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Alice nodded, again half reaching for him. Harold took her hand in his, simply holding it, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb.
“Do you think less of me to know that the longer I stay in your house with you, the less I feel I could hold back?” Alice asked.
“No. Not at all. But it means I think it would be unwise for you to spend more time alone with me.”
That was hard to say. It felt as though he were cutting away a part of his own body. The look of sadness on Alice’s face made his hand tighten on hers but she nodded firmly.
“You are right. I had come to the same conclusion myself. I just could not bring myself to say it. But one of us had to be strong.”
“I am not suggesting that we do not see each other. Even if your brother insists that you return to Lindley. I will take a house nearby and see you daily. I will not protest if a chaperone is appointed. I will simply relish the chance to be with you and to show your family I am a gentleman and a man of honor,” Harold said earnestly.
Alice smiled and it seemed genuine. Harold realized he had been tensed, half expecting that she would take his words as a rejection. He tenderly kissed her fingertips.
“I don’t know what Simon will do next. But there are two things that I know with certainty. I will see you as often as I can. And, with you by my side, I will get to the bottom of whatever Simon and Ruth are hiding from me.”
CHAPTER33
Alice wanted to dance through the door to 32 Middleton Street, Harold’s Chelsea address. They had returned from dinner in a restaurant serving Italian cuisine, which Alice had always wanted to try. The conversation with Harold was as sparkling and refreshing as the wine Alice sipped with each course. His presence was as tantalizing and mouthwatering as the food that was served. He behaved with perfect decorum and Alice was acutely aware of the looks cast in their direction, of the occasional whispers.
It did not matter to her except that Harold had expressed a keen desire to protect her from scandal.
I suppose it is to be expected. Harold did accept a duel with my brother. And then conceded the victory. Word was bound to spread. But if we behave with impeccable propriety, maybe the Ton will see that they are mistaken in their gossip.
The heavens had opened as they stepped out of the restaurant. Harold had summoned a cab to take them on their outward journey and there were none to be had for the return. Alice tipped her head back as the rain immediately drenched her hair and soaked her face.
“We’ll have to run. There’ll be cabs down the street, this is too narrow for them,” Harold said, hunching his shoulders.
He seized her hand and they ran down the small, cobbled street, water splashing around them. On reaching a junction with Fleet Street, Alice took a misstep and her left foot plunged off the pavement into a puddle three inches deep with water. She and Harold looked at each other for a moment and then she burst out laughing. Several passersby, hurrying to get out of the rain, looked at her askance but that just made it worse.
“There is no hurry now. I could not be wetter,” Alice said, extricating her foot.
Harold grinned. “I would not have you embarrassed alone,” he said.
Then he took a small jump off the pavement into the very same puddle. It splashed all over him, her and a lady and gentleman hurrying past to secure a cab that had just pulled in. He threw back his head and laughed, Alice laughed too. The situation was so ridiculous it was comical. So many people trying to maintain a facade of dignity which could be washed away so easily. What was the point of pretending?
There is joy in the simplest of things. Like sharing a rain shower with someone of like mind. Laughing when no one around you sees what is funny. How can it be forbidden for me to be with Harold when we are so alike?
“Well, it is too far to walk and you are not long out of your sick bed,” Harold said, raising his hand to summon another cab.
It arrived promptly and Harold lifted Alice inside by the waist. He gave the driver his address and then sat back next to Alice, a pool of water gathering at their feet.
“Welcome to England,” Harold said. “You know, the rainy season in India makes this look like the smallest sprinkle. But that happens just once a year. An Englishman lives with this every month.”
“I like it,” Alice said, gazing out at the downpour. “My father used to take me out riding and I remember getting so upset when he wouldn’t take me out in harsh weather. But then he sat with me in the library and opened the window. We sat together with our chins on the sill just looking at the rain. He explained to me how much the plants needed it and the animals needed them. It wasn’t good for me but it was good for everything else in the world. And I learned to see something really beautiful in it. The power of nature, I suppose.”
“That is a very romantic view. Your father sounds like a remarkable man.”
“He was. At least, that’s how I remember him. When he was home. His business took him away from home a lot.”
Harold nodded, shrugging off his coat and draping it around her shoulders, leaving his arm around her.
“If my father played any part in your father’s death, I am truly sorry,” he said.
Alice took his hand and pressed her cheek against it. “You are not responsible for your father’s actions. I do not blame you.”
“It is a stain on my honor,” Harold said.
“No more than Simon’s anger is a reflection on my feelings for you,” Alice replied. “Papa was not perfect and I am sure is not completely blameless in his business dealings. I saw only the best in him but that doesn’t mean I knew the whole man.”
