Chapter 10 #2
The show wasn’t as well-received as the previous ones, however.
Sylvie could tell by the mediocre response to her most difficult shots and a few expressions of disinterest when the crowd dispersed.
As much as she didn’t—but also somehow did—want to spend any more time with Miles to practice, it appeared they would have to add more thrilling shots into the show sooner rather than later.
Even Mr. Miller noticed the change, which he mentioned while they gathered Sylvie’s arrows.
“I thought your partner’s arrival would be a draw for longer.
But there are some spectacular new entertainments down on Amusement Circle.
Any one of them could be pulling spectators away from this area of the resort and keeping them busy. ”
Maybe that’s all it was. Maybe the excitement for her show would return soon.
But no matter what happened, the situation revealed anew how tenuous her position at Cedar Point was.
She would have to find some way to make her show indispensable, to make it unthinkable for the resort manager to cut it.
And unfortunately, working closer with Miles seemed to be integral to achieving that goal.
Frequent memories of the expression on Sylvie’s face as she peered up at him before their performance on Monday punctuated the rest of Miles’s week.
She’d swallowed hard, her brow furrowed.
At first, he’d been flattered to think his nearness might have affected her so.
But as the week went on, it became clear that it couldn’t have been desire.
Judging by her cold behavior every time he saw her, she was still determined to block him from her heart.
Thursday’s show had an even smaller crowd than Monday’s, leaving Miles, Sylvie, and even Mr. Miller subdued and frustrated.
The one bright spot in his week was the way words flowed onto paper after sending off his first letter to Sylvie on Monday.
By Thursday, he had composed another missive he believed expressed the depth of his appreciation for her.
So what if he had to rely on literary quotes that were far more eloquent than his own words?
If only he could find a way for her to send a response without compromising his identity.
Knowing what she thought of his words would have made it easier to continue writing to her heart.
When Alexander invited Miles to visit the Sunyendeand Club in Sandusky with him, inspiration struck.
Miles could use the location for Sylvie to send a reply.
The membership included most of the well-to-do men in the area, along with those who visited from Cleveland and Detroit for the summer.
Since Miles was only going as a guest among all those members, the chance of Sylvie putting together his identity as the author of the letters from such a busy location was slim.
He added the address to the letter and left it to be sent out with the rest of the post on Thursday afternoon.
With part of his plan under control, Miles was in a pleasant enough mood when he walked into the laboratory on Friday morning.
His good humor dissipated almost immediately, however, when one of the female students greeted him using his title, despite his frequent requests that they refrain from using it.
He bit his tongue to keep from snapping a harsh response.
The young ladies were growing too bold, with giggles and glances coming from their direction any time he was near.
It was beginning to impact his work, as well.
Too often, a female student interrupted to ask him a question she could have figured out on her own, taking up time he needed for his research.
Already annoyed for the day, Miles made a beeline for his workstation and buried his head in his notes, praying no one would bother him.
He managed to reach his midday break without incident.
While he was eating alone before most of the others entered the dining room, Miss Fording slid into a chair at his table and sighed, rubbing a spot on her lower back.
“I’m not used to bending over a microscope for so many hours.
Field work is different from learning in the classroom, isn’t it? ”
Miles nodded, hoping she wouldn’t become too comfortable and decide to stay.
He wanted to eat and return to work before anyone else arrived.
But she didn’t seem to catch the message in his silence.
Instead, she leaned forward, propping her elbows on the table and resting her chin on her clasped hands.
“All the girls have been speculating this week about what you must have experienced growing up in England. Do tell, have you met the king? They’re all certain you’re good friends with him, but I can’t imagine—”
Miles pushed up from his seat, the chair legs scraping across the floor as it pitched backward. She fell silent, and Miles had to swallow back a twinge of remorse when her eyes widened. “Excuse me, but I don’t like to talk about England. I need to return to my work now.”
He strode out of the dining room, the twinge growing into a full wave of guilt.
She was young and excitable, the same as the rest of the students.
They were only doing what young ladies did, supposing and assuming and letting grand ideas get the better of them.
He was certain they didn’t mean any harm.
But the assumptions that his life in England had been grand and glittering grated against reality.
His childhood had been idyllic enough. But then Father and Oliver had died, thrusting Miles into the role of heir to the marquisate.
He’d never wanted it, had embraced his future as the younger son, with dreams of studying entomology.
Just when he started to accept he might have to give up his dreams for responsibility, more tragedy struck, this time accompanied by accusations that had taken his family and heritage from him, as well.
Trying to breathe through panic that threatened to overwhelm him, Miles slumped onto the stool at the high table where he worked and rubbed his hand over his face. Would he ever be free from the assumptions people made about him? Would he ever be able to release the past and move forward?
As he’d been doing of late, Miles turned to prayer to calm his racing thoughts.
Peace overtook the panic as he gave his fears to the Lord, leaving him feeling steadier and more capable of recovering than he usually did.
He accomplished a great deal on his research through the afternoon and even managed to apologize to a subdued Miss Fording before leaving for the day.
Back at the Loftons’ house, Miles rushed upstairs to dress for an evening at the club.
It might have been too soon, but he was anxious to see if Sylvie had managed to send a reply to his letter yet, so it didn’t take him long.
As he jogged back down the staircase, Alexander was kissing his wife goodbye in the grand entryway.
Miles shuffled down the last few steps, making more noise than usual on purpose.
But his friend didn’t rush the moment. So Miles shoved both hands in the pockets of his trousers and waited, looking anywhere except at the happy couple.
Finally, Alexander stepped back, and Grace laughed when she caught sight of Miles. “I think we embarrassed our guest, dear. I apologize, Miles. You’ll find out one day how easy it is to become wrapped up in one another.”
They exchanged a look dripping with such fondness, it made Miles’s heart clench.
At the moment, he didn’t see how Grace’s prediction would ever be possible.
The only woman who had caught his attention enough to imagine spending his life with her was Sylvie Bryce.
And she was proving to be a very difficult puzzle to solve.
After taking his hat from a waiting footman and settling it on his head, Alexander turned to Miles with a cheerful nod. “Let’s be off, then.”