Missing Lily (Tales of Dalthia) (6 page)

She came over, squeezing my shoulder and kissing the top of my head. “You’re entitled to a bit of anxiety, little one.” I closed my eyes, reveling in the comfort as she rested her cheek in my hair.

“They’ll be so worried,” I whispered.

“Yes,” she conceded. “But as soon as you return, they’ll be able to let their worry go, knowing you were safe and unharmed.”

I nodded. It wouldn’t be the way it was with Ella. Ella had returned from her abduction frightened and in pain. The bandages on her wrists had been like shackles, chaining her to the memories of her ordeal. It wasn’t until months later that I found out much of her pain was from anger, and even more came from an inability to share her burden with anyone.
 

I would be able to look back on my memories of this time with fondness. For me it would be an adventure, not an ordeal. I would cherish the time spent with these people, socializing without an audience.

Rosamond regaled me with stories of her children. Her oldest was a daughter, followed by four sons. All were married and she didn’t see them as much as she would like. They had all grown up in the cottage that sat on the other side of the pond. She and Giles had moved into the main house when Lord and Lady Fallon had passed away.

“It must have been especially lonely for him,” I observed. “Being all alone in the house.”

“Hm.” Rosamond’s response was noncommittal and less talkative than I was used to. I was curious at her reticence until Rhys walked in. Perhaps she heard him coming and didn’t want to be caught speaking of him.

“Rose,” he greeted as he walked past her.

“Your Lordship,” she said with a small curtsey.

He approached my chair. “Has Rosamond taken sufficient care of you?”

“Of course.”

“And you’re feeling better?” he asked as his eyes travelled down to my feet, which were propped on a foot stool. I was reclining in a most undignified manner. I considered changing my posture, but decided it would be useless at this point.

“Much, thank you. I’ve been still just like Rosamond advised.”

“She usually knows best.” He turned to the fire and stoked it up a bit more. It was unnecessary, but comforting nonetheless.

“Dinner will be served shortly, Your Lordship.” We both turned to Rosamond, who had her eyes focused on her work. “If you’d lend an arm to the little one, now would be a good time to freshen up.”

“I’m sure our guest doesn’t require freshening, but if you’d like us to get out of your way, I’m sure we could go through the motions.” He reached down and took both my hands in his, waiting for me to set my feet on the ground before pulling me up.

As we walked up the stairs, he jokingly commented, “Sometimes I’m not sure who is master in this house, me or her.”

I laughed. “I suppose her mother’s instinct can’t be stifled simply because her own children have gone away.” He didn’t respond. “Does it bother you?” I asked, thinking of the
moods
his grooms had referred to.

“No. I just hope that her actions do stem from her mother’s instinct rather than her perception that I am incapable.”

“It’s obvious that you are capable.”

He stopped, looking at me. “Is it?”

“Yes.”

He breathed out and kept walking, lost in thought.
 

We stopped before my door. “This is a worry for you?” I asked.

His smile was halfhearted. “One of a great many.” He took a step back. “I’ll see you downstairs.” I leaned on the wall, watching him walk away, his hands clasped at his back and his head down.

Chapter 4

I
THOUGHT
R
HYS
would meet me in the dining room. Instead, he was outside my door, offering his arm. I took it and we started off in silence. We were halfway down the stairs when I could no longer keep myself from asking, “What other worries do you have?” I watched his face, wondering if he would consider the question rude or invasive.
 

He looked at me, blinking, as though startled by my question. “I’m sorry?”

“You said you had a great many worries. What are they?”

He opened his mouth to answer, but ended up smiling and looking away.
 

“What?” I asked.

“I just haven’t gotten used to your very direct approach.” He put his hand over mine where it rested on his arm. “It still catches me off guard.” We entered the dining room, and I was surprised that he let go of my arm instead of guiding me to my chair. I was even more surprised when he picked up the place setting that would have been mine and moved it to the other end of the table so that is was right beside his. The footman standing at the door moved the rest of the setting for him. “Thank you,” he said as he came to take my arm again and led me to my place. He had done it so casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world to move my seat closer to his. “And as for my worries,” he continued as the footman pushed my chair in. “They are of varying magnitude and import. Some are easier to explain than others.”

“Tell me about the ones that are hard to explain.”

He once again opened his mouth to speak and ended up at a loss, staring at me with a great deal of curiosity romping across his face.
 

He didn’t even look away when Rosamond and Juliann entered, just continued to stare as they set our meal before us. “Thank you, Rosamond, Juliann.”
 

The women curtsied out of the room.
 

Even after they were gone, his silent scrutiny continued.
 

“What?” I asked.
 

“Anybody else would have asked me about the ones that were easy to explain.”

“But those aren’t the ones that worry you the most.”

His eyebrows shot up. “How do you know that?”

I shrugged lightly. “I would imagine that if something is hard to explain, it would be even more difficult to remedy.”

He chuckled softly. “How true that is,” he agreed while silently regarding his plate.

“What is your biggest worry?”
 

Anxiety crossed his face, but he controlled it in an instant, saying lightly, “At the moment, my biggest worry is getting a certain maiden home to her family.”

I smiled through my disappointment. I had been hoping that he would confide in me. But either he didn’t trust me enough or he simply didn’t wish to speak of it. So I focused on my food, wondering why I felt so much disappointment over his not confiding in me more.
 

The silence was not uncomfortable, and I was startled when Rhys picked up the conversation. “I worry I am failing.”

I looked up, realizing he was answering my question. It took me a moment to respond. “Failing at what?”

“My duty.”

“What makes you think you could fail?”

He leaned back in his chair, caught up in his thoughts. “Ever since my parents died, I’ve just felt...young. Too young. Certainly too young to have the authority that comes with my title.” He looked out the window, talking more to himself than to me. “I don’t know enough, or have enough experience.” He paused, but I kept quiet, hoping he would continue. “Rosamond is so determined to have people address me with respect, but I don’t know that I deserve it.” He turned to look at me with a self-deprecating smile.

“Might I make an observation?”

“Please do.”

“I have spent a great deal of time observing the way nobility act and interact. The way someone is addressed usually has little correlation to the respect given them.” He silently absorbed this and I went on. “I’ve seen the way you interact with your staff as well as the way you treat me. You are a man worthy of respect, My Lord.”

“But still young,” he said.

“And wise enough to acknowledge that you don’t know everything.”

He smiled, reaching over to take my hand. “Thank you.” He kissed it and then ran his thumb over my knuckles. “I appreciate your insights.”

I opened my mouth to speak but found my voice missing and simply nodded as he pulled his hand from mine, grazing my fingers in the process. My hand fell to my lap, where I clenched my fingers around his lingering touch.

As our meal drew to a close, a steward stepped into the room and bowed.

Rhys looked up. “What is it?”
 

“Shall I light the lamps in the sitting room for you?”

He didn’t respond right away, but sat back and seemed to mull over the question for far longer than it deserved.

“No, Blakely. No, I believe we will be visiting the gardens tonight.”

“The gardens?” I wondered out loud, but Rhys just raised his eyebrows and pushed his chair back.

“Yes.” He stood. “This will be a perfect time to see the sights of the gardens.”

Despite the glint in his eye, he seemed completely serious, and I was left baffled. What sights could possibly be seen in the solid darkness of a garden?

“Shall we?” He pulled my chair out without giving me time to get to my feet, so I clutched the armrests as I was dragged backward. He came around, plucked the napkin from my lap and reached for my hands, helping me to my feet.

I remained in a state of perplexity, which made me less than graceful as he escorted me from the room. When Rhys drew a cloak around my shoulders, I finally managed to form a question. “Would you like to enlighten me on the sort of splendid sights we are bound to see in the utter darkness that has no doubt saturated the garden?”

“No.”

“No?”

“I have complete faith in your ability to be patient for the time it will take us to walk outside.”

I gave in to the surprise and let Rhys lead me outside. We strolled into the gardens, our way lit by two lanterns held by Juliann and Cora. Giles trailed behind us, a large bundle in his arms.

“You’re very mysterious, you know.”

He tried to hide a grin. “I’ve always wanted to be mysterious.” He came to a halt. “Here we are.”

We stood on a large patch of grass. Giles walked forward and flung a blanket out, letting it settle to the grass below. The maids settled on nearby benches.

“Come on,” Rhys said as he sat down on the blanket. “Enjoy the sights with me.” He lay on his back and laced his hands behind his head, gazing up at the stars.

I was grateful for the dark night, as it hid the enormous smile spreading over my face. Rhys was blatantly unconventional and completely unapologetic about it. I found it enchanting and couldn’t resist joining him in it. I sat down, adjusting my skirts without thinking, and then lay down next to him, though not close enough to touch.
 

The lanterns were extinguished, the sudden dark revealing the splendor of the night sky. It was cloudless, the stars seeming endless, and I just lay there, breathing in awe.
 

Rhys let the silence hang for several minutes before breaking it. “Do you approve of my evening visits to the garden?”

“Unequivocally,” I answered, breathless, letting the quiet of the night take over. I wanted to bask in this moment, to enjoy the beauty sparkling above me, and the man by my side. I sensed his gaze on my face, making my stomach tense. “Do you do this often?” I asked.

“Not often enough.” He voice was soft, calming. “Though it’s usually just me.”

“I hope you don’t mind the company.”

“On the contrary. I enjoy being able to share the view.”

“Do you know anything of the constellations?”

“I’m afraid my knowledge of the heavens extends only to the location of the North Star.”

“Let’s start there, then.” I launched into an exposition of the constellations, knowledge I had gained from years of being tutored in astronomy.
 

“Which is your favorite?” he asked after I had prattled on for half an hour.

“Pegasus,” I answered without pause.

“Why him?”

“He was born from violence, but when the right person came along, he was tamed and became eager to serve. His loyalty eventually allowed him to stay on Mount Olympus and serve the gods there.”

“What did he do there?”

“He assisted in the rising of the sun and gathered lightning for Zeus.”

“He’s your favorite because he’s selfless.”

I smiled into the night, warmed by the understanding that Rhys offered. “He was a giver. It was in his nature. In fact, it’s said that he stamped his hoof and a spring welled up. That spring was cherished by the muses because it gifted inspiration.”

“I’ve never heard it told that way.” His voice was musing.

I shrugged. “Stories mean something different to everyone who hears them.”

We spent the next hour admiring the heavens and talking quietly. Lying there on a cushion of blankets and soft grass, I sank into the contentment of Rhys’s radiant personality, amazed at the lightness I felt deep within my soul. Sharing this kind of closeness with anyone outside my family was entirely new. I liked this feeling, perhaps more than I should.
 

I was reluctant when it came time to leave, but a chill crept into the air and Rhys stood, holding out a hand for me. He pulled me to my feet and I stood close to him, so close it made my breath catch as he studied my face a moment before stepping back. He offered his arm and I tried to compose myself as the servants gathered the blankets and relit the lanterns for our return to the house.