Page 109 of The Sisters of Sea View
Miss Truman stared at her, pink lips parted in wonder and eyes alight with, perhaps, hope. “Do you really think so? Areyouused to them?”
“Oh yes. I don’t say I am blind to them, but they certainly no longer shock or disturb me.”
“But then ... you bear scars yourself, I am told, which might inure you to the sight.” Miss Truman’s gaze lingered on her veil.
Viola’s chest constricted as betrayal burned through her veins. The major had described her as a scarred woman? As an unfortunate creature with a harelip? Was that the sum total of her person?
The childhood taunts and jeers she had suffered had left her with emotional scars, and although she would bear them forever, they had, for the most part, healed. And lately, she had grown rather calloused to the snubs of those she did not care about. But this?
“The major told you?” she asked.
“I believe his father first mentioned it, and then the major warned me to be kind.” Miss Truman’s limpid eyes sought hers behind the filmy veil. Viola knew her features were shadowed by lace—blurred—though not completely hidden.
Did it requiresucheffort not to react negatively to her appearance? To be kind to someone like her?
When Viola made no reply, Miss Truman said, “Forgive me. Perhaps I should not have mentioned it. I only wanted you to know that I knew. To give you leave to remove your veil if you wished to.”
“Not especially,” Viola murmured.Not now.
The young woman blinked and forced a cheerful smile. “That’sall right. Well, I gather you are here to read to the major? I did offer to read to him myself, but he said you were already employed to do so. Shall we?” Miss Truman gestured down the passage and walked with her to the study.
Reaching the open doorway, Viola saw Major Hutton standing at the window, shutters again open, looking outside.
Hesitating on the threshold, Miss Truman began shyly, “Pardon me, Major, but—”
“I have asked you to call me by my given name,” he said evenly, without turning.
“Oh yes. I keep forgetting.” She dipped her head. “Here is Miss Summers.”
“Ah.” He turned, yet his gaze remained on Miss Truman. “Would you like to join us?”
“Oh. Thank you, no. I shall wait with Mamma.” Lashes fluttering, she nodded vaguely from him to Viola and hurried away.
When she had gone, Major Hutton faced Viola, expression stern.
“Look who has finally come. Has your unexcused leave ended, and you decided to return to active duty at last?”
“I only missed four days.”
“Days for which I am paying you.”
“You may subtract it from my fee.”
“No need. You shall make up the time.”
“Shall I?” she challenged.
His voice gentled. “I hope so.”
She removed her bonnet and sat down. “Why are you angry? I simply assumed you would be too occupied with your houseguests to want me to read the news.”
“Assumptions are dangerous things.” He studied her profile. “Is that the only reason you have stayed away?”
“Of course,” she coolly replied. She wanted to ask him ... so many questions. But she had the right to ask only one. “Shall we begin?”
After picking up the day’s mail at the post office, Emily walked back along the esplanade toward the Marine Library, eager to find a new novel to read.
When she neared Wallis’s veranda, she saw Mr. Stanley leaning an elbow on the railing, talking with a young woman seated on the bench nearby. Emily’s stomach cramped in disappointment until she realized this must be his sister.
