Page 77 of A Marquess' Season of Secrets
Usually, when Juliana recalled people, their faces remained blurry, but her mind seemed to know if they were comely, had a crooked nose, missing teeth, green eyes, or whatever other distinct feature the person may have.
It was odd because she couldn’t clearly see these features but simply “knew” they existed. However, this new memory of two people was entirely different. Their faces were not blurred at all, but sharp and in focus, and so clear that she could detect every line, dip, and curve as though she were standing a few inches from them.
The gentleman sported a thick moustache while the woman’s amber-coloured eyes looked just like her own. It was then that the realisation dawned upon Juliana: these were her parents.
She didn’t know how she knew, but every fibre of her being told her that these were her very own parents. Quick tears came to her eyes, blurring the landscape before her.
“Mama, Papa,” she whispered as a feeling of longing washed over her.
Juliana gave herself a moment to digest this new memory before continuing on her way to the gate. She may have a clear image of what they looked like, but she still didn’t know enough to locate her family. Were her parents looking for her, or were they possibly no longer alive? It was torturous not having the answers to these questions.
“Isabella!” she heard her name being called.
She looked ahead, waving at the dark, young gentleman leaning on the gate. “How are you, Tobias? I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.”
The gipsy grinned, showing strong white teeth that contrasted with the darkness of his skin. Juliana often wondered at his origins but felt it would be impolite to ask him.
“Not at all,” he assured. “I have only just come. It’s a rather long walk to come this way, and I hoped I might have something to drink.”
Juliana hesitated at letting him pass the gate. She was regularly warned to deal with tinkers outside the gate because they were unscrupulous fellows who were always looking for ways to swipe belongings, but Tobias didn’t seem the type.
He always looked clean, had good manners, and was rather handsome in an exotic way. Still, bringing him inside might incur Mrs Black’s ire.
“I shall bring you some water,” she told him. “Wait right there, if you please.”
“I cannot do anything but wait when you have asked me so politely,” Tobias replied. “Your beauty alone would get me to do anything you wish.”
Juliana rolled her eyes with a smile. “Such words do not work on me, Tobias. I have heard you say the very same thing to all the women of this household.”
“But I truly mean it when I say it to you,” he insisted. “There is no better smile to greet me on my way across the village. I will not mind it if I never sell a thing today because your smile has made this day worth it.”
Juliana chuckled. “Where do you find such words? Please, do not feed them to the young women who work here. I’m afraid they might fall in love with you and wish to elope, only to find you are not truly interested in them.”
“I might be made into an honest man if I had your hand, my sweet lady,” Tobias returned.
Juliana didn’t believe a word he said and began to chuckle in earnest when a horrible feeling that seemingly appeared out of thin air trickled down her spine and ended her mirth. A vague memory hovered just beyond her grasp before exploding into many fragments that left her scrambling to understand their context.
She had been due to marry a man, but he wasn’t a good person, so she had run away the night before the wedding. Cold, corn blue eyes came into focus, staring at her out of a blurry face.
Juliana blinked hard to clear the image away, her body tensing for just a moment as though it was getting ready to run away from danger. Only, there was no danger here, only a humble pedlar who flirted and sold chapbooks and broadside ballads.
“Isabella?” Tobias called. “Are you unwell? What has happened?”
“I ... uh, nothing,” she said, touching her temples.
Her fingers came away wet.
“You appear pale,” Tobias said, sounding worried. “Perhaps you need to sit down.”
“No, no, I am fine,” she insisted. “Please wait here while I get some water.”
Juliana hurried back to the house and took a mug, dipping it into a drum of water before returning to the pedlar. He gulped the cool liquid down, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand before handing the vessel back to her.
“Thank you,” he said. “This is for your kindness.”
Tobias produced a little chapbook from the sack on his back and held it out to her.
“I cannot take that from you, Tobias,” Juliana protested. “A little water is nothing. Let me have it at the price you give to all your customers. I will not cheat you.”
