Chapter 6

It rained for the next three days, during which Callum received no word from Lady Emily. They’d made no additional plans to meet once their walk in the park was over, and while he’d considered writing her once or twice, he’d eventually thought it best to let her decide if she wanted to see him and Peter again. The last thing he wanted to do was press her.

Standing by the parlor window, he stared at the wet street beyond. Puddles remained but the rain had ceased, giving way to a hint of sunshine that peeked from between white clouds. Was it wrong of him not to write and tell her he’d had a wonderful time?

No. He’d said so when they’d parted ways. Repeating himself in writing would only make him look desperate. He scrubbed a hand over his jaw. She was just one woman among an entire city full.

Yes, and you weren’t the least bit shaken when that horse nearly ran her over.

“It’s a nice day again,” Peter spoke from behind him. “Can we please ask Lady Emily if we can take Heidi for a walk?”

Callum turned to face him. “I’m sorry, but I think Lady Emily ought to reach out to us next time.”

Peter’s face fell. “Oh.”

“She’s probably busy at the moment. We have to be a bit patient.”

“I understand.” Peter slipped from the room like a weary shadow and Callum muttered a curse.

How was it that he’d been over the moon just a few days before, only to feel like he’d now been denied the source of his future happiness? Bothered by it, he started wishing he’d never run into Lady Emily in the first place. If only Peter hadn’t met Heidi, he’d not have to miss her as well.

It wasn’t right. After everything he’d told her, Lady Emily ought to have written, if for no other reason than to—

“Your Grace?” Dawson, his butler, stood in the doorway. “A letter for you.”

Callum snatched the missive from the salver as though it had just been tossed into a fire and he meant to save it from turning to ash. He thanked the butler and waited until he was gone before tearing the seal on the letter.

Dear Duke of Stratton,

I apologize for not getting in touch sooner, but I kept hoping the rain would cease and that I might ask you and Peter if you’d like to go for another walk. When the weather did not improve I thought to invite you both for tea yesterday. At least Peter could play with Heidi in the parlor. But then the Marchioness of Ipsly came to call together with her son. They remained for luncheon, tea, and supper which, if you ask me, was rather rude.

That aside, the weather today appears to be much improved. A walk would therefore be welcome, although I would like to make a different proposal. The paper this morning announced a fair. It’s a little past Islington so it would take about an hour to get there, but I thought it might be fun for Peter. It is however worth mentioning that Heidi would have to stay home. However, if you agree, I can stop by to pick you up immediately after luncheon. Does one o’clock suit?

Should Peter prefer to spend more time with Heidi, then that’s fine as well. I just thought I’d mention the fair since it will be ending in a few days.

Awaiting your response with the hope of an imminent outing,

Lady Emily Brooke.

Callum dashed from the parlor as soon as he’d finished reading the letter and ran upstairs, almost knocking a painting off the wall in his haste to find Peter. The boy was in his room when Callum entered, a little out of breath.

“I just got word,” Callum said, still holding the letter in his fist. He relayed its contents and waited to see what Peter would say.

“I’ve never been to a fair.” He looked at Callum. “I’d like to go but I’d also like to see Heidi. How do I choose?”

Callum crouched before him. “Think of it this way. The fair will end soon and, with the weather being what it is, there’s no guarantee we’ll be able to go tomorrow or the day after. But even if it rains, we can still stop by Rosemont House to see Heidi. Lady Emily made the suggestion herself and just to reassure you, I’ll make arrangements for you to see Heidi again soon if we do go to the fair.”

“Promise?”

“Absolutely.”

Peter rushed at Callum and flung his arms around his neck. “Thank you.”

Callum hugged the boy firmly while feeling a bit like a hero who’d just slayed a nasty dragon.

The carriage came at exactly one o’clock. Dawson announced its arrival but there was no need. Peter, who’d been watching for it from the parlor window, told Callum as soon as it pulled up in front of the door. Callum put on his hat and gloves and the pair left the house.

“Good afternoon,” he said, following Peter into the carriage where Lady Emily and her maid waited. The ladies seconded the greeting, the door was pulled shut, and they were off.

Unaccustomed to travelling in a full carriage, Callum stretched out his legs without thinking and quickly pulled them back when his foot found Lady Emily’s.

“Sorry.” He darted a hasty look in Georgina’s direction and winced in response to her chastising glance.

Lady Emily, however, did not appear to share her maid’s disapproval. When Callum caught her gaze once more, she looked as though she was struggling to keep from laughing. He smiled at her. It pleased him immensely that she was seated across from him so he was able to look at her without appearing too obvious.

She pursed her lips, then shifted her feet to the right and jutted her chin in a downward direction toward her left, as if to say, Go on. You can put your legs there.

He glanced at the maid again and, noting she now studied the view, he decided to make himself comfortable while mouthing the words, “Thank you.”

Lady Emily gave him an answering nod before turning her attention to Peter. “I know how fond you are of Heidi, so I thought it might please you to know that I’ve spoken with my parents. They’ve both agreed you are welcome to visit whenever you like between two and five in the afternoons. Should Stratton be unable to join you, he may drop you off. In the event that I am not there, the servants will make sure you’re well looked after.”

Peter stared at her. So did Callum. Just when he thought the woman was done surprising him in the best way possible, she managed to do it again.

“That is extremely generous of you,” Callum said when Peter failed to respond.

He nudged the boy who suddenly blinked. “Yes. Thank you ever so much.”

“My pleasure.” Lady Emily smiled at him with affection. “Now tell me what you’d most like to see at the fair. It’s my understanding that there are jugglers, acrobats, and various animals. The advertisement even mentioned pleasure boats as well as up-and-downs.”

Her question gave way to an animated discussion. Peter was very intrigued by the mention of acrobats and wanted to know what sort of acts they might be performing.

Lady Emily grinned. “We’ll have to see, but I’m sure they’ll be good at balancing on their hands. I once saw one walk across a rope strung high between two poles.”

“How is such a thing possible?” Peter asked, his voice filled with awe.

“With vast amounts of practice, I imagine,” Callum said with a chuckle. He shifted his legs and stilled when they came to rest against Lady Emily’s. When she didn’t move, neither did he, though his pulse did leap and his stomach contracted.

“Practice is important,” Lady Emily murmured, still not moving her legs.

Callum darted a quick look in her direction, but her gaze remained on Peter. Had she even noticed they were touching? He’d no idea, but he hoped so since that surely meant she liked the closeness as much as he.

The possibility of such an occurrence danced through the air with the promise of something exquisite. He froze while the conversation continued around him. Of all the people in the world, he never would have expected to forge a bond with Lady Emily, yet here he was, happy with the intimacy they shared in this moment.

The carriage came to a halt and his thoughts on the matter scattered. Leaning forward, he opened the door so they could alight, ever conscious of the fact that she was becoming more important to him with each passing second.

* * *

The atmosphere at the fair was brimming with energy. It felt like all of London was eager to get out after the rain and had chosen to spend the afternoon here. Emily glanced around as they pressed their way through the crowd. A group of musicians who stood upon a raised platform were playing a lively tune with their fiddles.

Farther ahead was a tent with a sign that read, Hall of Mirrors. Another one promised a magical show while a third claimed it contained a collection of the bizarre.

“Look,” said Peter. “That man’s blowing fire.”

They stopped to watch and Stratton tossed a few coins into the man’s hat before moving on.

“This was a splendid idea,” he told her when they’d seen a bear perform a balancing act while a monkey played a trumpet. “Peter is having a marvelous time.”

What about you, she wanted to ask, only to shy away from the question. It felt too obvious, even though her decision to let his legs rest against hers in the carriage was even more so. She should have avoided the contact, but the discreet intimacy it had provided made her feel closer to him somehow, and she’d liked that.

“As am I,” she said, deciding to let him know she was glad to have made the suggestion. Raising her voice she asked Peter, “Shall we try to catch the next magic act?”

“Oh yes. Let’s.”

Peter started toward the tent but Stratton caught his hand. “Stay close. It’s a large crowd and I don’t want to lose you.”

Emily made sure Georgina was following close behind too before falling into step beside Stratton. When they reached the tent, Emily already had several coins at the ready.

“You did say I could pay the next time,” she told Stratton when he looked ready to protest.

He flattened his mouth, took a deep breath, and finally nodded, then gestured for her to precede him. She paid the fee and entered the tent where chairs stood in three long rows. Deciding a spot at the front would be best if Peter was to have a good view, she made her way toward the end of that row where a few spots remained vacant.

Arriving first, she claimed the seat farthest away while Stratton, who’d entered behind her with Peter, sat down beside her with the boy positioned between the duke and Georgina.

Emily kept her gaze carefully trained on the spot where she expected the magician to appear, but try as she might, she could not stop from wondering about their seating arrangement. Had he selected the chair next to hers on purpose? If so, why? What did it mean?

She shook her head. How silly she was being. In all likelihood, he’d merely taken the first available seat he’d arrived at. But why not suggest Peter sit between them? Or Georgina, for that matter?

Good grief. She’d drive herself mad if she kept cross examining every decision he made.

“I saw a bakery stand near the entrance with tables and benches in front,” Stratton told her. The length of his arm pressed against hers as he shifted closer. “Perhaps we can have a hot drink and some cake there after the performance. My treat.”

“Mmm…hmm…”

What else was she to say when the scent of him wafted around her? Lord, he smelled good – of sandalwood, fresh mint, and something exclusively him. Why hadn’t she noticed before? Perhaps because she’d been too busy cursing the constant disruption he’d brought to her life.

How foolish she’d been. How unfair and unkind.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” a short and plump man announced. “Prepare to be amazed by the extraordinary, the marvelous, and the unique. I bring to you, the one and only, Jimmy Fortuno!”

Everyone cheered as a cloud of smoke appeared behind the announcer. And again when it faded to reveal a slim man dressed in black and scarlet. He proceeded to turn a collection of handkerchiefs into a bouquet of flowers before moving on to a series of card tricks. Most impressive, was a disappearing act involving a rabbit.

Throughout it all, Emily’s attention remained on the man beside her. Whenever he clapped, his elbow brushed hers, and as he angled himself to speak with Peter, she felt the press of his knee against her own.

By the time the performance was over, she was so hot and flustered over the impact he was having on her, she could barely breathe. What she needed was copious amounts of fresh air. Annoyingly, she noticed, he seemed perfectly fine. Nothing about him suggested he might be in need of smelling salts on account of her presence.

This made her curious. In the past, he’d always seemed slightly out of sorts whenever they’d come into contact. This well-composed version of him was something new altogether. She wasn’t entirely sure how to handle him not being clumsy and was almost relieved when he spilled the tea he’d ordered for her at the bakery booth a short while later.

He managed to pull back just in time to stop it from scalding her hand.

“Sorry.” The smile that followed was slightly bashful. “I mustn’t forget to be careful around you.”

She thanked him for the tea and sipped it while Peter dug into the chocolate cake he’d been given. Georgina, who sat to Emily’s right, was enjoying a scone. Stratton, who’d sat down across from Emily, was just about to take a sip of his coffee when something seemed to draw his attention.

He raised his hand and waved while sending someone a grin. Emily turned and saw Anthony and his wife, Ada.

“I see you had the same idea as us,” Anthony said with a wide smile.

Greetings were exchanged before Ada said, “We just arrived and thought we’d try to catch the next magic show. Have you seen it?”

“Yes,” said Peter. “It was marvelous. The magician was able to make an entire rabbit disappear inside his top hat.”

“That does sound impressive,” said Ada. She turned to Emily and told her softly, “I’m thrilled to see you here.”

The comment was followed by a wry smile and a very pointed look in Stratton’s direction.

Emily shook her head. “It’s not what you think.”

“Isn’t it?” Ada pursed her lips. Humor danced in her eyes. Before Emily had a chance to respond, Ada asked, “How’s your reading coming along?”

“Very well. I should be able to start on the book you gave me within a few days.”

“Thank you again for doing me this favor.”

“It’s hardly a favor, Ada. Had I known you’d written a novel I would have begged you to let me read it anyway.”

“You’re a good friend.” Ada sent Stratton another glance before telling Emily, “Enjoy the rest of your outing.” She and Anthony said their goodbyes and wandered off in the direction of the magician’s tent.

“They think there’s more than friendship between us,” Stratton told her a short while later when they were walking back to the carriage.

Emily nearly tripped. “Who does?”

She didn’t need to ask, but her question did help her stall for the time she required to adjust to his comment.

“Anthony and Ada.” Stratton, she saw, kept his attention on the direction in which they were headed. It almost looked as though he’d not spoken to her at all.

“Ridiculous,” she muttered, not daring to give away even the slightest hint of how he made her feel. Just in case he remained unaffected by her. He’d already told her that none of the ladies he’d met appealed in the way of marriage. Not that she was thinking that far ahead, but surely his statement included her. Didn’t it?

“I couldn’t agree with you more,” he said, confirming her fear.

The attraction and overall wish for something more than what they presently shared was completely one-sided.

How utterly perfect. The situation wasn’t improved by the fact that she’d likely be seeing a great deal more of him now that she’d made her home available to Peter every afternoon. Stratton would probably join him for the most part, forcing her to spend additional time with a man she’d started thinking about a lot more than what was wise.

Peter and Georgina entered the carriage first, then Stratton caught hold of Emily’s hand. Her eyes met his and she saw something there – some deeply buried emotion she failed to define. It was gone in an instant and he was handing her up.

She took her seat on the bench while he claimed the opposite spot next to Peter. This time, however, he kept his legs bent at the knees. He did not stretch them out and let them touch hers, despite her wishing with all her heart that he would.