That night, as usual, Elizabeth waited for John’s carriage to come up the driveway. Even if it was just to receive a curt “good evening,” or to see him turn his back on her, it was one of the few moments she could see him, and she still longed to see him, even if only for an instant.

“Good evening, John,” she said politely, without a hint of a smile.

“What did you talk about with my grandfather?” he asked, with the usual brusqueness with which he always addressed her.

“We talked about various t