Page 54 of Lady Waldrey’s Gardening Almanac for Cultivating Scandal (Love from London #3)

F rom Gardening for the Estate -

A garden maze—that intriguing puzzle of hedge and shrub—provides excitement and mystery to those who venture within its bounds.

Although considered by some to be the pinnacle of an estate garden, a caution—a hedge maze takes considerable room and years of effort before it can produce delight to visitors.

Candace could barely remember the journey back to Devon Manor, though she and James talked the entire way home.

Her eyes were bright and his grin was always close to the surface.

Candace had never been happier. Her steps skimmed the lane, and all of the countryside seemed to take on a sort of glowing pastoral perfection she’d never quite noticed.

James deposited her upon the front step with a brief, passionate kiss, and promised to call first thing in the morning .

“I must go home and tell Arthur we are courting,” he said.

“Would you like me to be there?”

James tilted his head, considering. “I think it best if I tell him alone, man to man. In case he has any questions.”

Her fingers tangled together. “Very well. I hope...I hope he’s happy with the news.”

“I’m sure he’ll be thrilled. He’s quite fond of you, Candace.”

He brushed a final kiss to her cheek, deposited the basket at her side, and left down the drive with long strides.

Candace watched him go unabashedly. For one, she was dreadfully glad of the opportunity to stare at him.

She had every right to admire him, now that they were courting.

Secondly, she needed a moment to breathe, to calm the racing of her heart, to hopefully chase the pink flush she still felt warming her cheeks.

Though she and James wouldn’t officially announce their attachment to society until he heard back from Devonshire, Candace felt that Vera deserved to know immediately. And the only thing that might be able to blot out the bright sun of her happiness was the shadow of her friend’s disappointment.

Unfortunately, when Candace inquired about Vera’s location in the house, she was informed that the lady wasn’t home at all. Vera had taken the carriage down the lane to the baroness’s house and wasn’t expected back until the afternoon.

Candace spent the rest of her morning in restless agitation, first flopping headfirst onto her made bed, then attempting to sit at her desk with at least some decorum.

She jotted several notes off to people—one to Percy, inquiring about his return, even though it wouldn’t reach him until after he’d returned to London, so she crumpled the thing into a ball and tossed it onto the fire.

The next she wrote to Madame Aubert, asking for a specific design to be made in all haste and sent to her.

For some reason, Candace firmly believed that this courtship would be much shorter than her first, and she endeavored to make herself as ready as possible for the betrothed state. As far as one could by ordering clothes, at least.

Candace gave the letter to Benson and took her luncheon in the back parlor. She ate without hardly tasting the food, though it was as good as always. Instead, she stared a bit listlessly out the back window. What use was wonderful news when there was no one nearby to share it with?

The garden beyond the window was green and manicured, a far cry from what it had looked like only weeks before. In a moment of wistful clarity, Candace reflected that it was perhaps the same with her heart.

When she’d arrived, it had been a wild tangle of dried things—dead dreams, the thorny carcass of her social standing, a thicket she’d grown to protect her weary heart.

Now, all of that had been removed, and fresh new sprouts of hope had taken root.

They poked through the soil, hinting at what was to come. ..

“My lady,” Hortense said from the doorway, jarring Candace from her reflections. “I apologize for being so late.”

Her chest heaved as if she’d run all the way from the village. Her normally tidy bun listed sideways; a dot of mud marred the pristine white of her apron.

Candace pressed her lips together to hide a smile, her eyes wide and guileless. “Quite all right, Hortense. I assume it was the great quantities of post that kept you?”

“Er...the post. Right.” The maid shifted, her eyes sliding to the side.

“Hortense, did you forget the post?”

“No. That is, it’s in my basket, my lady.”

“And where is your basket?” Candace tilted her head, though her lips trembled with the force of keeping her grin at bay.

“Right. Well, I’ll just go get it, then.”

“Perhaps if you leave now, you’ll be back by tea.” She couldn’t help the tremor of laughter that rippled through her at the words. Hortense turned back in the doorway to scowl at her. “Hortense, you might glance in the mirror before you head back to the village. There’s a leaf in your hair.”

It was only after Hortense left that Candace realized she might have told her about James’s declaration on the road. She wrinkled her nose, finished her half-hearted attempt at lunch, and retired to the sitting room to read a book.

But after staring at the same page for nearly half an hour without comprehending a single word, Candace wondered if it would be too improper to return to the village and search out her maid, just to burn off some of her restless energy. Just to have someone to tell.

Then—sweet relief—the click of the front door closing echoed in the hall, and Vera murmured a greeting to Benson.

Vera walked in a moment later. Her dress was a fetching sea blue, with narrow sleeves that gathered in a crisp, pleated ruffle at her elbows.

Candace nearly sighed at the way the gown fit her friend’s lovely form perfectly, at how the color brought out the luster in her hair and eyes.

Lady Ashbury must have tried very hard indeed to hide her daughter’s natural beauty—there was so much of it.

“Candace,” Vera said, dropping artlessly onto the sofa next to her. “Did you find the bunting you wanted? How was your trip to the village?”

Earth-tilting , Candace wanted to say. And it had nothing to do with the bunting.

Her heart raced. For hours, she’d longed for company, wanted to be able to share her wonderful news. But now that the moment had arrived, she didn’t want to hurt her friend.

“It was...” She cleared her throat. “It was quite eventful, actually.”

“Oh?”

“I saw James in town.”

“Have his friends arrived, then?”

“Not yet.”

Vera waited patiently, a curious tilt to her chin, as Candace twisted a pillow’s tassel between her fingers and didn’t meet her eyes.

Finally, she mustered the courage to blurt, “He asked if he could officially court me. And I said yes.”

Candace raised her eyes in time to see the information take hold. Instead of the wavering smile she expected, Vera grinned at her.

“How wonderful, Candace! That’s excellent news—the best news.”

“Truly?” Candace asked. “You think so?”

“Of course. Don’t you?” she added, looking suddenly concerned. “Certainly you wouldn’t have agreed to the courtship if you weren’t excited at the prospect.”

“No. Yes.” She closed her eyes and shook her head, then opened them once more and confessed, “That is, I’m exceedingly happy. I love him, Vera.”

Vera’s answering smiled was soft, but there was a hint of sadness about her eyes. “I’m so happy for you, Candace.”

There were a few moments of silence while Candace gathered her courage once more. “Forgive me, but are you...are you very disappointed?”

Candace hated to put so fine a point on it, but she had to know. Besides, if their friendship wasn’t sturdy enough to survive the weight of such discussion, it wasn’t as strong as she’d thought.

“Disappointed?” Vera tilted her head. “Whatever do you mean?”

“That...that he chose me instead of you.” Candace winced at her terrible delivery. Surely there had been a more gracious way to put it.

“What?” Vera’s eyes twinkled in scandalized delight. A grin slowly poured over her face. “Candace, do you think I hold tender feelings for James ?”

“You mean you don’t?”

Vera laughed in that warm, rough way of hers. “He’s my friend, nothing more. One would have to be a spectacular form of idiot not to realize the man’s been in love with you for, well...forever.”

Candace pursed her lips, wondering if her friend thought her a spectacular form of idiot, since she hadn’t realized James loved her until he told her to her face. And even then, she’d experienced several moments of doubt until he explained it thoroughly.

Vera flapped her hand. “Stop. I can read your thoughts. Of course you didn’t know, as he endeavored to keep it secret until you were ready to hear such a declaration. But I daresay the rest of us have been waiting with bated breath for weeks.”

“You have?” Candace shook her head and tried not to say anything else until she could formulate something more complicated than stupid repetitions of shock.

She’d always considered herself a relatively intelligent conversationalist, but today, every interaction was making her doubt her former confidence.

Vera smiled and took Candace’s hands in her own. “I’m delighted for you both. He is your equal, Candace. He’s taken the time to truly know you, to become your dearest friend. He is among the finest of gentlemen, and I’m sure you will both be very happy.”

Candace fought back tears and gently squeezed her friend’s fingers. “Thank you, Vera.”

“Have you discussed a betrothal?”

Candace frowned. “James is going to wait until he hears back from Devonshire. In lieu of Percy’s approval, it seems he must have someone’s .”

“That sounds sensible and right.”

“It does, though I confess I’m a little anxious.”

“It’s no wonder, considering.” Vera trailed off instead of putting words to the obvious—Candace had no small amount of trepidation toward betrothals in general. She smiled and changed the subject. “If all goes as it ought, where do you think you’ll make your home?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t even thought of it. James has several estates that would be comfortable. I suppose London is the obvious choice.”

Candace chewed her lip. If she were being completely honest, she’d just as soon stay in Devon. It was so beautiful here, so peaceful. Then again, she’d never pictured herself the mistress of a country manor, so far removed from the bustle of city life and the social whirl of London.

“Ah.” Vera nodded, her smile wan.

Candace was too distracted by the contrast between what she actually wanted versus what she’d expected to want, that she failed to notice her friend’s distress.