Perhaps the feeling grew from a solid night’s sleep. Or maybe last night’s unexpected freedom was responsible. The evening had started innocuously enough. Andrew’s morning scold had seemingly worked. When Laura joined the company before dinner, she’d set her megrims aside. After a gracious greeting for Martha, she’d joined Miss Sullivan, listening to the girl’s chatter as if they were bosom bows. At first Chloe had feared that Laura was trying to damage Miss Sullivan’s friendship with Martha, but she’d soon decided that Laura was trying to make friends in her own heavy-handed fashion. Miss Sullivan was a poor choice, though. Laura’s previous attacks left her suspicious, and the two had nothing in common. So Miss Sullivan had remained aloof. Laura had not been pleased. By the time Miss Sullivan escaped, she was ready to explode. Chloe had been frantically seeking the words that might calm her, when Andrew had stepped in to compliment her appearance and praise her effort to set Miss Sullivan at ease.
