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“How awful to say!” She giggled, going on without a care. I glanced at Theodore to see Henry speaking animatedly to him despite the fact that he was indifferent.
Was he all right?
Theodore
My mind had stopped for a moment upon seeing her. She and my father rarely left the estate, so for her to be in London now…I did not know what to make of it. Did that mean my father was here as well?
“Theodore. Theodore!”
“What?” I faced Henry.
He sighed. “Did you hear a word I said?”
“Not at all.”
“I knew it.” He chuckled and picked up a few rocks to skip across the pond. “Well, what are you to do? Will you go say hello?”
“Are you mad?”
“Then you plan to run away from them?”
“I see no reason for me to do anything. They live their lives, and I live mine,” I replied, then remembered Verity. I turned to find where the Du Bells had picnicked only to see Henry’s mother heading straight for us. “And you need not worry over me, I believe you have your own affairs to attend to. Your mother is coming.”
He looked to the sky as if to pray. “Why will she not leave me be?”
“What do you expect as her only son?” I tried to step back to escape when he pushed me forward.
“Do not leave!”
“Do not be ridiculous. This does not concern me.”
“Where is your loyalty? I helped you.”
“I did not require your help.”
“Yes, you were—”
“Henry!” her voice cut in, and we both immediately ended our nonsense and faced her seriously.
“Mother!” he exclaimed in the same high pitch and I merely nodded to her.
“I saw you walking with Hathor once again. Is she not lovely? A true treasure to find one as mature as she, yet lively and full of wit,” she said, the largest grin on her face, and she then shifted her gaze to me. “Do you not agree, Theodore?”
“You are correct, my lady. She is splendid.” I nodded, and Henry punched me in the back. I did not care, for I would not fight his mother on his behalf.
“Of course, I am. Well, Henry?”
“She is a nice girl, yes, and I am glad to have met such a friend.” His stress on the word was clear, as was the change in her face. I desperately wished to leave.
“Henry.”
“Mother.”
She clenched her mouth closed, inhaled through her nose, and glanced at me once more. “Theodore, would you excuse us? I would like to speak to my son privately.”
“Of course,” I said, already stepping away from them. Henry glared, but I shrugged in return, trying not to laugh. I walked on and glanced up at the sky. It was a rare sunny day, and I had no appointments to tend to. All I wished was to sit by the pond as other families did—with Verity.
Again, I looked over at the Du Bells, but strangely, she was not there.
“Who are you looking for?”
I spun around, and there she stood before me, alone.
“You,” I muttered, a bit stunned. Was she really here, or was I dreaming?
“Well, you need not search any longer.” She smiled.
“Where is your chaperone?”
She grimaced. “I have only just escaped them.”
“Escaped?” I chuckled. “Why?”
“Why else but to see you? It is hard enough with Godmother always near. Nothing moves in their home without her attention, and I am quite unsettled by it.”
“She has many ladies under her care, and thus, she must be vigilant. Come, I will walk you back.”
“If we were in Everely, I could be gone all day and no one would notice,” she replied as she walked in the opposite direction.
“I would hope someone would, as that is dangerous. And the Du Bells, I believe, would notice.”
“I know.” She grinned as she continued to walk away from them. “Are you worried for me?”
“Yes.” I worried deeply for her and myself as I followed.
“Then am I free to be worried about you?” When she asked me these questions so directly, I found myself unable to answer. I was partly stunned and then far too delighted by the words to reply immediately.
“There is nothing for you to fret about over me,” I finally replied, “other than maybe tainting your reputation.”
“I care not about that—”
“Yes, from our time together thus far, I’m quite aware. But—”
“Let us not go any further? We are breaking all rules of decency?” she mocked and then giggled. “You have said this to me numerous times and yet nevertheless when I embrace you, you embrace me.”
I had no rebuttal, for she was right.
I protested and yet at the slightest chance crossed the line over and over again. So long as she kept reaching out for me, I knew I would follow her to the farthest ends of the world.
“Since you are unable to deny it, I shall change the subject and ask…are you all right?”
