AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yes, still at Number One,” she said, her smile easily brightening the room. “Uncle John and Aunt Sophie are still at Number Three. Even Lady Dayne is still at Number Five. She’s quite infirm now, but as lovely and kind as ever. You ought to come by some time. My parents would be delighted to see you.”
He felt bad about not staying in closer contact with Romulus and Violet. In truth, Romulus Brayden had been like a second father to him. Violet had certainly been more of a mother to him than the manipulative witch his father had married. “Perhaps I will.”
Hyacinth frowned. “No, don’t put us off. There is noperhapsabout it. Come to supper tomorrow evening.”
He folded his arms over his chest. “Is that a direct order? You always were a bossy bit of goods.”
She took his teasing with good nature. “Chide me as you wish, but we shall all be quite shattered if you do not accept.”
“Do you speak for your parents as well?Perhapsyou ought to seek their permission before you make plans for them.”
“Perhapsyou ought to stop telling me what to do.” She cast him an impertinent smile, reminding him how saucy she’d been even as a little girl. “My lord, I do not remember you ever being quite this stodgy. Indeed, you are far too young to be behaving like an old goat. My parents have always adored you. Why would you doubt they would love to see you?”
He felt a momentary pang of regret. “I haven’t kept in touch with them.”
“And you believe they are offended?” She rolled her eyes, another impertinent gesture that ought to have irritated him, but her eyes were too beautiful, and so was she. “Did you learn nothing about them in the years you were with us?”
He threw his hands up and laughingly shook his head. “Fine, I am properly admonished. And call me Innes. After all, I used to give you rides on my back around your house. You took exceptional delight in tugging on my hair.”
“Then you must call me Hyacinth. I used to pull on your ears, not your hair. Don’t you recall? A tug to the right ear to steer you to the right, or a tug on your left ear to steer you left. Sometimes I would tug on both at the same time just to confound you.”
Her smile left him breathless. “Very well, Hyacinth. Have a seat, and I shall pour you some tea.”
“You haven’t asked me what’s in the box I brought you.”
He waited for her to sit on one of the plump chairs beside the hearth, and then he took the one beside her. “What’s in the box, Hyacinth?” he asked, casually resting an arm on his thigh as he leaned toward her.
“It requires a bit of an explanation. Do you remember the Christmas when I was five years old? You must have been about fourteen or fifteen at the time.”
“I remember. We had decorated your house with mistletoe, boughs of holly, and cheerful red ribbons on Christmas eve. But I was unexpectedly summoned away and had to miss Christmas day.”
She nodded. “You never got your presents. We never saw you after that. I cried for days when I learned you’d been taken away from us. Well, that’s all in the past. We are in the present now. This is the gift I had wanted to give you back then. You were meant to open it on Christmas morning. What happened, Innes? Why did you never visit our home again?”
He ran a hand roughly through his hair. “My family. Petty jealousies. You know I was sent away.”
“But you could have come back to us once you were older and independent. Oh, I know you remained in the Royal Navy and were often on assignment at sea. But not always. Why did you never stop by to see us?”
He was surprised by the sadness in her voice. “Too many years had passed by the time I was able, Hyacinth. I was no longer that young, hopeful boy.”
“We would have welcomed you even if you appeared bedraggled on our doorstep twenty years from now.”
“I know.” He poured her a cup of tea and set a slice of ginger cake on a plate for her. “My dropping out of sight had nothing to do with your family. I wasn’t good company then. I’m not very good company now.”
She took a sip of her tea and set the cup back down while peering at him with determination. “We shall have to change that.”
He arched an eyebrow and grinned. “Aren’t you being a bit presumptuous?”
“Yes.” She gave a melodic laugh. “You forget, my mother was a Farthingale. So, I am part well-intentioned, meddlesome pest, and the Brayden part of me is bold and determined.”
“Ah, an unbeatable combination,” he replied with good humor. “You get away with it because you are pretty, and no man would be so cruel as to toss you out on your ear.”
She took another sip of her tea. “You haven’t asked me about the gift.”
“Right. What’s in the box?” He held out his hand for it, but she suddenly drew it behind her back.
“You know, I think I will keep you guessing. When you come to supper tomorrow evening, I shall give it to you, and we shall open it together.”
Odd, he hadn’t cracked a smile in years. Within minutes, Hyacinth had him doing nothing but that. Smiling. Grinning. Laughing. “I could simply grab it from you now and be done with it.”
