Page 43 of The Scholar's Key
“You’re right,” Percy said, catching her lip between her teeth, and Noah longed to reach out and soothe the pink skin where she bit it. “You are a good man, Noah.”
“A practical one,” he corrected her, even as his heart warmed at her words.
When she tilted her head up toward him, her face was again just inches away. By this point, he had memorized every detail of it – every freckle, every plane of her face, every ring of color in her blue-green eyes.
The air seemed to still between them, the only sound their intermingling breath.
He leaned in a fraction, and she did the same – but then a crack in the fireplace had them both jumping, breaking apart.
“The jewels,” he said in the thick, heated air, and she nodded.
“The jewels,” she repeated in a breathy voice as she lifted the necklace out of its box once more.
She passed it to him, and he held it close, taking off his spectacles so he could better see it in front of his face. As he had imagined, there, in front of him, was what he’d spotted upon his all-too-brief examination earlier – a small hole in the gold backing of the ruby heart.
He reached into his pocket, pulling out the key that he had kept with him since arriving in Bath. He held it up before pushing it into the small hole – and he was surprised when it pressed down, then turned.
He looked up, and while Percy’s face was blurred in front of him, he could sense her staring at him. He turned the key.
As he did, a piece of the necklace swung down, revealing a hollow space.
“Is there something inside?” Percy asked, dipping her head to see, her body now just inches from his.
“I think so,” he said, tilting the necklace, causing a piece of paper to slide out as he did. He tried to reach it, but his fingers were too big. He passed it to Percy and watched her long, slim fingers reach within and pull out a small, brittle piece of paper.
“What does it say?” he asked, and held out his hand.
“Not much of anything,” she said. “Just a name.”
“San Sebastian,” he read before returning his spectacles to his face. “What could that mean?”
She shrugged. “I couldn’t say. Perhaps Cassandra or Lord Ashton might know more?”
“One can only hope,” he muttered, before replacing the paper. “We have it now, at least. We have done our part. I should return the necklace to Mrs. Compton.”
“I can do so tomorrow, if you’d like.”
“Shall we go together?” he asked, desperate for another opportunity to see her.
“I’d be happy to,” she said with a small smile before looking around his bedchamber. It was of an average size, and he had been comfortable here since he had arrived, although he certainly hadn’t made it home yet. Perhaps that was because he would not be staying long. The more time he spent discovering various sources in these Bath homes, the more he was looking forward to returning to London and adding them to the wealth of knowledge he was building.
“Well,” Percy said, clearing her throat, and breaking the sudden tension that had filled the air. “I suppose I best be going now.”
“I will walk you home.”
“You don’t have to.”
“Of course I do,” he said indignantly. “I could never allow you to walk alone.”
“Because you feel responsible for me?” she asked, looking up at him now with something in her eyes that he felt resembled need – but it couldn’t be. Not for him. He wasn’t the strong, aggressive man that she longed for. He was a man who enjoyed history, the already known, order, a quiet life. He couldn’t provide her the excitement she craved, nor the strength she preferred. It was good to continue to remind himself of that.
But, if necessary, he could be her friend – even if he would spend the rest of his life longing for more.
“Thank you, Noah,” she said simply, interrupting his thoughts.
“For what?”
“For watching out for me. For allowing me to come with you. For not treating me like a child or as someone who does not know her own mind.”
