Page 13 of Grave Expectations
"I'm not tired." I drank the tea until the cup was almost empty then set it aside with a satisfied sigh. I'd not had a decent cup of tea since leaving England. The French did food, wine and fashion better than us, but they didn't know how to brew good tea.
"Does our news surprise you?" I asked, since no one had begun a conversation. I felt rather conspicuous in my new dress with the diamond on my ring finger. It was as if they all saw me differently now, like a grown woman and not the girl who'd first disrupted their lives. Or perhaps that had more to do with howIfelt than how they saw me.
"Yes," Seth said as the other two muttered, "Aye."
"It does?"
While Cook's already florid complexion flushed more, the other two averted their gazes. "We didn't think you would, er, formalize your relationship," Seth said.
Lincoln set his cup down with a loud clank in the saucer. He blinked at each of them in turn, but since they were studying their slices of cake with great interest, none noticed. I resisted the childish urge to utter, "See, it wasn't just me," to him. I simply cleared my throat and smiled into my teacup.
"Tell us how you liked Paris, Charlie," Gus said, smiling. He had a rather gruesome smile, with his broken teeth and the scar that made one eyelid droop, but it warmed my heart to see it. I'd missed him. Missed them all. "Were it like you expected?"
"Better. It's a beautiful city. We saw everything there is to see, and ate the most delicious dishes. Except for the snails." I pulled a face. "Your friend Fernesse sends his warmest regards," I said to Seth. "He wants you to visit him."
"I'm unlikely to travel to Paris in the near future," he mumbled.
When he didn't continue on, I added, "He's quite well."
"I'm pleased to hear it." He turned to Lincoln. "You'll be wanting a report, sir?"
"Did something happen in our absence?" Lincoln asked.
"Nothing out of the ordinary. We've had no callers, not even committee members."
"I informed them all that I would be away until further notice."
"Will you send word tonight that we're back?" I asked.
"I prefer to wait until the morning."
"I prefer you never tell them, but I suppose it must be done." I stroked my thumb over the gold band of my engagement ring. "They will be surprised."
"They'll be bloody shocked," Gus said. "It ain't goin' to be a fun meetin', that one."
I gave Lincoln a grim smile. "Thank you for waiting until tomorrow. I'm not sure I can face them after such a long day."
"You don't have to face them," he said. "Leave them to me."
"It involves both of us. We'll do it together." I held up my hand when he protested. "Together, Lincoln, and that's final."
I wasn't aware of how forceful I'd sounded until I saw Gus's eyes widen in alarm, and Seth's worried gaze shift to Lincoln.
Lincoln, however, didn't bat an eyelid. "I'll summon them to a meeting tomorrow afternoon. That gives me the morning to speak with Holloway."
"Holloway!" Gus frowned. "He's in prison. What you want to speak to him for?"
"They need Holloway's permission to marry, dolt." Seth rolled his eyes.
"But he ain't her real father. Can't the courts place her under your guardianship, sir?"
"They may, but the process will take time." Lincoln seemed disinclined to elaborate, so I explained to them that Holloway was my father in the eyes of English law because he'd pretended I was born to his wife in France all those years ago. "We have a letter from the matron at the orphanage stating that he isn't my real father. If we need to go to court, we have that in our favor as well as his conviction. The courts move slowly, however. If we can get Holloway's permission now, we won't have to wait." I closed my hand over Lincoln's. "We don't want to wait."
Cook cleared his throat. "I hate to say it, but who'll be doin' maid's work now?"
Gus groaned. "I ain't cleanin' out the fireplaces no more. Soot gets into everything. Last time I was wipin' it out of the creases of my eyelids for days."
"Soft," Seth muttered.
