His own foolish words had killed the intimacy that had quickly grown between them. He had been such a fool. He could only pray that she would now—somehow—forgive him.
The possibility of something good coming from traveling to see her filled his chest with a warm feeling. He still worried about her safety and perhaps this continued to be his main concern above anything else. Even if she rejected his offer for them to return to seeing one another, he would still offer her his protection. He had no doubt that Dawkes would persist in his vendetta against him and use Violet as his weakness.
Yes… the lady was indeed a weakness of his and even while he pondered what their possible relationship might be in the future, his mind was clouded with thoughts of Dawkes and their recent conversations. The man had something against him going back to their days in France. He even half admitted to knowing something about what might have caused Gideon’s injury, which could have been fatal.
The confusion when he woke up injured in some unknown location had had him searching for anything that might have been familiar. The doctor and nurses had told him he was in France and had been brought to their hospital for treatment from his injuries at the Battle of Waterloo. Flashes of memory had been jumbled in his head, his face and head throbbing in pain had been a clear indication that what they told him was true. But when they asked for his name, there was nothing. Not even a glimpse of who he might be. They had reassured him that eventually his memory would return but in the meantime, he was to rest and heal.
And that was exactly what he had done for what choice in the matter did he have when he didn’t have any inkling of who he was. The loss of his memory for almost two long years was almost too much to bear but he had warred with himself that this was better than not waking up at all. And then, just as they had predicted, one bright and sunny morning, he remembered his name and that he had a family waiting for his return back in England. He didn’t remember much of what caused his injury but he knew that that, too, would one day return.
Still… the matter worried him on more than one occasion and with Dawkes’s conversation flitting through his mind, Gideon was determined to find out the answers he needed to fill in those missing memories. Once he returned to London, he would speak to Asher and perhaps between his brother and his connections, they might learn something about Dawkes and if he was actually involved with Gideon’s injuries.
He shook himself out of his sudden melancholy mood. No sense being so glum when he needed all his energy to convince Violet of his sincerity. He had never been so nervous in his life that he could recall. Not even going into battle—at least, he didn’t think so—had filled him with such anxiety as did about whatever awaited him in Bracknell. But for good or bad, he was about to find out because he had reached the outskirts of town and he could already hear the hustle and bustle of a thriving community.
As he entered the country town on High Street, he took notice of two coaching inns across the street from one another, the Black Lion and the Raven. Carriages and horses were already being brought around to the front of both establishments. Creaking wheels, horses neighing, and drivers yelling for others to get out of their way proved to Gideon that Bracknell was well established and visited. How lucky that they had Violet and her apothecary shop to aid in whatever illnesses might occur here. He gave a smirk thinking back to when Patience told him that although Violet’s brother was the owner on paper, it was really Violet who had kept the place running. Her grandfather must have had a premonition that she would succeed upon his passing.
The Barnet name was prominent on the signage above the shop. He pulled on the reins of his horse once he was in front of the apothecary. He was about to dismount when his entire world began to move in slow motion. Only one person on this world had this effect on him and he held his breath as he watched his lady round the corner ofthe shop and stroll along the walkway. She was looking down into her reticule and he watched her as she pulled out a key. Then she raised her head; their eyes met. She stumbled before raising her hand to her chest.
He quickly dismounted and came to stand before her, giving her a short bow. “Miss Barnet… you look lovely this morning,” he said softly. She could have been dressed in rags and she still would be beautiful in his eyes.
“Captain Tyler… whatever in the world are you doinghereof all places?” she asked, then seemed to recover herself to give him a look that was as frigid as the north in winter. She began tapping her foot in apparent irritation while waiting for his answer. He supposed he didn’t blame her. She had every reason to be irritated with him.
“I thought it might be obvious what brings me to Bracknell.” He gave her a smile.
Her features didn’t change. If anything, a frown formed on her lovely face as she seemed to become angrier that he was there, invading her hometown.
“I’m afraid you’ll have to explain it to me because I have no inkling of why you would leave London in order to see me when I made my intentions very clear. There is nothing left to say between us,” she muttered.
“I beg to differ,” he replied striding closer as she did the opposite and retreated several steps.
A number of people began to walk past them, whispering among themselves and seeming to cause Violet to remember her true purpose. She climbed the steps of the apothecary, fitted the key in the lock of her business and opened the door. “Come inside. There’s no sense giving the locals something to gossip about.”
The fragrant smell of herbs was the first thing he noticed as he followed her inside. Her pleasing form was the second as she swept past him after hanging her redingote on a peg near the door. As Violetmade her way to the back of her business, he trailed close behind.
A small stove sat in the corner. She went to it and began putting kindling in what remained of the low burning embers. Once they took to flame, she added several nearby logs, shut the door and then placed a tea kettle on the top to warm. She took two cups down from a shelf and grabbed a canister which he assumed held tea leaves. Silence fell between them as she continued her chores, straightening items on shelves, and crushing herbs to pour into envelopes, until the water came to a boil. As she poured the hot water into the cups, the relaxing smell of lavender filled the air. She handed him a cup and motioned to a chair. Since she remained standing, he could hardly sit.
She cocked her head to one side before quickly hiding her slight smile when she brought her cup to her lips. But he did not miss such an important detail. Whether she cared to admit it or not, there was still that unseen connection between them.
“You’re not wearing your eye patch. Shall I assume you are feeling better?” she finally asked, breaking the silence than had seemed as wide as the ocean was long.
“I am, thanks to all you did for me, Angel…umm… Violet,” he said, correcting himself and trying to get used to saying her real name. He stepped closer again to stare down at her, “Besides, I thought you might approve if I didn’t wear the patch, since it was your suggestion that I lose the thing in the first place as it wasn’t a necessity.”
She gave a snort of disdain. “It really makes no difference to me, Captain Tyler, if you wear it or not. It’s not for me to approve or disapprove of anything you do,” she said sharply, as she kept the formality between them. “As I said to you at my cousin’s, my life is my own and none of your business. The same holds true for you. If you have nothing more on your mind, please leave.”
“I wouldn’t have traveled all the way here to see you if I only wanted to just say hello, Violet.”
She frowned at him and went to one of the two chairs. Once shesat, he did the same, taking the one opposite her. “I didn’t give you leave to call me by my first name.”
He watched as her chest heaved.Yes…She was just as affected by the two of them being close together as he was. It gave him the slightest bit of hope. “And yet, I think, based on the conversation I wish to have with you, I prayed we could keep things less formal between us.”
A strained laugh escaped her lips as she set her cup down. “Why? So, you can pounce on my heart for a second time, Captain? I don’t believe it can survive another beating. Exactly why are you here?”
“I wanted to apologize for everything that happened at my brother’s,” he said honestly. “Please forgive me.”
“There is nothing to forgive, Captain Tyler. I saw your true self and you made it perfectly clear with your words and manner that you didn’t trust me. You must know I could never be with someone where trust didn’t play a major part of our relationship,” she fumed. He could see all the hurt he had caused her rising to the surface as her emotions rushed across her flushed face.
The bell above the door sounded that a customer had arrived. “Violet, please let me prove to you—”
She stood and he did as well. “There is nothing more to prove, Captain. Now, if you’ll please see yourself out, I have work to do.”
