Gertie glared at Pansy. “When I want your advice, missy, I’ll bleeding ask for it. I know what I’m doing, and I ain’t doing nothing wrong, so there.”

“All right, all right.” Pansy held up her hands. “I was just saying, that’s all.”

“Well, don’t say.”

“All right, I won’t.” Pansy tilted her head to one side and gave her a sly look. “I heard he was building a sleigh. A big one, pulled by a horse.”

“He’s already built it.” A little stab of excitement caught Gertie under the ribs. “He’s taking me and the twins for a ride on it on my afternoon off.”

“Lucky you.” Pansy pouted. “All I get to do with Samuel is walk the dog into the woods and back.”

Gertie grinned. “Yeah, but I bet you have more fun in those woods with Samuel than I would ever want or need with Clive.”

Pansy’s cheeks glowed pink. “How do you know?”

“I can tell by the soppy look on your face when you come back.” She glanced at the clock. “Blimey, we’d better get going. We’ve still got potatoes to peel for supper, and if Michel doesn’t get his bloody cauliflower washed he’ll be crashing saucepans around again.”

She headed for the door, still feeling a little guilty about her friendship with Clive. It would not only devastate her to lose that companionship, the twins would never forgive her if she said something to break up what they had.

Still, she didn’t want him thinking that their relationship was headed for something more permanent. Maybe she should sound him out and try to find out if he was expecting more from her than she was prepared to give.

Drat Pansy and her unwanted advice. Gertie stomped down the hallway to the kitchen, her enthusiasm for the sleigh ride fading fast.

CHAPTER 3

That evening Cecily waited until Baxter was settled in front of the fire with the latest copy of Lloyd’s Weekly before putting down her book. “Do you have a moment to talk?”