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“Who’s there?” He called out, his eyes darting to the hedges and then back to Eleanor. “You should leave now, Lady Eleanor,” Henry whispered urgently. She knew he was thinking of how it would look if someone in thetonfound them out here, and she appreciated that he was worried about her reputation, but she was more disconcerted thinking about what might be lurking behind that bush.
Eleanor shook her head vehemently and dared a look back at the hedges. The greenery stirred once more, and Henry moved so that he now stood protectively in front of her. Eleanor felt small standing behind Henry, but she also thought his attempt to shield her was sweet and a bit heroic. When the hedge moved a third time, Henry reached behind his back, extending his hand to Eleanor and without hesitation she took it. She gripped his fingertips tightly as they both waited for whatever was shaking the hedge to reveal itself.
Eleanor took a deep breath of the cool night air and felt a shiver race up her spine. She stood so close to Henry that she felt it when he pulled himself up straighter. “Who’s behind the bush? Show yourself.” Henry called out in a commanding voice. Eleanor was just about to squeeze her eyes shut, sure she didn’t want to see whatever was playing this game of hide-and-seek with them, but then she heard a strangled meow, and that changed everything.
All at once, Eleanor dropped Henry’s hand and moved around him. She took one step toward the hedge and then a second before his hand shot out in a delayed attempt to stop her. “What are you doing?” He hissed.
“I heard a cat,” Eleanor answered. “Didn’t you?”
Henry looked at her as though she might be losing her mind. “A cat? Surely, you jest.”
“No, I’m perfectly serious. Just now, I heard a meowing sort of sound,” Eleanor replied, taking another step toward the green wall-like hedge.
“I didn’t hear anything…” Henry began, but then he broke off as the mewling sound Eleanor heard before repeated itself, this time only louder. Eleanor arched her eyebrow knowingly at Henry and then she moved in the direction of the animal.
“Wait!” Henry cried, taking hold of Eleanor’s hand, and pulling her back to his side. She stumbled over her own feet, and when she caught herself, she had nearly trodden on Henry’s feet. Eleanor felt a red blush creep up the back of her neck and slowly she took a step back. She did not drop his hand though.
“Your Grace, it’s just a cat. I have many at my home. Let me go to it now.” The animal meowed softly again, and Eleanor’s heart went out to the poor dear. “I’m sure I can comfort it.”
Henry shook his head. “You cannot be sure that is a cat, Lady Eleanor.”
Eleanor chuckled despite herself. “That’s madness, Your Grace. Of course, it’s just a harmless cat. It probably belongs to the lady of the house and has mistakenly wandered too far from its home.”
“No,” Henry said, tugging on Eleanor’s hand. “I won’t let you take this risk.”
“What risk?” Eleanor asked nonchalantly. She looked deeply into Henry’s blue eyes, and she could see that he was truly alarmed by the disturbance. Again, she thought it was nice that he wished to protect her, but she saw no need for this sort of exaggerated behavior.
Without waiting for him to answer, Eleanor dropped Henry’s hand and strode off confidently toward the hedge. “Come here, baby,” Eleanor cooed, and a small, grey and black striped kitten showed itself at once. Its light-green eyes shone in the darkness and as Eleanor reached for the animal, it rubbed its tiny head along her hand.
Eleanor snuggled the kitten close to her chest, careful to keep it away from the lace that ran along the low-scooping neckline. “See,” Eleanor said, stepping back toward Henry. The cat let out a soft purr as Eleanor gestured toward it. Henry gave Eleanor a puzzled expression and then without saying a word, he sank back onto the stone bench.
Eleanor chuckled. “It’s hard to believe you were afraid of this harmless, little kitten.”
“And it’s hard to believe that you left the safe space I provided for you so as you could prove you were right about that being a cat,” Henry returned, shaking his head warily.
Eleanor sat in the open spot next to Henry and she stroked her fingers through the kitten’s soft fur. “If I can manage it, I like to be right as much as possible.”
Henry lifted his head and pierced Eleanor with his startling blue eyes. “As do I,” he whispered.
