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“It can be so difficult to remember the rules,” Mama said with sympathy. “I remember the first time I played—”
“Why couldn’t you have left things alone?” Her grandfather snapped his book closed. “Young Bellingham is hardly the sharpest of men.”
Theo kept her eyes on her embroidery hoop. “I thought it best to allay his concerns.”
Grandfather sniffed. “We need not explain ourselves to the likes of him.”
Thus saith the man who had insisted she take Frederick upstairs to see their guest. Alas, General Contrary was also prone to general bouts of forgetfulness.
“You were not such a ninnyhammer as to tell young Bellingham the truth now, were you?” her grandfather demanded.
“Of course not, sir. I simply explained he was Becky’s escort, and if Frederick made assumptions based on that, well …” She shrugged.
Becky glanced up from where she was poring over pictures fromLa Belle Assembléewith Theo’s mother. “How did you manage to introduce him?”
She explained about the captain’s owning his name as Daniel, which caused Becky to giggle, and her mother to say, in an uncertain manner, “Well, I suppose thatishis name.”
“And it has to be of help when his friend arrives.”
“Is the lieutenant coming?” enquired Becky, all pensiveness gone from her face.
“I believe your uncle received a letter from him earlier this morning, according to what Mr. Siddons said. As to the contents, well, we shall perhaps learn them if Mr. Daniel chooses to share.”
“Mr. Daniel, indeed,” the general growled. “Such nonsense.”
Daniel. A strong, manly, biblical name. She’d always had a fondness for the hero in the Bible named such, with his own heroic nature, standing up for what was right, even in the face of jealous kings and lions’ mouths.
She’d spent far too long last night thinking on the situation, thinking on him. It would serve herself right if he was miraculously healed and spirited away. But such a future was not one she dared envisage. Not yet, anyway.
It wasn’t until later, after she had complimented Annie about last night’s meal and consulted with her about tonight’s menu, that she finally had a chance to venture up the stairs and tap on his door.
“Enter.”
She obeyed and saw his face light even as he closed his book and laid it on the table beside the bed. The novel rested next to two letters, one opened, one untouched.
“Good morning, Miss Stapleton.”
“Good morning, Mr. Daniel,” she teased.
“Ah, yes.” His smile grew rueful.
“I trust you slept well?”
“Well enough, thank you.”
“Would you like this window opened?”
“I do appreciate the fresh air, yes. Although Mr. Siddons assures me it is not healthful at all.”
“It pains me to observe that Mr. Siddons is not always in the right about things. And I cannot help but think that fresh air, cool though it may be, must be of greater benefit than the stifling heat that always seems to come from shut-up rooms. The air is too stuffy and close for one to breathe. So, let’s invite the morning air in.” She suited the action to the words and hefted up the small window.
“Thank you, Miss Stapleton.”
“You are most welcome. Now, I wanted to beg your pardon for that horrid intrusion last night. Mr. Bellingham asked nonstop questions about the doctor’s visit, and it occurred to me that our hiding of you without any explanation at all would surely only further increase speculation about who you truly are.”
“No harm occurred, I assure you.”
“It also struck me last night that perhaps the knowledge you are here will be in our favor, for when your friend comes. Then there will be less questions about who he is and why he has come. That is, if he can be persuaded to hold his tongue.”
