after me."

            "Did he now?" Freddie smirked as my demeanor changed, "When was this?"

            "This morning after breakfast. When I went to the dining room Lord Edgehill was there and then we were joined by Thomas . . . oh, I wonder if he's left yet?"

            "I thought you said Thomas already left," Freddie's eyebrows almost screwed together as he got confused.

            "Thomas did, but Lord Edgehill is going to pick up his new hunting dog today and he invited me to come along with him!" I smiled, "He said that there were lots of dogs that I might meet."