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Seraphina’s concerned voice straightened Theo’s spine, affixed a smile to her lips.
“Are you quite all right?”
“Perfectly fine, thank you. I was just coming to find you and see if you’d like tea—”
“Thank you, no. Roger and I plan to visit the village shortly.” Seraphina frowned. “Are you sure you are well? You look pale. And your nose is a little red.”
“I must be coming down with something,” she said, adding quickly, “I shall see about the tea, then perhaps I ought to rest.”
It would be a coward’s move, but she could surely claim illness. One couldn’t be expected to carry on in rude health all her days.
Half an hour later, after Theo’s wish to flee had been well and truly impeded by her mother and a sense that one’s foolish imagination should really not prevent good manners, she sat opposite the captain in the drawing room, enduring one of the more agonizing moments of her life. She did what she could to promote conversation, to maintain the illusion, but this charade was painful, eating into her heart and composure.
He kept looking at her. What was she to think of that? How could she make him cease? The only way to protect herself was to constantly throw attention onto others.
“So, you plan to return to London,” she said to the lieutenant. “And after that, shall you rejoin those at the front?”
He sighed. “One wishes it need not be so, but I fear that will be the case.”
“Does your family find that hard?”
“My mother is always disconsolate. Mariah, my younger sister, never wishes to let me go. And I mean that quite literally, as she wraps her arms around me and squeezes, as I imagine a snake might do, from accounts I’ve heard of from those who have travelled to South America.”
Theo shuddered. “I must own that I would never wish to know what it feels like to have a snake squeezing me.”
The captain laughed. “Nor I.”
She kept her gaze averted, refusing to look at him, and took a careful sip of her tea instead.
“We have sometimes seen adders in the area,” Mama said, her gaze on the portrait above the fireplace, “but they seem mostly timid creatures. I had a friend whose poor child was bitten and died, but that was long ago.”
Becky inhaled quickly, her fingers at her mouth. “How very sad. Was that near to here?”
“Yes, I believe so. But it was a bite, and there was no squeezing involved, or so I’m given to understand. I should hate to come across a snake that might wish to squeeze one to death.” Mama’s nose wrinkled as she shivered.
“I should think it most unlikely, ma’am, especially if you are to never leave the country,” the captain said kindly.
“Oh no. I could never leave. Why, I don’t know if I would want to either. We have very pleasant circumstances here, do we not, Theodosia?”
“Very pleasant.” Though that did not rule out a desire to see new places. How could Mama never wish for more?
“And besides, I really could not imagine leaving the poor general, or of course, my darling daughter. Not that I will need to. Theodosia is such a comfort for me, after all.” She patted Theo’s arm.
Theo wedged up her lips with an iron will, begged her countenance to not betray her.
“Forgive me, madam”—the captain’s brows drew together—“but would you not consider moving if, say, the general’s or your daughter’s circumstances should change?”
“Move where?” Mama asked.
“Why, wherever.”
“I see no reason I would want to live elsewhere. Not when we are so comfortable here. Is that not right, my dear?” she asked Theodosia.
“But what if Mr. Bellingham should wish to marry her?” Becky asked. “Would you wish to move then?”
“Thank you, Becky.” The captain’s expression held sternness. “That will do.”
“Oh no, I do not mind answering, sir. If Frederick wished to marry her, then I suppose I could live here. Or there.” Mama moved her hands up and down as if weighing items on a scale.
