Page 62 of A Daring Pursuit

Right now, however, it was past time to see for herself how Julius fared. She followed Pasha into the Morpho Suite—the name was growing on her—and changed into another of Abra’s lovely castoffs. A day dress of bright apple green that swished with elegant grace against her legs. She slipped from the sitting room and took the stairs one level up to where Julius’s chamber was located and wound her way through the corridors.

She tapped at his door.

In an instant, it flew back. Miss Isabelle stood there. Her dress suited her wickedly playful personality with its eye-catching pattern of wide stripes in gold and cream, setting off the delicate chain around her neck. She was a lovely sight and Geneva’s heart burst with joy. Miss Isabelle’s mouth dropped and a second later, she threw her arms around Geneva’s waist, banishing all other thoughts. “Oh, Miss Wimbley. I was afraid you may have changed your mind about returning.”

“Please. Call me ‘Geneva.’ Might I call you ‘Isabelle’?”

The girl nodded. “Certainly.” She spoke as if Geneva were relaying something long ago settled.

“I couldn’t possibly leave without saying goodbye to you.”

“Geneva?” Julius called from the bed.

“He’s quite cross,” Isabelle informed her in a stage whisper. She glanced over her shoulder then back. “I do believe he requires a rest. Just like a fussy infant.”

Geneva grinned. “Perhaps I can help calm his overly sensitive constitution.”

An enchanting giggle erupted from Isabelle and she stepped back, inviting Geneva in.

Geneva strolled to the bed. “How are you faring?”

“Like a cosseted fool,” he growled out. “My arm hurts like the devil.”

Isabelle gasped.

“If you don’t wish to hear my blasphemy, poppet, you may retire to your laboratory and loving collection of bugs.” Julius struggled to sitting.

In true enviable affection, Isabelle stuck her tongue out at her cousin. She turned back to Geneva. “I study bugs. I brought some interesting species from the Continent. Would you like to see?” she finished eagerly.

Julius snorted. “I warn you, many of her collected species are not for the faint-hearted.”

Geneva didn’t have the heart to inform the two of them she’d already been introduced to Isabelle’s “corner.” “I’ve never met anyone who studied bugs,” she said. “Is that a… thing?”

“Yes,” she said so matter-of-factly, it momentarily stunned Geneva.

The child was so fascinating, it boggled one’s mind. “Why?”

“I wish to be a doctor. But I can hardly operate on humans.” Isabelle’s nose wrinkled. “They wouldn’t even allow me to stitch up Julius’s arm.”

Julius snorted. “You had your nose close enough—there was blood on the tip.”

Again, she stuck her tongue out at her cousin. The camaraderie between them had Geneva rubbing a hand over her heart.

“Go play with your scorpions, scamp,” Julius told her.

Geneva stopped. Her hand moved against her neck, which had grown damp, and she took a step back. “Um, did you say…scorpion?”

Isabelle’s impish grin flashed. “Almost blue. The hue is not as calming as the morpho butterfly’s, mind, but still, it’s very impressive.” The grin took on a mischievous tint. “I don’t think Noah appreciated my find.”

“He didn’t?” It was difficult, but Geneva managed to swallow a whimper that would surely give way to the mirth tickling inside her.

“Didn’t you know? But how could you? He’s not so freeing of information.”

While that was likely true, Geneva had no comprehension of the topic in question.

“He’s afraid of spiders and snakes. In general, most insects. To my credit, I tried explaining how vital they are to the ecologic system.”

Geneva gasped. “No,” she breathed. “Noah—er, I mean, Mr. Oshea afraid? But…” The man was the epitome of brute strength.

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