Page 70 of The Journal of a Thousand Years
“I know how to do it,” Murray growled.
Bristow slapped his hands together behind his back, the only sign that Murray’s retort annoyed him.
He spotted me and welcomed me into the kitchen. He used to dislike it when I called on the servants during my visits. He’d been raised in a time when social hierarchy was the loom on which the fabric of society was woven, and he was struggling to adapt to the more fluid landscape of the postwar era. Although Gabe had told me his household had never been formal, Bristow had been in service for years before Gabe’s father moved into thePark Street house, and his English relatives had been aristocratic to their core.
Mrs. Bristow gave me a soft smile that had all of her wrinkles crinkling. “Perhaps Miss Ashe would like to take Mr. Glass his breakfast.”
I stepped back when Murray tried to pass the tray to me. “No, I’m not going there directly.”
Mrs. Bristow’s face fell. She and Mrs. Ling shared a frown.
“Bristow, did Cyclops leave some things here for me?” I asked.
“He did, Miss Ashe.” He glanced at his wife.
Her smile of encouragement was fleeting, but I noticed it.
I was about to ask if there was a problem when Bristow offered to take me to my cases.
“Couldn’t Murray just bring them to my room after he delivers Gabe’s breakfast?” I indicated the footman as he left carrying the tray.
Either Bristow didn’t hear me or he pretended not to. He simply asked me to follow him.
I cast a frown back at Mrs. Bristow and Mrs. Ling then followed the butler out of the kitchen. His gait was slow, particularly up the staircase, but we eventually reached the floor with the main bedrooms.
“If the cases are already in my room, there’s no need for you to accompany me,” I told him.
Again, he either didn’t hear me or pretended not to.
As we approached Gabe’s room, chatter spilled out through the open door to the passageway. A number of voices spoke over each other, all of them telling Gabe about the events of yesterday. He must be feeling much better, otherwise Nurse Tilda would have sent everyone out so he could continue to rest.
Hopefully with everyone crowding around and his breakfast now delivered, Gabe would be too distracted to see me sneak past his door to get to the guest bedroom.
Bristow stopped, however, ensuring we were visible from Gabe’s room. The butler announced me before I could move around him.
All conversations ceased. Everyone turned to me, parting so that I had a clear line of sight to Gabe, sitting up in bed. If he was pleased to see me, he didn’t show it. He scowled and crooked his finger, beckoning me.
“I want to talk to you, Sylvia.”
CHAPTER 15
Iswallowed the lump forming in my throat. Gabe looked so much better than the last time I’d seen him. Although he was still pale, some of his color had returned. The shadows under his eyes were dark, but the eyes themselves were bright and focused.
They were focused on me. “Can we talk, Sylvia,” he said again.
“Perhaps later. Bristow was just about to give me something.”
“Do you mean those?” Gabe pointed to the corner of his bedroom where my cases sat on the floor. “Mrs. Bristow thought they needed very particular attention so left them in my care while I was sleeping this morning.”
“How can you care for them while you’re asleep?” Willie asked.
Tilda jabbed her in the ribs with her elbow and shushed her.
Gabe put out his hand, inviting me in. “Sylvia. Please.”
His earnest plea and imploring gaze almost shattered me. I folded my arms across my body, hoping that would hold me together, and shook my head. “No, Gabe.”
“Very well. If you won’t come to me, I’ll come to you.” He pushed the covers back and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He stood, but the effort made him dizzy and he sat heavily on the mattress again.
