Cress hummed to herself as she walked along the path to town. She carried a stack of books, all with long, wordy titles like "Marriage and the Law in England" and "The Scruples of Emancipation from Non-Related Legal Guardians." She was on her way to the library, where Mr. John Hilton, the librarian, had been helping her and the others in their quest to get Winter and Mr. Clay married.

The weather was fine and sunny. She was allowing herself to engage in a little fantasy that she'd run into Mr. Thorne on her walk, and he would tip his hat and smile that smile of his and walk with her for a while. She'd spoken with him a few more times since the incident in the rain, and every time she found her heart swelling with the joy of knowing him. She found it hard to stop thinking about him, so she didn't try to restrain herself.

Alas, Mr. Thorne did not appear in the meadow. As she walked by the Kinneys' inn, however, a thought popped into her mind. She walked inside, peering around for Mr. Thorne's now-familiar face.

"Looking for someone?"

It was Mr. Kinney. He wiped his hands on a towel and ambled up to her with a welcoming grin. Cress smiled back. Though they didn't know each other well, she liked Mr. Kinney.

"Yes, actually," she said. "I know Mr. Thorne comes here sometimes. I was walking into town on an errand, and I thought I might check and see if he was around."

Mr. Kinney looked around, eyebrows furrowed. "I haven't seen him today, no. You might be better off looking in the tavern, but I wouldn't suggest a lady like you go there. It's not exactly the cleanest of places. Not like my inn here." He winked.

"Thank you, Mr. Kinney," Cress said.

She could hardly stop her feet from taking her in the direction of the tavern. Once inside, she scanned the booths. Sure enough, Mr. Thorne sat alone in a dim corner, an uneaten plate of food in front of him. He had no drink, Cress noted with relief. But then she noticed the downward tilt of his mouth.

She moved to stand above him. When he didn't notice her presence, she cleared her throat daintily. "M-mind if I sit down?"

Mr. Thorne's head shot up. "Miss Darnel! I wasn't expecting to see you here."

Despite the dazzling smile he put on at her appearance, there were dark circles under his eyes that betrayed his state of mind.

Cress gestured at the seat across from him. "Mind if I join you?"

"By all means."

Cress and Mr. Thorne had improved in their conversations lately, and they rarely had awkward silences like they used to So she found it odd that he said nothing else, just poked at his food with a still-clean fork and avoided her eyes.

Feeling unusually brave, Cress decided to start the conversation herself. "Is everything all right?"

Mr. Thorne sighed heavily. "No, Miss Darnel, I suppose everything is not all right."

"Is it anything I can help you with?"

He looked up at her, holding her gaze. She forced herself not to look away so he knew she was serious. He was her friend, after all, and friends helped each other.

He looked down again. "I doubt anyone could help me with this problem. You'd be better off not knowing."

"I'd be much obliged if you left that decision for me to make. If something plagues you, I'd do anything in my power to assist you. Even if that just means lending a listening ear."

He smiled a little then—a real smile that met his eyes. After a moment, he said, "Okay."

He leaned forward, lowering his voice. "I'm considering doing something. Something that would disgrace my family and embarrass my friends. But I also know it would make me happier because I would no longer be pretending to be someone I'm not. Does that make sense?"

"Yes, of course."

He looked surprised at her immediate assurance. "Well, should I do it?"

"Perhaps you could be more specific."

He looked around them. "Remember how I told you I joined the military in hopes that it would gain the attention of my parents? What I didn't tell you is that it was completely for naught. They pay me no more attention than they ever did. They've never visited me, nor requested that I visit them. It's a lonely life, being a soldier, and I don't know if I can do it anymore. I…I'm thinking about leaving."

Cress dropped her voice to a whisper. "Leaving? Do you mean…deserting?"