Page 14 of Betrayal from Beyond
She saw he had also brought a plate of her favorite cream-filled pastries. Raising a brow, she settled next to Harold. “This smacks of a conspiracy.”
“A small one,” Niall admitted. “Young Harold has a proposition for you.”
“Does he?” The water was cool, and her curiosity was piqued.
Harold looked nervous. Also, he was not attacking the pastries, which was a sure sign that he was preoccupied.
“I…I want to take lessons,” he blurted.
“Beyond the Latin and mathematics that you are studying now? What subject is it that you would like to explore?”
“I want totrain, Kara,” her ward said, excited. “Like you did! Like what you just did with that rope. Fighting, climbing, escaping, hiding. I want to learn it all, just like you.”
The request hit her like a blow. All of her nervous anxiety rushed back. She felt such afailure. “Oh,” was all she managed to get out. She had to blink back tears.
“Kara,” Niall said with concern.
Harold looked aghast. “I didn’t mean to upset you!” He drew a deep breath. “They still talk of you, you know. In the city, throughout Covent Garden, in the alleys. The rich nob’s daughter who can slip through the streets unseen, scale a wall like a monkey, and take down a street thug with one blow. I want to learn it all too.” He took her hand. “I want to be like you.”
She bit her lip, hard. “When I took you as my ward, Harold, my greatest wish was for you to live a life in which you didn’t have to learn those things.”
“I don’t have to. Iwantto.” He looked stubborn suddenly. “Back on the streets, when I was cold and hungry and the runt of the crew…back then, if I could have picked any life I could have—any at all—I would have pickedthis.” He smiled tremulously. “Here. With you and Niall. And Gyda and Turner and Stayme. Watching you and learning from you—how to act, how to be a family, art, and forging, and mechanics, even Latin.” He made a face.
Kara squeezed his hand. “I was always fearful, watchful, on edge, as a child.”
“Yes, but it worked! Those men came for you and you escaped. Four times!”
“Three times,” she said. “Three times I evaded them.”
“Only because you were not ready the first time.”
“I never wanted you to live in fear, Harold.” Niall made a noise, and she rolled her eyes at him. “Yes. I recognize the absurdity of such a statement, given that the lad was so recently poisoned. Not to mention our current predicament. I’m sorry, Harold.”
“I want to do my part,” the boy insisted. “I want to help protect the family.”
The family. Her heart eased a little to hear him say it. Yes. They were a family. And he deserved equal footing in it.
“I would feel less afraid if I could do some of the things you can,” the boy cajoled.
“I understand.” Her gaze met Niall’s. “I assume you have already encouraged him in this?”
Her husband shrugged. “I told him you would decide. But I don’t believe it will harm him to learn. It’s not going to attract trouble, Kara.”
“No, there’s no need of that. It finds us all on its own.” She sighed. “I know you are right.” She eyed Harold sternly. “If I agree, you will have to abide by the same rules I did. That means studying first—and if you fall behind in your lessons, then the training will pause.”
Harold nodded eagerly.
“And one more thing.”
He waited.
“You must study fencing. I need a sparring partner.”
“That’s all? I can do it?”
She nodded. “You can.”
He launched himself at her and hugged her tightly around the neck. “Thank you! Thank you!”
