Twenty Eight

As Cheevers made his pronouncement, she saw William, a friendly face in the midst of the insanity, walking into the room and heading for the charades. She should have chosen that activity, obviously. She hadn‟t even realized William was still in attendance since he hadn‟t been present for dinner.

She worked up a smile for Benedict, trying to ignore Deville‟s dark look in their direction. Benedict was also shooting a dark look at the other two, and as he pulled out a chair for her, helping her into the seat with perhaps more care than was necessary, she wondered what she had accepted by playing.

Harriet‟s eyes narrowed on her. Deville and Benedict eyed each other with disdain and outright anger. Somehow she had found herself at a table with more cracking gouges than a Cornish rock face.

She fervently desired to be nowhere so much as in front of her cozy fire in the cottage, dreaming of better days.

"Highest card deals."