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Xavier released his uncle’s, which rose with some difficulty to touch mine, fingers grazing the tops of my knuckles before falling back to the bed. It clearly took a great deal of effort, but instead of letting him struggle, Xavier captured Henry’s hand again and set it on his knee.
“Don’t even think about it, you old geezer,” he chided him. “She’s mine, got it?”
Another spurting chuckle. I couldn’t help but smile myself.
“I don’t know,” I said. “This one has a lot of charm, Xavi, and all you’ve got is a bad temper. I might be won away if you’re not careful.”
We were rewarded with another difficult laugh, though this one seemed to take a lot out of the old man. When I glanced at Xavier, he was still trying to look cheerful, but worry was furrowed into his brow.
“Ces,” Xavier said quietly. “Wait for me outside, will you?”
I nodded. “Of course. It was nice to meet you, Mr. Parker. I hope to see you again soon when you’re feeling up to it.”
* * *
I wanderedup and down the hall for nearly thirty minutes, taking closer looks at the portraits and art that we’d flown by with nary a word. At last, Xavier emerged, eyes somewhat bloodshot, like he’d either been laughing or crying.
“Sorry about that,” he said. “I, ah, had some things to say to him.” He shook his head. “He looks so different since his last fall. Can’t even talk.”
“I didn’t realize you were so close,” I said as he retook my hand.
“We weren’t, really. But there are things between us, you know? History. He helped me catch up to life here after Mum died. Was really angry when I left for good, though. I didn’t realize how much I depended on him for that until, well…”
He trailed off. But he didn’t need to finish. It struck me then that Xavier wasn’t just struggling with the finances of the estate, but a fair amount of grief.
“Sometimes, we don’t realize what we’ve really lost until they’re gone,” I said, thinking of my grandfather.
I was only ten when he died, but that was ten years of having him around, raising me as my own father should have. He favored Matthew, the only boy in the family, much more than any of the girls. But we were still always histesorinas, his sweethearts, his baby dolls. He was a rock, and at ten, I didn’t realize what I’d had. Now I knew I’d always have aNonno-shaped hole in my heart.
I could only imagine what that would feel like now, at Xavier’s age.
“Ah, well,” Xavier said. “He’ll get better. Whatever it takes.”
There was sadness in his voice, though. We both knew that even if the man in that room did improve, it wouldn’t be enough. He’d never be what he was.
“I’m honored I got to meet him, however he is,” I said honestly. “Thank you for having us join you. And thank you for introducing me.”
It was sad, but I felt better for it. Like finally, Xavier was giving me access to a part of his life that truly mattered. I didn’t want to be a tourist in England, I was coming to realize. I was done with sightseeing. I was ready for real life with Xavier Parker, whatever that might entail.
Xavier peeked down at me with one of his rare, shy smiles. But before he could reply, we were interrupted by the sharp clip of footsteps on marble. By the sound of it, a pair of them.
“Xavier? Is that you, dear boy?”
Xavier froze.
“Who is that?” I asked, tugging lightly on his arm.
His eyes shuttered with an expression of what could only be termed dread. “Fuck.”
“Xavi?” I squeezed his hand harder. “Xavi, what’s wrong? Who is that?”
“Xavier! We are trying to say hello. Wherever are your manners?”
Xavier exhaled heavily before turning to face our new company. A woman in a pastel suit, with expertly coiffed light brown hair and a set of pearls around her neck and at her ears, strode toward us on tasteful pumps. She looked to be perhaps in her late fifties or early sixties and was followed by a young man who looked a lot like her and was perhaps ten years younger than Xavier.
“Hello, Georgina. Freddy,” Xavier said when they reached us, leaning down with a very Eeyore-like expression while the woman delivered air kisses to his cheeks. “Ces, may I introduce Georgina Parker, my stepmother.”
“And duchess,” she added with a smirk at me.
