AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Countless times, Helen had said as much to Elijah when he seemed intent on burning himself alive with his own rage, but hearing it from this near stranger only stoked her anger. “Do you know why the British Empire will fail elsewhere, as it did in America?”
“Enlighten me, Helen.”
“Not only does British greed exceed the bounds of decency, their sense of superiority has so blinded them to any threats, they grow bloated and slow. So much so that when they wake, it shall be too late.”
“Perhaps you’re right. But the problem with an American saying it is that you’re Britain’s child, and the words are uttered with all the petulance and anger an adolescent carries for his father. Even when you’re right, no one wants to hear it from you. Least of all the father.”
Her eyes flared; the visceral blaze burned so brightly she couldn’t see anything else, but it lasted just a moment.
If Elijah had heard that!
She shook her head. Resentment ate her brother alive—but that wasn’t the lifeshewanted. How many times had his temper flared while recounting his experiences living next to the English in Canton?
“They invite us to their gaudy dining room, where they pretend they’re still in England rather than in China.Right on the wall, staring down at us, a portrait of the greedy pig, King George, looking like a sausage too big for its casing! Son and namesake of the very king who tried and failed to crush the American Revolution!”
She wasn’t sending her brother off to China now for glory, she reminded herself, or to challenge Britain’s supremacy at sea; her own future was at stake.
With a long exhale, she released the last of the vexation Nicholas’s words had caused and met his calm gaze. “You speak of fathers and sons, a reminder to me that I am neither. I haven’t the advantages of being a man. Why should I be encumbered by the burdens, when I have my own?”
“Why, indeed? I cannot, however, lament that you’re a woman, Helen. I can only admire your wisdom and fortitude.”
His eyes warmed with what looked like appreciation. Behind him, Vassilis and Lord Anterleigh were walking away together, while Sirena and Pen waited with Mr. Hughes. Unable to face them yet, Helen stared at the river, full of ships.
Earlier, Nicholas must have noticed something amiss, but he hadn’t panicked, hadn’t swooped her up like a maiden in distress.
“How did you know that I was close to fainting?”
“You were swaying like a willow tree in a strong wind.”
She clucked her tongue. “So much for my fortitude.”
Giving up the pretense of looking out at the river along with her, Nicholas faced her. “What happens to a large, solid oak tree in a dreadful storm? Too rigid to sway, it breaks. The willow may look more delicate, is more beautiful, and survives worse than the oak can bear—for she knows when to bend instead of snap. Tell me that is not wisdom and fortitude.”
“But I needed help or else I’d have fallen,” she whispered.
“Only a little support, so you didn’t sway too far.”
“What if I’d swooned entirely?”
“Then you would have needed more than a little support, and once again, the Fates would have placed you in my arms.”
Every person who survived in this inhospitable world did so thanks to a characteristic like persistence, willingness to cheat, viciousness, extraordinary kindness…now she was certain what allowed Nicholas to flourish.
Ever watchful, he unlocked and plundered secrets. Since their first meeting, he had seen her soul, and in short order, she was uncharted territory no longer. He read her like a map, as if her deepest wishes, even unspoken to herself, were clear as day.
“I spoke to you because I wanted to hear whatyouhad to say.”
“You are to be held up. Worshipped. Protected.”
He wasn’t a wizard; while intense and beautiful, his eyes held no special powers. Nicholas simply paid attention in a way others did not. Doubtlessly, all along, Helen’s frailties and longings were plain to see—only no one else had paid them heed or valued them.
You’re not special in his attentions, she reminded herself. During the dinner party the other night, he had observed his own family, Elijah even, every so often giving each person what he or she needed to hear in that moment. He didn’t curry favor through flattery. He heeded others, unfailingly, and knew what to say in order to persuade, amuse, anger, or diffuse.
While everyone’s eyes had been onAlacrityand her historic departure, Nicholas had been watching Helen. She would express her gratitude politely and leave.
“I thank you for helping me today.”
The wind rearranged a lock of chocolate-colored hair onto his forehead. “It was my pleasure. Not your sadness, but to be near when needed.”
“It would have humiliated me to awaken on the ground, surrounded by onlookers, or worse yet, to be carried away like an invalid. You knew that,” she said almost accusingly.
“As long as I’m nearby, Helen, there won’t be any falling to the ground. Had you needed carrying, I wouldn’t have hesitated, even if you’d come to, furious. This time, all you needed was someone by your side. It was my honor to be there.”
She swallowed down the childish denial that came to mind—that she didn’t need anyone.
“Besides,” he continued, his voice more intimate. “If you’re ever in my arms again, may it only be because you choose to be.”
