Page 45 of The Girl Out of Time
And then, from the other side, Theo darted toward it. A wave brought the scarf closer to the shore; Theo waded through the water, retrieved it, and brought it back to her.
“Miss Grey.” He offered it with a slight nod.
“Th—thank you.” After a moment of deliberation, she took it, and Theo retreated into his position.
Daniel’s gaze lingered on him before moving to Emmeline. “I see why he’s more useful than a lady’s maid.”
Emmeline managed a smile but didn’t respond, still clutching the wet silk.
They circled around for another half hour before returning to the house.
“You’re dismissed,” Daniel said to the two servants as they entered the foyer. The maid bobbed and disappeared through the servants’ entrance; Theo tilted his head, looking from Daniel to Emmeline, but then also nodded and followed the maid.
Daniel gestured for Emmeline to walk with him upstairs; she followed him until he stopped in front of her quarters.
“Have a good rest of your day,” he said.
“Likewise.”
He suddenly bent down and kissed her—a touch on the lips, gone in a moment as he straightened back up.
“Hmm.” He walked away.
Only partially conscious of her surroundings, Emmeline slipped into her room and sat on the bed, the damp silk scarf lying in her lap.
What the heck was that?
She tentatively touched her lips. Strange, is what it was—in all aspects. Not wrong, but not right, either. All she knew, somehow, was that her first real kiss should’ve been different, even though, despite reading dozens of them in her books, she had no clue what it would’ve been like.
And she didn’t know what Daniel thought of her, and what she wanted him to think of her. Perhaps she’d been wrong, and he wasn’t Raoul, but rather the Phantom. Aunt Emily had always liked the Phantom more, for being dark and dramatic and mysterious.
A little smile appeared on her lips. She wouldn’t give up just yet. This was a romantic knot, and she’d untangle it, one way or another.
Chapter 12
Theo sat on the fence outside the stables, his newly received letter lying open in his lap.
Accounting for mail delivery times, and Theo sending his letter three weeks ago, Wescott had taken a good long while to pen the response, but this had not cooled his temper. Theo had seen other letters from him, and the writing in this one was different—still clearly Wescott’s, but the t-crosses and i-dots ran too long, and the few splotches on the paper indicated Theo’s uncle-by-marriage had been in a foul mood.
He expected Wescott would summon him to London—that, or send him some money to go back to France if his arrival in England was deemed premature. But no, the earl wanted Theo to stay where he was.
And rob the duke.
He also chastised Theo for daring to conscript and risk losing his life. A fair point, but the wording didn’t make it any easier to accept. But he’d made a mistake, and he was lucky to still be alive. God knows what kind ofrevenge Wescott would enact upon Uncle Gustave if, after all the work the earl had put into his upbringing, Theo went and got himself shot.
He grunted and crushed the letter in his fist. His own foul mood, and the reluctance to follow Wescott’s instructions, were inconsequential. He’d have to do what Wescott wanted; he owed him far, far more than that.
“Hello,” a cheerful voice broke into his cloudy thoughts. Emmeline stood a few feet away, dressed for a walk, clutching a little beaded purse.
He didn’t know why his heart jumped when he saw her—and frankly, in his situation, it didn’t matter. He stuffed the letter into his pocket. “How can I help you?”
“You don’t need to help me.” She leaned on the fence, playfully tilting her head. A stray lock of hair brushed her cheek, and Theo squelched the desire to tuck it away. “You’re not really my servant, remember?”
True. And he’d thought any day now he’d have to talk to her about his departure. If Wescott had wanted him in London, Theo would have to go, and hopefully Emmeline could resolve the servant deception she’d created. After all, he’d be safe in London, and she’d surely be in no danger from dismissing her false servant.
It was all moot, though. Their deception would last a little bit longer.
“Anyway,” she continued, “I was wondering if you’d like to go on a walk with me. To the old castle ruined by the fire.”
