Page 36 of Treating a Sinful Earl
Seated there, he looked all around, trying to discover any remnants from Catherine’s past. Any paintings of her as a child or remembrances of when she was a babe. He found it odd that there were none of these. Once Catherine entered the parlour, sighing to herself, Jasper asked, “Where are the family portraits?”
Catherine paused. She took the time to seat herself in a plush chair and said, “My mother does not care for portraits.”
“And why is that?”
“It is rather difficult to explain,” Catherine went on. “But there was a…family tragedy some years ago, and since then, Mother wants things to be just so in the home. In fact, she has always wanted to leave Bath, as has my father. This to you I have already explained.”
A family tragedy? Jasper wished to know of it, but he also did not care to pry. Instead, he said, “If there comes a day when you wish to explain further, I would be open to hearing.”
“Let us not tarnish this beautiful morning with tales of woe. The cook is preparing the picnic, which I am ever so excited about, and once that is done, we can begin our walk and procure the raspberry leaf.”
“Yes, the raspberry leaf,” Jasper said softly.
Indeed, his desire to walk with her had nothing to do with raspberry leaf. He merely wanted to be in her presence, and what’s more, he loved the fact that both of them enjoyed the same pastime. He could not recall the last time he had gone for a pleasant stroll, for lately, it seemed that all that Felton could discourse about was Abigail Hatcher.
Once the picnic basket was ready, he followed Catherine out the door, the chaperone walking just behind him. It did not take long for them to reach the forest, and once they were in the coolness of its shadows, Jasper could not help but say, “You must walk here every day.”
“I admit to taking frequent strolls. There is nothing more intoxicating. Also, there are so many shrubs here that no one knows about. I used to dream about becoming an apothecary!”
Jasper brimmed with enthusiasm. “Then you should undertake it! There is no reason why you cannot.”
“It is unfavourable for women to be apothecaries. At least, that is what I am told. I always dreamed that if I opened a little shop, I could hire a man to pretend as though he were the owner.”
He laughed, but also, he found this unsavoury. There was no reason why Catherine should have to go to such great lengths to do what she loved. At least, that is what Jasper thought. “You could hire me,” he said playfully, “although I would inform everyone that stepped into the shop that you were the real owner.”
With a laugh, Catherine replied, “That would be most kind of you, but as you know, I am shy and would not care for the attention.”
All this business about shyness was perplexing, for when she was in his company, it was as though Catherine was an open book. He hoped that there was something within his character that brought this out in her, for Jasper felt grateful that she was so open with him.
“Here is the raspberry leaf!” Catherine exclaimed, getting down on her knees and pulling it from the ground. “I truly believe that this can help your mother.”
“She would be most grateful. Sometimes I fear that her fatigue is my fault.”
She looked up at him in confusion. “What do you mean?”
Jasper had pushed himself into a corner once more. “It is of no importance.”
Catherine fell silent, no doubt sensing that he did not wish to pursue the matter further. Her disposition turned light-hearted yet again. “They say that this can cure many ailments in women. I have known it to be true. I shall make a tincture this very evening so that you can have it tomorrow.”
“That is most kind of you.”
They continued their stroll through the forest and Catherine explained everything as they passed. He found all of this rather amusing and impressive and truly thought that there must be a way for Catherine to obtain everything she wished for in life. Remaining in Bath, becoming an apothecary, finding a husband…
“If you were to sell these, think of what a success you would be,” Jasper went on. “Bath receives many tourists hoping to heal themselves. You are in the perfect place to do exactly what you love.”
Catherine became mournful. “But then…there is what my father has decreed. The time will fly by so fast, and then I shall find myself in London, quite beside myself.”
There was so much that he wished to say in response to this. There was so much that he wished to offer her. But Jasper could do none of this until Catherine knew the full truth about him, which he nearly felt compelled to share with her in that moment.
“Are you hungry?” Catherine asked.
“Famished.”
“There is a beautiful spot just over that rise.”
And indeed, she was right, for there was a lovely clearing in the woods and the chaperone laid out the blanket that she had been carrying all the while. Jasper helped Catherine to sit by holding onto her hand, lowing her. Once she was situated, he sat, delighting in the cool breeze of the woods. Catherine was the one who took all the items out of the picnic basket and laid them on a wooden board. There were meats and cheeses, slices of bread, and even fresh fruits. They tucked into these while Catherine casually spoke.
“I could do this every day,” said she. “There is nothing more splendid than being out in nature. My mother used to love to stroll with me…before the maladies.”
