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"Ah," Jane said, now fitting their story into the correct Austen novel context-- Persuasion, more or less And that was a real bummer Captain East had offered Jane the best shot at curative love Oh well Tnone to go? She studied Mr Nobley and wondered why she had the ierous--or would be if he didn’t so often look tired or bored Was he a sleeping tiger? Or a sack of potatoes?

"And how do you feel about this, Mr Nobley?" she asked

"It does not ed his horse forward, and hers followed

She hadn’t been talking about Miss Heartwright, but, okay "Wait, are you heartbroken?" She knew Miss Erstwhile shouldn’t ask the question, but Jane couldn’t help it

"No, of course not"

"Not about Miss Heartwright, anyway" Jane watched Mr Nobley’s face closely for signs of Henry Jenkins His , but his eyes were sad She’d never noticed before "Maybe you’re not heartbroken anymore, maybe you’ve passed that part, and now you’re just lonely"

Mr Nobley sood at nettling me, Miss Erstwhile As I said, it does not ht and Captain East I think it nonsense how they have kept silent about it these past days They should speak theirone’s mind? So, do you approve ofthe question, and Jane was stumped at how to restart the conversation, they rode on in silence

Of course just at thather way Why couldn’t she be chatting and laughing and having a wonderful tienerously at the world around her and hoped that Martin would think she was enthralled with Mr Nobley’s company and perfectly happy

Mr Nobley turned to ask her a question, but when he saw her grinning without apparent cause, the words hung in his ain What have I done now?"

Jane did laugh "I’m sorry, but I can’t seem to help myself around you You are so tease-able" Which was precisely not true, and yet saying it somehow made it so

Mr Nobley looked over his shoulder just as the line of trees hid Martin from view Jane wasn’t sure if he saw him

"I’m sorry I annoy you so much," said Jane "I’ll stop I really will"

"Hm," said Mr Nobley as if he doubted it He looked at his hands thoughtfully, not speaking again for several mo Why was that? When he spoke again, his tone had changed, innocuous, chitchatty

"How do you find Pembrook Park, Miss Erstwhile?"

"Do you mean the house itself? Well, it’s beautiful, no question, friendly and yet too grand to be really co a corset, I like how it looks and feels, but I can’t relax in it" She shook her head How did she keep slipping up? Saying things to this man that the Rules said she shouldn’t She tried to think of sos The ones hanging in the gallery, they’re all in the grand style of portrait art, luht The artist isn’t just concerned with outer beauty but takes pains to express the virtue of soul in the subjects and catch that gleam of importance in their eyes I don’t care how portly or drastically thin, how sickly or sad, all the people in those paintings know that they’re significant You have to envy that kind of self-assurance"