Page 23 of A Baron's Disguised Lady
It just wasn’t fair.
Shaking his head, he walked on through the trees.
The dappled shade cast ripples of sunlight across the path, and the dawn chorus echoed around him as he walked. Crossing a brook by a wooden bridge, Archie stooped down, splashing his face with the cold water then taking a drink, refreshing himself by the water, even as his mind was still filled with doubts and possibilities.
“But who could be responsible?”he asked aloud, the same question he had asked himself over and over again.
But try as he might, Archie could find no one person to blame, no one person to suspect. Or rather, those he might have suspected were those he could not bear to suspect. They were trusted servants—the physician, the nurse—whom Gwendolene had believed were caring for her, as had Archie, too.
Shaking his head, he tried to dismiss such thoughts, but a niggling doubt remained, and as he emerged from the trees onto the lawns leading up to Sarum Lacy House, the thought of his sister’s death haunted him, just as it always did.
If there’s a truth to be found, I’ll find it,he vowed to himself.
But he was returned from his musings by the sound of music—the playing of a pianoforte. The sound was unusual—not for the music, but for the fact of a sound at all. Sarum Lacy House was usually so quiet, like another world, hidden away in the seclusion of the woods, where the outside world made little impact, and time seemed almost to slow down.
But there was no doubt the sound was coming from the drawing room, and as Archie approached, he could see his mother and Lavinia through the window, their hands clasped together—they were dancing.
How extraordinary,Archie thought to himself, but he could not help but watch, fascinated at the scene before him.
Though it could not be said Lavinia danced with any grace or poise, the sight of her doing so held his attention. She really was very pretty, her striking red hair flowing over her shoulders in ringlets, her neck exposed as she turned this way and that, directed, it seemed, by his mother, who now gestured toward theinvisible pianoforte, which Archie assumed was being played by Lavinia’s mother.
He did not know why they were dancing, but the sight of them doing so held his attention, and now he approached the window, still gazing at Lavinia, who had her back turned to him.
She’s… quite beautiful,Archie thought to himself, smiling as he watched, his mother’s voice now calling out…
“One, two, one, two. That’s it, Lavinia. You’ve got it now. One, two, one, two. It’s as simple as that. It really is. Keep playing Octavia, dear,” she said, and now she spun Lavinia around, and as she did so, Lavinia realized she was being watched.
As their gaze met, he saw Lavinia’s eyes grow wide with, perhaps with embarrassment, and she tripped, stepping on Archie’s mother’s toes. His mother let out a cry of pain, and the music now came to an abrupt halt as Lavinia fell forward, ending up on the floor. Archie hurried forward, climbing in through the open window and offering his hand to Lavinia, who looked up red-faced with fear.
“I’m so sorry, I truly don’t mean to keep falling…” she stammered, but Archie smiled.
“It’s quite all right. You were having fun,” he said, and Lavinia smiled.
“I’m not sure about that,” she replied, as Archie’s mother put her hand on Lavinia’s arm.
“I think that’s enough for now, don’t you, Lavinia?” she said, through clenched teeth.
“Oh… didn’t you want to dance… a bit more?” Archie asked.
To his surprise, he had found himself wondering what it might be like to dance with Lavinia. The thought was a pleasant one, even as Lavinia now shook her head.
“I’m rather tired. And bruised I think. I’ve already tumbled twice. Perhaps I might go and lie down for half an hour,” she said, and Archie nodded.
“I… I see, yes, it seems you’ve all rather exhausted yourselves,” he said, glancing at his mother, who was nursing her foot.
Lavinia’s mother, too, now rose from the pianoforte, telling them she was going to lie down before luncheon. Archie glanced at Lavinia, smiling at her, even as he felt disappointed at not having the chance to dance with her. It had been a moment of joy to watch her. Unexpected joy. The sort of joy he had once known, and thought forever lost.
“We certainly have,” his mother said, shaking her head.
Lavinia excused herself, followed by her mother, and Archie and the dowager were left alone.
“I’ve been to the grave,” he said, and his mother looked at him sympathetically.
“How is she?” she asked, and Archie sighed.
“The same as ever. I just wish… when I saw you dancing with Lavinia, I… I imagined perhaps… I could be happy again,” he said, and his mother reached out and placed her hand on his arm.
“You will be, Archie. One day, you will be,” she said, and Archie nodded, even as he could not help but wonder if that day would ever come…
