Page 54 of The Lady Glass
She was studying him, her face impassive.
He hadn’t thought through the next part of his strategy and didn’t know how to explain. He cleared his throat. “Was Lewis bothering you?”
“On the contrary. I found his presence comforting.”
Comforting? “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Exactly that.”
Rolland put a hand on his hip and narrowed his brow. “How exactly was he comforting you?”
“You sound like Mrs. Bedrich. We were just talking. After last night and then the mention of glassblowers just now, I needed a distraction.”
He should have been appeased, but she seemed far too content with the situation for his liking.
Theresia put her hand on her chin while she examined him. “I know you’re protective, but there is no need to save me from your friend. Don’t you trust Mr. Lewis?”
“With my life.”
She dropped her hand. “But you don’t trust him with me?”
There was no reason to lie. “Apparently not.”
“I don’t quite understand. Are you angry with me, then, or him?”
Rolland was suddenly conscious of how fierce his position seemed and forced his shoulders to relax and his hands to lay flat at his sides. “Not angry at all.” He glanced away and phrased his next words carefully. “I was merely worried about you. I thought if Lewis left, we could speak freely.”
“Then, proceed.” She took a step closer. “Speak freely.”
The light filtered through the trees and illuminated her in a hazy glow. There was no looking away now. Nor did he want to speak at all. He wanted to close the space between them and kiss her.
He stepped back, surprised by the force of his feelings. “How about a walk instead?” He pointed to the dirt path through trees and overgrown blackberry bushes. He needed to move, not think.
When she fell into step with him, he kept his eyes on theground ahead. “I noticed you caught Miss Yearsley’s confession about her obsession with crystal,” he said. “What do you think about her colluding with Mr. Hawke? I know it sounds farfetched, but she makes a point to ignore him in every situation. I didn’t think anything of it before, but every angle must be considered. What if Mr. Hawke gave the vase to Miss Yearsley to win her over? He has foreign connections and has possibly accepted bribes. We hope the men at the Home Office will be able to trace the money past the banks soon. We need to monitor them both closely. We might have found our man and possibly his accomplice.”
He finally risked a glance at Theresia. She tipped her chin up and examined him. The angle of her head nearly undid him. “I hope you’re right,” she said. “I sincerely do. But will you humor me and tell me what you’re really thinking about? And don’t say it was to speak of the investigation when you could easily have found His Grace or that you simply came to check on me when you said yourself that I was perfectly safe with Mr. Lewis. There’s something else bothering you; I can tell.”
“You don’t want to hear it.”
“I don’t?”
He frowned, grinding his teeth in an effort to root himself. “I rarely struggle with indecision, and I don’t want you caught in the cross fire of my war of thoughts.”
“A war of thoughts sounds formidable. Does it involve me?”
He continued forward, his body as conflicted as his mind. “Nothing involving you could be very bad.”
“If only that were true.” She stepped into pace with him, but her gaze dropped to the short carpet of green growth at their feet. “Whatever it is, you can tell me.”
When she looked up, the bravery in her eyes impressed him. He thought desperately about something else to say. Anything to stall his confession. “I’m confused, nothing more. And youjust so happen to be in the middle of it. Mrs. Bedrich made me responsible for you.”
“I recall youvolunteeringto watch over me.”
He smirked. “Perhaps I did volunteer. It sounds like me.”
“Some responsibilities are optional. Saying no does not mean you are doing less good in the world but maybe doing better at the most important things right in front of you.”
“What would you have me shirk? Watching over my father or you?”
