Page 57 of The Austen Escape
“I’m Sidekick, and that doesn’t feel so nice. I’m so tired. That’s what you can’t understand. I’ve wanted to walk away, and yes... I may have mentioned you more than once. Right now, I want her to know she hurt me and I want her to wake up, or come back, or whatever needs to happen to make this all okay. Then maybe I can be done and be okay too.”
Nathan’s fingers tangled within mine. He held tight and we started walking.
We stopped in unison when Isabel came into view. She stood patting Tennyson. The horse was free of the carriage now, and Grant was nowhere in sight. Isabel was dressed in a blue dress so pale it looked almost white. I glanced down. My cream felt dingy in comparison.
I glanced to Nathan. His eyes were fixed on Isabel and I felt myself falter.
Six months.
I took in what he saw: Isabel’s matching bonnet was pushed back, and its black trim made her curls only glossier by comparison. She stood gently crooning. The high notes she used for youngchildren were soft, coaxing, and endearing when directed at an enormous black horse.
I cleared my throat. This was not a moment in which I wanted to linger. “Isabel? Look who’s come.” My voice broke. Nathan squeezed my hand. I coughed to regain a normal tone. “Nathan came to visit yo—us.”
Nathan smiled at me rather than Isabel. “Hey, Isabel.” He walked to her and bent to kiss her cheek.
She stepped away before contact.
“Hello?” Her voice arced her greeting into a question.
“I... I’m sorry.” Nathan shot me a startled look. He hadn’t fully digested what was happening. Who could?
He took a steady breath and straightened. “That was forward of me, Miss Woodhouse, forgive me. It’s lovely to see you again. We met long ago, in another city and on a much warmer day, at a concert.” Nathan reached for her gloved hand this time. “You were with Miss... er... Tiffany, and you wore blue, not unlike today.”
“I’ve never traveled, but I often wear blue.” Her voice was cool and distant, as if she were really saying,I don’t know you, but I’ll be polite.
“Have you come to see Mary?” Isabel lifted her chin to me. It seemed that if I approved of Nathan, so could she.
Nathan stepped beside her. Both were now staring at me. He raised an assessing brow. “As a matter of fact, I have.”
Chapter 19
Aline came to me as we walked to the house. Tall, handsome Nathan walked between two Regency women, and we appeared “to uncommon advantage”—the “picturesque” was perfect.
Lizzy used that remark to skip away from Mr. Darcy and the fawning, competitive Bingley sisters. It was a light, playful comment. She was running away. I glanced to Nathan. I’d thought he had come for Isabel, but the fishing, his words, his looks had ignited something new in me: hope. I didn’t want to step away from this walk, this group. In fact, I wanted more than that—I wanted to stay.
“Isn’t that right?” Isabel looked across Nathan to me.
“Hmm?”
“We won’t be here that long.” She looked back to Nathan, who had been peppering her with questions the entire walk—all general, all polite, none concerning. “We need to head home next week.”
I hoped Nathan wouldn’t ask where home was. I’d tried that already, and it had brought a furrowed brow and a flit of panic.
“Did you ever tell Mary how we met?” He delivered the line perfectly—curious indifference.
Isabel’s lips puckered. “I don’t recall meeting you. Please forgive me.”
“Not at all. I’m pleased you don’t remember. It usually takes people athirdintroduction to remember me.”
Nathan put an odd emphasis onthird. Isabel threw me a quizzical glance. I threw it to Nathan. But rather than answer, he seemed pleased at something beyond Isabel and me. He compressed a smile and shoulder-bumped me.
As we entered the house, he pulled at my hand. Isabel didn’t notice and stepped ahead.
“You didn’t tell me your character.”
“Catherine Morland from—”
“Northanger Abbey.She’s no sidekick, Mary.” Nathan stared at me as if I was yummy. There was no other word or feeling to describe it.
