Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
Was it so wrong that Evander looked forward to the walk he had agreed to take with Miss Finch, her brother, and Aaron?
He would never admit as such. He knew that once the walk began, he would be his usual stoic and removed self.
But he was undeniably enthused, even curious as to what this walk might lead to.
I know that I need to do better with Aaron, and a walk such as this is a perfect way to do so. If anything, it is expected of me, and nobody would think of accusing me of trying too hard to make my son happy.
But that Aaron will be pleased… I rather like the notion.
It helped, too, that Miss Finch would be on this walk also.
She was unlike any woman whom Evander had met. She did not fear him. She did not strive to stay on his good side or do as he bade, without question. She was independent, confident, and she knew her worth like few others might.
By rights, such a thing should have frustrated Evander, even angered him. He did not like disorder, nor did he like his word being disobeyed. But where Miss Finch was concerned, he enjoyed this side of her. Just as he enjoyed testing her limits, as well as his own.
“Your Grace!” Miss Finch beamed when Evander strolled into the foyer, just as they were preparing to go on their walk. “You made it.”
“I said I would.”
“Father!” Aaron looked at him excitedly. “Miss Finch said that you were coming.” His smile grew, and he looked as if he wanted to rush to Evander and hug him.
He did no such thing, of course, as Aaron knew better than to show such open displays of affection as that. Even if Evander might have liked him to… just this once.
“Are we ready?” Evander asked plainly, sure not to show any enthusiasm at all. “We best be getting this over with.”
Miss Finch rolled her eyes as she fixed the collar on her brother’s shirt. “Do not sound so excited.”
“Where are we walking to?” her little brother asked.
“There is a park down the road,” she explained. “I thought it might be nice to make our way there. Unless someone has a better idea…” She looked at Evander as if expecting him to argue.
“Lead the way,” he said, again making sure to appear bored.
“Very well. Henry, you’re with me.” She took her brother’s hand. “Your Grace, if you don’t mind watching Aaron?”
“Watching him?”
“Make sure he does not run off,” she laughed. “See.” She showed how she held her brother’s hand.
Evander looked down at his son, who grimaced as if he knew what was coming. He did not offer his hand, but shied away, seeming to know already that Evander wasn’t going to take it.
Just take his hand! You are the boy’s father. It should not be such a big thing.
He almost did it to… or he meant to. Evander had to believe that he wanted to hold his son’s hand, to show that he cared, that he was there for him. However, before he had the chance, the door swung open and Thomas, the footman, rushed inside.
“Your Grace!” he exclaimed. “You have an unexpected visitor. They have arrived just now.”
“I do?” Evander frowned. “Who?”
“His and Her Grace of Amberhall, Your Grace,” he said. “They wait for you outside.”
“Amberhall…” Miss Finch cocked her head. “Why is that name so familiar…”
Caspian is here? What on earth could the man want? He knows how I hate unexpected visits.
“Wait here,” Evander ordered as he strode across the foyer and outside. Typically, Miss Finch did not heed his command, and he heard her and the two boys follow.
As he had been told, Caspian and his wife, Thalia, waited for him outside. They stood beside their carriage, smiling warmly to see him sweep down the steps, not in the least put out by the disgruntled expression that was written clearly across his visage.
“Evander!” Caspian greeted. “I do hope we are not disturbing.”
“It is good to see you,” Thalia added. “Evander, it has been too long.”
Caspian stood closely with his wife, one arm around her waist, the other rested on her swollen belly. And she stood with one arm around him also, attached at the hip as it was, a married couple happily in love and desperate to remind everybody of the fact.
“What are you doing here?” Evander asked rather rudely. He did not mean to, but he had been caught by surprise, and Evander never did like surprises.
Caspian laughed. “I told you he would be mad.”
“Oh, he is not mad,” Thalia said. “He is just…” Her eyes moved past Evander and widened when they fell upon Miss Finch, who was just now walking down the steps and onto the street. “Octavia! Look who it is!”
Miss Finch balked in surprise. “Lady Amberall… of course!” She laughed and rushed forward. “I knew I recognized that name.”
The two women met and embraced, laughing all the while.
“You know each other?” Evander looked between them. “How is this possible?”
“I know Octavia from the bookstore,” Thalia explained. “I’m a regular there… or I was. I was told how they fired you.”
Miss Finch scoffed. “Unjustly, might I say.”
“I have no doubt,” Thalia laughed.
“I was telling Thalia of your new governess…” Caspian walked forward and slapped Evander on the shoulder. “Wouldn’t you know it, she recognized the name immediately. Why do you think we’re here?”
Evander’s brow furrowed in discernment. While this was not anything to be upset by, it was rather random and unexpected, and it left a bad taste in Evander’s mouth.
“Oh!” Miss Finch held Thalia by her hands. “We are just about to go for a walk. Would you like to join us?”
“Caspian?” Thalia looked at her husband.
“Are you up for it?” He eyed her pregnant belly.
“I will be fine.” She waved him down. “We have so much to catch up on.” She took Miss Finch’s hands again. “Unless this baby falls out of me right now, I will not be stopped.” The two women laughed, Caspian joined in, and Evander glowered.
He should not have cared that his friend and wife wanted to join their walk. It was a perfectly natural thing, and such moments as these should be coveted and enjoyed for what they were.
However, just as Evander knew it was wrong to be upset, he was that…
upset, that is. Despite his self-assurances, despite his forced apathy, the truth of the matter is that he had been looking forward to this walk.
A chance to better understand Miss Finch, a chance to be closer to his son without judgment. And now…
Perhaps I should turn around and go inside. I doubt anyone would even notice.
“Is something the matter, Evander?” Caspian asked as the two men walked side by side through the park.
“No,” Evander said. “Why would you say that?”
“Oh, no reason…” Caspian eyed him. “While some might find it hard not to, I am not some. You seem to be in an even worse mood than usual.”
“I am not,” Evander said simply.
Caspian continued to eye him skeptically. “You are not upset that Thalia and I are interrupting your walk, are you?”
“Do not be absurd.”
Caspian said nothing, raising his eyebrows, no doubt at how abrupt and sharp Evander’s rebuke was.
“Why would I be upset?” Evander added.
“No reason…” Caspian looked away, even as he wore a knowing smirk. “No reason at all.”
Stop behaving like a child, Evander. Who cares that your friend and his wife have decided to join you? It is not a big deal… nor should you behave as if it is.
You should not care about anything at all. You should not even notice that they have interrupted your walk. You haven’t noticed!
Evander did his best to soften his expression… but not too much, because he did not want to appear as if he was having a good time. That was the problem with being so morose and constantly moody. On those rare occasions where one had a reason to smile, it caused alarm.
“Aaron! Henry! Slow down!” Miss Finch cried from ahead. “Don’t go near the water!”
Evander and Caspian walked separately from the rest of the group. Side-by-side, they strolled lazily along the stone pathway which wound throughout the small park.
Ahead of them walked Miss Finch and Thalia. From the moment this walk started, the two women had been engaged in excited chatter, their heads together, laughter erupting from them every few seconds as if they were the best of friends.
Ahead of them further, Aaron and Henry sprinted through the park, shouting and screaming as boys their age tended to do. The park was relatively empty, which gave the boys leave to behave like wild animals in their bid to see who could create the most chaos.
And just like wild animals, at the chance to do something completely unhinged, they did not balk.
There was a pond toward the opposite side of the park, and when Aaron spied it, he turned and sprinted in its direction. Naturally, Henry gave chase, and soon the two boys were racing to see who could get their first. And when they did… let us see how Miss Finch deals with this.
“Come back here!” Miss Finch took off after them. “I won’t say it again!” She hurried across the park, and the two boys acted as if they did not hear her.
“She is doing well with those two…” Thalia fell back so that she joined Evander and Caspian. She took her husband’s hand, he kissed the back of hers, and then his hand slipped around her waist so he could hold her close.
“Is she?” Evander watched Miss Finch chase the two boys. “I have seen sheep dogs able to control a herd better than she can those two boys.”
Thalia laughed. “They are rather rebellious, aren’t they. Aaron especially.” She sighed and shook her head. “But they are young, and this is how boys are supposed to act.”
“Agreed,” Caspian said.
Evander knew how well Miss Finch was doing with his son.
Unlike the previous governesses whom he had hired, Miss Finch was at least able to tolerate Aaron’s dastardly behavior.
What was more, she understood it, and he had seen with his own eyes how she had used this understanding to manipulate the boy into doing what she wanted.