Page 34 of The Storybook Hero
She let her voice trail off, not wanting Emma to know just how dire their situation had been. “I … I certainly owe you a debt of gratitude.”
“Not at all,” he said quietly. “I seem to remember that when I was in need of assistance, you didn’t turn your back on me.”
Octavia was saved from having to make a reply by a series of loud bangings from inside the carriage. “Alex, Alex! Issomething wrong?” called a muffled voice. “What happened to our tea?”
“Good heavens,” muttered Alex under his breath. “I forgot all about Nicholas.”
At Octavia’s questioning look, his mouth crooked in a rueful smile. “You are not the only one traveling with a child.” He jumped down from his perch and went to unlatch the door.
“I am not a child,” piped up Emma in an injured voice. “I’ll have you know I am thirteen. Well, almost.”
He slapped a hand to his brow. “Child? Did I say child? My English has become sadly rusty these past few weeks. I can only plead that all the commotion has sadly addled my faculties. I pray you will forgive me.”
Emma’s look of dismay disappeared. “Oh, of course, Mr. Leigh. It is entirely understandable—” Her nose wrinkled at the sight of the tousled dark head that poked out of the darkened interior. “Who is … that?”
“That, Miss Renfrew, is the young man whom I was … engaged to care for. Allow me to present Count Nicholas William Dmitri Scherbatov.”
The two young people stared at each other.
Alex cleared his throat. “Nicholas, this is Miss Hadley and Miss Emma Renfrew, our new traveling companions.”
There was a prolonged silence before the boy spoke. “But Alex, I thought you said it would be best if there were only the two of us.” He slanted another look at the newcomers, Emma in particular. “Can’t we leave them off at the next coaching stop?”
“That would hardly be a gentlemanly thing to do,” answered Alex. His voice dropped a notch. “And speaking of gentlemanly behavior, that is hardly the proper way to acknowledge an introduction, as I’m sure you have been taught.”
The boy flushed slightly at the mild rebuke. “How do you do, Miss Hadley …” There was a slight pause. “… And MissRenfrew.” The words were hardly more than a mumble and the boy steadfastly refused to look the ladies in the eye, but Alex chose to let it pass.
Octavia also ignored the less than perfect deportment, nodding politely at the young man. “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Count Sherbatov.”
Alex cleared his throat. “Just Nicholas, if you please, Miss Hadley. There are, er, reasons we do not wish to call attention to my young friend’s identity.”
Octavia’s smile disappeared. Hell’s bell, she thought. Had she escaped one set of criminals only to fall in with another? Had the impecunious tutor taken it into his head to do something rash—like make off with his young charge in order to demand a fat ransom?
Her face must have betrayed the drift of her thoughts, for Alex gave a low chuckle. ”I am aware that you have no great opinion of my character, but you needn’t fear that I am engaged in any nefarious schemes regarding the count, Miss Hadley. Perhaps if Miss Renfrew would consent to ride inside with Nicholas, and you would not mind enduring a bit more chill up on the box, I could explain things to you more fully.”
Emma’s lower lips jutted out. “I don’t mind the cold, either.”
“That may be so, but Mr. Leigh wishes to discuss something with me. In private.” chided Octavia gently.
The scowl became more pronounced. “Why can’t I hear what Mr. Leigh has to say, too?”
“Emma….”
The girl looked to speak again when Alex reached up and took her firmly by the waist. Her mouth froze in an “O” of surprise as he swung her down into his arms. Before she could recover her voice, he seated her beside an equally shocked Nicholas, then firmly shut the door in their mutinous faces.
“I imagine we shall hear some warning noises before blood is actually spilled,” quipped Alex as he took up the reins once more.
Octavia couldn’t help but return his grin. “I assure you, Emma is not normally so ill-mannered.”
“Nor is Nicholas.”
“It is strange.” She shook her head. “For some odd reason, they seem to be bringing out the worst in each other?—”
“Hmmm. Rather like us.”
Her face twisted in some confusion. “I … I …”
There was a decided twinkle in his eye. “Well, you have to admit it is true. I don’t normally behave in such an ungentlemanly manner to innocent females and you, I am sure, are not usually so rude as to deliberately avoid engaging in conversation with a fellow passenger for an entire voyage, no matter that the two of us were the only ones with anything of interest to say.”
