Chapter 11 #2
Theo clasped his hands behind his back, breaking his eye contact with the ground only for a second, to give her a shy look. “I’d appreciate it, if it doesn’t get you into trouble.”
“I’ll be fine, don’t worry. Oh, you must read Dark and Stormy! Alistair, the hero, he’s just like you—well, I won’t spoil it. But will you read it?”
He inclined his head. “I will.”
“All right.” She beamed at him. “I’ll bring you the books when I can.” She turned to leave. “Good night.”
“Good night.” He shuffled on his feet. “Emmeline.”
After a restless night, fighting against all the upsets of the previous day, Emmeline woke up into a morning with the weather as befuddled as her feelings.
The heavy rain, pounding against the windows as she descended for breakfast, was gone by the time she finished eating.
Five minutes later, the sun shone as if no storm had passed at all.
But a different storm awaited Emmeline. She’d barely made it back to her room when she was summoned to the foyer, where Lord Farenham wished her for “an outing”.
She hastily put on a light muslin spencer jacket she’d bought with Louisa, a bonnet with ribbons in matching blue, and topped it off with a rose pink scarf.
If Daniel’s mood had not cleared up, she might need something to fidget with.
He waited in the foyer, along with Theo and a female servant, the two of them standing to the side. Emmeline sent a curious look at Theo, who hit her back with his best poker face.
“Miss Grey.” Daniel’s tone barely skirted the politeness line. “I was wondering if you’d take a walk with me.”
“M-me?”
“Unless there’s another Miss Grey around here, then yes, you.”
She nearly missed the last step. Oh, if he knew. “Uhm, all right.” He wasn’t going to take her to a secluded place to murder her, was he?
Wrong genre, silly. And he was much too handsome to be a murderer.
“I was told you hadn’t brought a lady’s maid, so I’ve called for your servant and my sister’s maid instead. This should satisfy my mother’s sensibilities, and yours, I assume.” Without waiting for an answer, Daniel headed to the front door.
After a moment of shock, Emmeline jolted into action, running after him to catch up with his fast pace and long steps. Daniel clasped his hands behind his back, continuing his march toward the beach, as Theo and Louisa’s maid fell into step behind them.
“I do love a walk in the morning,” Emmeline said after a minute, to break the silence—and, well, she didn’t hate walking.
“I’m sure you do,” he responded with mild sarcasm. “At least if it’s short enough, and invigorating, but not too intense as to be considered unladylike, is that correct?”
“Excuse me?”
“And I suppose you must also like embroidery, reading character-building novels, and playing piano.”
She frowned, stuttered, then ran after him. “Well, if you really want to know, I like longer walks, I’ve never embroidered, and I’d rather dance to piano music than play it. As for the books …” She shrugged. Some in her collection would definitely not be considered character-building.
“Hmm.” Daniel slowed down his pace. “That’s curious.”
“What?”
“I’m certain my mother has a long list of characteristics and proficiencies my future wife would be required to have.” He gave her a sidelong glance. “I’m surprised she picked you.”
So it was the duchess who’d arranged the marriage. It made sense now why Daniel had been so upset with her yesterday. Did he have any choice, at all? Did Maria have a choice? If she had been running away before Emmeline popped her out of this time, this might explain it.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
He furrowed his eyebrows. They’d reached the beach now, and the wind played with his golden locks. “For what?” he asked.
“For you. For this situation.”
“You needn’t pity me.”
“Why, because you’re a man, and therefore should be in control of your destiny?
” She wrapped the scarf tighter around her to battle against the cold morning.
“I understand what it’s like to have your parents try to direct your life.
It’s the same frustrating feeling, whether you’re a duke’s heir or anybody else. ”
His expression softened. “An arranged marriage.” He scoffed at himself. “What is this, the eighties?”
She let out a short laugh.
“Did your father consult you?” he asked.
“Oh, please. He and Mother will do what they want with me, since they clearly know better.”
The corner of his mouth lifted, and they walked in a much more comfortable silence for a minute. Then he spoke again. “If you like longer walks, I recommend going to the castle ruins. They’re in the other direction, over there.” He motioned toward the cliffs in the distance.
Emmeline perked up. “Castle ruins?”
“It burned down two or three decades ago. Father says it was the inspiration for one of those silly books, with plucky heroines and mysterious heroes, ghosts and murders and—”
“The Visitor in Scarlet?”
“Ah. I see he’s infected you.”
“I’ve read the author before.” She smirked. “Feel free to add it to your list of things a bride shouldn’t be.”
Daniel relaxed his shoulders. “I apologize for my—well, everything. I’m sure you’d make a fine fiancée to someone.”
But not to me, Emmeline finished the unspoken part of the sentence. What was wrong with her? Would she have been a better match if she’d gone to finishing school, as Mother had wanted? If instead of asking Grandma to teach her how to lock-pick, she’d have asked to be taught embroidery?
A sharp gust of wind blew toward the sea, making Emmeline grab her bonnet and scarf. As she began to wrap the scarf around her arm again, she paused.
In The Phantom of the Opera, Raoul retrieved Christine’s scarf from the ocean when she’d lost it. It was how they’d met—so sweet and romantic.
She narrowed her eyes and looked at Daniel. His gaze was pointed forward, but he’d surely see it …
Relaxing her arm, she let the scarf slip. A gust of wind picked up the silk and carried it toward the water.
“My scarf!” she said, perhaps a touch too dramatically.
Daniel paused and looked at the sea—and the scarf landing on its surface.
And then, from the other side, Theo darted toward it. A wave brought the scarf closer to the shore; Theo waded through the water, retrieved it, and brought it back to her.
“Miss Grey.” He offered it with a slight nod.
“Th—thank you.” After a moment of deliberation, she took it, and Theo retreated into his position.
Daniel’s gaze lingered on him before moving to Emmeline. “I see why he’s more useful than a lady’s maid.”
Emmeline managed a smile but didn’t respond, still clutching the wet silk.
They circled around for another half hour before returning to the house.
“You’re dismissed,” Daniel said to the two servants as they entered the foyer. The maid bobbed and disappeared through the servants’ entrance; Theo tilted his head, looking from Daniel to Emmeline, but then also nodded and followed the maid.
Daniel gestured for Emmeline to walk with him upstairs; she followed him until he stopped in front of her quarters.
“Have a good rest of your day,” he said.
“Likewise.”
He suddenly bent down and kissed her—a touch on the lips, gone in a moment as he straightened back up.
“Hmm.” He walked away.
Only partially conscious of her surroundings, Emmeline slipped into her room and sat on the bed, the damp silk scarf lying in her lap.
What the heck was that?
She tentatively touched her lips. Strange, is what it was—in all aspects. Not wrong, but not right, either. All she knew, somehow, was that her first real kiss should’ve been different, even though, despite reading dozens of them in her books, she had no clue what it would’ve been like.
And she didn’t know what Daniel thought of her, and what she wanted him to think of her. Perhaps she’d been wrong, and he wasn’t Raoul, but rather the Phantom. Aunt Emily had always liked the Phantom more, for being dark and dramatic and mysterious.
A little smile appeared on her lips. She wouldn’t give up just yet. This was a romantic knot, and she’d untangle it, one way or another.