Page 59 of Unearthing the Smuggler's Heart
"Well, those two have become fast friends," Gerard had observed with admiration. "She's her father's daughter, that one. Walter managed to befriend every soul who ever spoke to him, whether they damn well liked it or not."
"You should meet Nathaniel," Mathias had replied with a laugh. "He's so good at it, he's got the run of the British Parliament."
"Does hereally?"Randall had asked, his eyes dancing at the image. "Walter wouldn't know whether to hate that or admire it."
One by one, they had begun to trickle off to bed, with Jade holding out until her heavy eyes threatened to pull her under right there at the table. She'd been led off by her parents and likely tucked straight into bed by them like she was still a little girl.
In the end, after the final chord of the guitar and the last offer of more food or drink, it had been only Pauline Olivier and Mathias Dempierre, sitting quietly together as they watched the first rays of sunrise thread through the curtain of rain.
"I've just had a letter from Zelda, you know," she said after a time, her voice somewhat wistful. "She might have mentioned that you could turn up on our doorstep any day."
"She knew where you were?" Mathias asked, too unsurprised to even feel annoyed by it. "Of course she did. What am I saying?"
Pauline chuckled, leaning back in her chair. "She chose well, pairing you with Jade. I can see you're over the moon for her."
Mathias was so baffled by this statement that for a moment he couldn't think of a response, which only made Pauline's smile deepen.
She turned her head to look at him, her springy hair frizzed and wild around her face, and sighed. "Oh, Mathias, I will be so happy to see you finally settled."
"What on earth are you talking about?" he finally managed to grind out.
"Oh, surely you know by now that Zelda is the world's prickliest matchmaker. She even aided Randall and Diane in their scandalous affair, once upon a time. The old bat is a hopeless romantic."
"Yes, as all established spinsters are known to be," Mathias replied sarcastically.
"Mm," Pauline replied with a smirk. "Tell me, did your sister marry Kit Cooper? They seemed quite cozy when last I saw them, together at Zelda's behest, in London."
"Pauline, I do love a good conjecture, but this one is a bit far flung, even after a night of drinking." He glanced at her, hoping against all odds that she'd break into a mischievous grin and admit to her joke. Instead, she just raised her eyebrows at him in a way that made something in his guts twist.
They lapsed into silence again, content to let the rainfall speak for them, until Pauline turned to him and said, "I am pleased the house is in good hands. I always liked that Louis, even after the two of you fell out."
"He tried to have you arrested," Mathias replied flatly, "so I imagine the feeling was not mutual."
"Oh, nonsense," she scoffed, flapping a hand at him. "If he'd wanted to prevent our flight, he very easily could have. It was always about you anyhow, and whatever injury you inflicted on the lad."
"I did nothing," Mathias snapped, his head beginning to ache. "It was Louis who decided to make a mess of things, not me."
"If you say so, dear," she replied with a shrug. "Only, consider that two men walked away from whatever fight you had, and only Louis was limping. You have been perfectly fine."
Mathias frowned. She wasn't wrong on that score, but he maintained that he hadn't done anything to actively harm his former friend. The implication that he had sent his back up something fierce.
"In any event," she continued, "how long will you be staying with us?"
For some reason, this was the question that toppled him over the edge of his own composure. He shoved himself to his feet, itching to just take off on a sprint into the horizon and never look back, and grimaced at the startled swing of Pauline's head at the motion.
"I need to get some sleep," he said brusquely, avoiding her gaze. "It is late. It has been a long day."
She watched him, a little frown on her lips and a crease of worry in her brow. "Of course, dear," she said, reaching out for his hand to be assisted to her feet. "You'll feel much better after some rest."
* * *
It wasn'tuntil the third day in Spain that Jade realized that Mathias Dempierre was avoiding her.
At first, she had been so utterly caught up in everything that it hadn't commanded much thought. She had eyes only for her parents, and she knew Mathias would understand that. She had spent the second day with them from the moment she'd risen until she'd had to say goodnight again, and that had been perfectly well and expected.
It was the third day, when he hadn't come to breakfastorluncheon, that she had begun to grow suspicious. And then Isabelle had commented upon it as she readied to depart for the midwife with Pauline and the maid she had befriended, saying, "I'd love to tell Mathias where I'm off to, but he seems to have dug a hole and climbed thoroughly into it."
And Pauline had responded, "He's in a snit, my love. Think nothing of it."
