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Richard didn’t know what to do. Isabel was engaged to a man he disliked, and once she became the Duchess of Galliston, they wouldn’t be able to interact. Richard doubted that Galliston would allow the two of them to be friends again. He was going to lose her for good because of one person.
It was for the best. Isabel needed to be with people of her social standing, not running around messing about with nature and learning scientific experiments with a member of the gentry. It was a wonder people hadn’t been whispering about how the two of them would play and learn together as children. Now they were adults, and they would have to go their separate ways.
It was to be expected, but it still didn’t make Richard feel any better.
And it didn’t help him sleep well, either. Richard found himself tossing and turning in his bed, unable to stop thinking about what he did. And what might have happened if he had carried on.
No. That couldn’t happen. Isabel deserved better than being kissed in a dark corner.
That means she deserves better than an assistant with no title. What have you got to offer her?
It was just before dawn when Richard finally gave up on sleep and got up. It was going to be a while before Ainsley wanted him to start working – he didn’t often get up before ten in the morning – so Richard was left with a lot of time on his own. And he wasn’t really sure what to do.
Maybe a walk in the park with barely anyone present would be a good idea. He could clear his head and get things in order before he started work again. There were very few distractions he could afford right now, and the kiss was at the forefront of his mind.
Washing quickly, Richard got dressed and left the house, heading towards Hyde Park. A brisk walk around should help. Hopefully.
Richard didn’t want to try and catalogue things when all he could think about was Isabel Moore, a woman he could never have.
Why did he have to start having feelings for someone he had known for years just as they were meant to drift apart? It felt like God was laughing at him.
Richard headed downstairs, coming across Mrs Robson as she came out of the morning room. She raised her eyebrows when she saw him.
“Good morning, Mr Sidney. You’re up early.”
“I thought I’d go for a walk. Is the front door unlocked?”
“It is, but just be careful.” Mrs Robson nodded her head towards the window by the door. “Someone’s been hovering around outside since I came downstairs, and he seems to be very interested in our house. I don’t know what he wants, but he looks like bad news.”
Richard went to the window and looked out. In the early morning light, he could see a large, broad-shouldered man leaning against the railings across the street. He was wearing clothes that said he was a servant of some kind, his attire a little tatty with a flat cap on his head. And Richard saw him quickly look away from glaring at the house when he realized someone was watching him.
It could have been something perfectly innocent, but Richard’s gut said this was trouble. Something was going on. He eased back and turned to Mrs Robson.
“I think I’m going to go out the side door. I don’t fancy running into him.”
“Very good, Mr Sidney. How long will you be? I can get breakfast prepared shortly.”
“Give me an hour, and I’ll be back.”
Hopefully. Richard could only hope that he wasn’t still mulling over his situation with Isabel by the time he returned. Fresh air was what he needed.
If it didn’t work, he was stuck. Not exactly something he could talk to Ainsley about. He wasn’t even sure the professor knew how to talk to a woman when it didn’t involve his work. What would he know about love?
Was it love? Could it be love after the shortest space of time?
You’ve known her since she was a child. It’s not a short space of time. It’s just coming to a realization after years apart.
And I had to come back at the wrong moment.
Putting on his coat, Richard left the house by the servants’ door, heading out into the street. He was just out of sight of the man watching the house, so he might be lucky to get into the park without being noticed. So Richard jogged across the road and down to the entrance on their side. He was tempted to vault the railings, but he had a feeling he was going to slip and make himself look more of an idiot.
That would certainly draw more attention.
He slowed to a walk as he got onto the main path and took a deep breath. The air was crisp and cool, colder than he expected. The breeze rippled through his hair. At this time of the morning, everything seemed to be still. Much like the countryside, everything was just calm and quiet. The only sounds he could hear were the birds nearby.
If only it smelled as good as the countryside. The factories weren’t anywhere near the park, but you couldn’t escape the smog. It just permeated the whole city. Richard remembered when he entered the city limits; the air had certainly changed, and the smell of the industrial part filled his nostrils.
It was something you couldn’t get away from, even in the middle of Hyde Park. Not the best smells, and it was a wonder anything could thrive, but Richard wasn’t about to argue. Not when the landscape was beautiful.
