Katherine inclined her head and curtsied. "Crispin," she said, her voice cool and polite.

His eyes came to rest again on Margaret, and he held out both hands for hers. "Meg," he said, his smile softening. "Oh, Meg, how have you contrived to grow even more beautiful over the years? How many years has it been anyway?" She kept her hands at her sides. "Twelve," she said, and then wished she had not shown such an exact awareness of how long it had been since that afternoon when they had said good-bye. When she had promised to wait and he had promised to come back. When the very air had throbbed with their passion and grief. When she had thought her heart would surely break.

He was even more handsome now. His reddish hair had darkened a shade or two, and his fair complexion had weathered. He looked broader and more rugged. There was a white scar just above his right eyebrow that slanted across his forehead to disappear into his hairline. It made him look curiously attractive. "Can it possibly be that long?" he asked, returning his arms to his sides.

He looked back at his fellow officers, who had also stopped though they were being jostled by the crowds. "These three lovely ladies were neighbors and dear friends when I was growing up," Crispin called to them. "I will walk with them for a while if they will permit it. You fellows go on without me." /These three lovely ladies/. What foolishly flattering words.

They were given no choice since he did not actually ask their permission. Vanessa looked slightly uncomfortable now, and Katherine looked almost morose. They knew, of course, about the secret betrothal and Crispin's betrayal of it, though Margaret had never talked of it.

Margaret's mind was in turmoil as Crispin turned to walk and make polite conversation with them. He had heard of Nessie's second marriage, of course, and told her he was delighted by it. She had been a wonderful wife to Hedley and deserved to be happy again, he said. His mother had told him about Kate's marriage to Lord Montford. He was delighted by that too and hoped to meet the gentleman soon.