Page 45 of Charmless
“Then he wouldn’t be Mal,” I said ruefully. “Despite his roguish ways, he is the most loyal friend I have ever had. I was very young when I lost my mother and I felt as though I had lost my father as well because Papa was consumed with grief. Mal was only a boy, not much older than me. But he was the one who held me and comforted me when I cried.
“My stepmother never liked Mal either. She always accused him of leading me into trouble when we were children. But Mal never led me anywhere. We were equal partners in mischief. I was the one who thought it was a good idea to climb old Farmer Brimstead’s fence and steal one of his pumpkins. I never dreamed he’d send his hunting spaniel chasing after me. I was sure that dog was going to tear my leg off, but Mal leaped in between us.”
I recalled how we had managed to get away from the dog, but not before Mal had been savagely bitten. I had tried to bind the wound with my handkerchief, but the blood had soaked through the linen. Mal had leaned on me, limping as we headed for home, me sobbing and scolding all the way.
“You big stupid idiot. Why did you have to do that?”
“Oh, stop blubbering and making such a fuss, Ella. I am not dying.”
“No, but you will have to get stitches and you’ll have a wicked scar and it is all my fault.”
“But that scar will look so much better on me than you.” Mal grinned through his pain. “Think of all the girls I’ll impress. I’ll tell them I got it fighting pirates.”
I chuckled as I related the incident to Horatio, but he only regarded me somberly. I held out my hands in a pleading gesture. “Don’t you see? Mal is like the brother I never had.”
Horatio stood and gathered my hands into his. “So you keep telling me, butonlya brother, Ella? I wonder if you truly know your own heart.”
“Certainly, I do. I will always care deeply for Mal. He is my dearest friend, but you are the man that I want. I - I love you.” I stammered.
I had often implied as much, but I realized this was the first time I had ever dared speak those three simple words aloud. Not since Prince Ryland had broken my heart and those words had lost all meaning for me until now.
“I love you,” I repeated more softly, almost wonderingly.
“And I will love you until my dying breath, but that may not be enough. I wish I could accept your view of Hawkridge. But I still suspect he is behind the vandalism of the Aura Chamber and it is part of a plot to overthrow the king. I am going to have to order posters put up, offering a reward for any information regarding the whereabouts of Malcolm Hawkridge.”
“Please, don’t do that,” I begged. “You will make Mal a wanted man through all of Arcady.”
“I don’t want to, but he has left me no choice. I must solve the Aura Chamber vandalism and discover who is behind this League of the Missing Heir or I may be broken in rank and sent to patrol the northern borders.”
Horatio regarded me gravely. “The North is a harsh and dangerous region. No place for a man to bring a wife and family. I could never ask you to?—”
He broke off, swallowing the rest of his words, but I understood him well enough.
“We would be parted forever,” he said.
“No,” I cried. I could not allow such a thing to happen anymore than I could allow Mal to be arrested. I wracked my brain, seeking some solution to this dilemma. “What if I could find Mal and persuade him to help you?
“Hawkridge helpme?” Horatio made no effort to conceal his skepticism. “How?”
“Mal may have resources that you don’t have.” I bit my lip, trying to find a way to explain how well-connected Mal was with the less reputable citizenry of Arcady. A way that would not confirm Horatio’s worst suspicions of my friend.
“Mal lives in Misty Bottoms. He knows the area far better than you ever could and he is clever. I am sure he could solve this mystery for you.”
“Why would he do that?”
“Because Mal would do anything for me, so please.” I draped my arms around Horatio’s neck. “Just give me a little more time.”
Horatio heaved a deep sigh, but he was not proof against my pleading gaze. “Very well. I will hold off putting up the posters for another day or so.”
“Thank you.” I began, but Horatio interrupted, admonishing me. “But if I do not hear from you or Hawkridge soon?—”
“You will. I promise I will fetch Mal to you myself and we will prove his innocence by revealing the real culprit.”
I tightened my arms about him, kissing away his doubting frown. Horatio gathered me close, returning my kiss with afervor that left me breathless, making me forget everything, even the rash promise I had no idea how I was going to keep.
Nine
Ihad only three goals when I set out that morning: avoid Florian, do some marketing and steal a few kisses from Horatio. Instead, I had been subjected to an embarrassing serenade, nearly witnessed my closest friend getting arrested and had a shard of my aura snatched by a belligerent fairy.
