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“Richard?”
“Hmm?”
Richard looked up. Cohen was staring at him across the chessboard. He gestured at the white pieces.
“It’s your turn, or had you forgotten?”
“I hadn’t forgotten.” Richard shifted in his seat and sat up. “I was just trying to figure out my next move.”
“For ten minutes? I know you like to think things through, but not for that long.”
“You’re exaggerating. It wasn’t that long.”
“I can see the clock from here.” Cohen pointed at the mantelpiece. “It’s been ten minutes.”
Richard hadn’t realized. He had been staring at the chessboard, but there wasn’t really anything registering. They were just present, not meaning anything to him. Normally, Richard loved a chess game, and he could play for hours if given half a chance.
His mind was just not with it tonight. And Richard knew why.
He couldn’t stop thinking about Isabel. The sight of her again had been a surprise. The last memory Richard had of her was a tall, thin girl who wore spectacles, and her hair was done up in a severe bun. She had been like that since they were small children. Isabel had never changed her appearance. But the woman before him had been very different.
She was less thin, her body having very definitive curves under her dress. Richard had felt them against his body when he rescued her from the river. Her hair was loose, far longer than he thought, slightly dishevelled as it framed an oval-shaped face. Her skin wasn’t as milky white as before, but her eyes had stayed the same. They were still the big, wide blue eyes Richard recalled from their childhood.
And her smile hadn’t changed, either. Nor had her laugh. But when she had done both, it had done something strange to him. Something tightened in his belly, and Richard found himself bewildered. What was that? And where did it come from? That didn’t make sense to him. It was almost like …
Like you’re attracted to her.
I’m not attracted to her. She’s a friend. I won’t ever see her like that.
“Richard.”
Richard jumped when a hand waved in front of his face. Cohen was giving him a strange look. Richard swatted the man’s hand away.
“I’m fine. There’s no need to do that.”
“You went off into your own thoughts again. Or to another world that I’m not privy to.” Cohen settled back in his chair. “If you’re going to do that, the least you could do is let me come along with you. It’s better than trying to play chess against a dummy.”
Richard sighed. He wasn’t going to be able to focus tonight. Picking up his glass, he got to his feet and wandered over to the fire.
“My apologies, Cohen. I didn’t mean to be poor company tonight.”
“You’re not exactly poor company when you’re not really present.” Cohen frowned. “What’s the matter with you, Richard? You’ve been out of sorts since you got back from visiting Miss Isabel Moore. Did your swim in the river freeze your brain or something?”
“I didn’t go for a swim. I lost my footing.”
“You could’ve fooled me with the way you were soaked.” Cohen chuckled. “You really went into the river to save a drowning dormouse?”
“I’m afraid that’s the truth.” Richard grimaced. “Not exactly manly, but it’s the truth.”
“It’s just like Miss Isabel to rescue an animal in distress. And it’s just like you to help her. You were always helping her when you were children.”
Richard didn’t respond. Cohen was right about that. The man was very shrewd, and he could notice the smallest of things that other people didn’t. One thing Cohen did like to do was watch other people. He would have watched Isabel and Richard interact.
He wondered what his old tutor would have said if he had seen Isabel and Richard earlier in the day. Because Richard didn’t know what to make of it, and it was unnerving.
“At least you found my state amusing.” Richard picked at his shirt. “The servants weren’t too impressed trying to get my clothes off so I could get into the bath.”
