Page 73 of The Journal of a Thousand Years
She stopped fussing and pressed her lips together as tears welled in her eyes. Once she was composed again, she gave him a wobbly smile. “I know. But it gave us all a scare.” She folded her other hand over his. “Now, promise me you’ll stay in this bed until the doctor says you’re well enough to leave the house. Don’t go gallivanting around the city looking for the kidnappers.”
“I promise to listen to doctor’s orders.”
Satisfied, she pecked his forehead before leaving and closing the door again.
I stood beside the bed, arms crossed, my gaze narrowed.
He blinked back at me, all long dark lashes and innocent eyes.
“You may have hoodwinked Catherine, but it won’t work on me, Gabe. We don’t want your promise tolistento the doctor; we want your promise toheedhis advice. There will be no leaving this house until he approves. Understood?”
His grin turned devilish. He suddenly circled me in his arms, drawing me onto the bed again. I rose above him, on my knees, and peered down at him. “I like this stern side of you,” he said.
I unfolded my arms and rested them on his shoulders, stroking my fingers through his hair. “I want you to know that I am aware that you still haven’t promised.”
“Noted. But?”
“What makes you think there’s a but?”
“Hope.”
I smiled. “But we’re alone and all I can think about is kissing you again.” So I did.
The following day,I felt like our troubles had melted away. Number sixteen Park Street became its own bubble of safety with friends dropping by and the constables guarding the doors. I ensconced myself in Gabe’s library after the professor deposited a box of books at the house. He’d retrieved them from the Glass Library’s attic and assigned them to me for cataloging. He knew being surrounded by paper and books was precisely what I needed. Not only did it keep my mind occupied, but the magic within me responded to all that paper. It soothed my nerves just as much as the presence of the constables did.
I suspected my magic also responded to the magic in the Hendry family journal. I’d started reading it before the box of books arrived, but set it aside to work. The paper magic infused into every page of the journal was a strong magnet, however, and I found my attention often wandering to it.
As if the book had summoned him, a most unexpected visitor in the form of Melville Hendry arrived. I was so surprised to see him—not least because he was wearing a false beard—that I forgot my manners and left him standing there in the library doorway looking rather uncertain. It wasn’t until I shook off my surprise that I remembered he must have problematic memories of this house and its owners, just as they had of him. Bristow’s severe scowl was testament to that. He and Willie had both been here all those years ago. I must never forget that my father had done terrible things to Gabe’s parents. If I was to have a happy future as a part of Gabe’s family, I mustn’t let Melville ruin it.
It struck me like a hammer blow that this had to be our final encounter.
Bristow cleared his throat. “May I take your disguise, Mr. Hendry?”
Melville removed the false beard and placed it inside his hat, but refused to hand them to Bristow.
I invited him in, then asked him to sit. It wasn’t lost on me that we were surrounded by weapons both of us could wield if necessary. Except I hadn’t yet learned to control the paper I directed using the moving spell, whereas Melville had years of practice.
“I’ll inform Mr. Glass of your visitor, Miss Ashe,” Bristow intoned.
“He was asleep last time I checked, and I’d like him to keep resting. Please inform Willie and Alex instead. On second thought, just Alex.”
“Isn’t he the police detective’s son?” Melville asked after Bristow left. “I don’t want him to know I’m here.”
“Then you shouldn’t have come. Don’t worry, he won’t arrest you.
Having Alex as my guard was rather pointless, given all the paper contained in the library. I simply didn’t want Bristow waking Gabe, so having Alex nearby might appease the butler’s concerns.
Melville looked around the library with wonder. “He’s fortunate to have all this at his fingertips.”
“He appreciates his good fortune.”
“There’s paper magic in that green leather-bound one on the second-top shelf.”
“I know.”
While he didn’t smile, I could tell my answer pleased him. He studied me, his gaze lingering on the features that I’d inherited from the Hendry side. My fair coloring, freckled nose and the shape of my mouth, so I’d been told. “Youaremy daughter,” he finally said.
“Yes.”
