Page 57 of Emma & Edmund

But just as Margaret said, it was time for her to return to form.

Chapter 16

"Be careful!" William Tate suddenly clutched at Emma's arm, pulling her safely away from the slithering brown snake crossing their path, disappearing into the shrubs lining the forest's edge. "Would hate to take the chance, given your history with the creatures."

Belmont sat behind the pair, the edges of the estate's floral gardens sprawled behind them, freshly wandered by the two. Jonathan was even still stopping across the stone path, having not yet joined them on the lawn proper, his sour scowl trained on Emma's back. How dare she demand he behaves like a proper chaperone for one moment, coming as suddenly as William's offer for a walk together just after the breakfast buffet cleared.

It was the chance she had been waiting for, a moment to grow closer to the man while sober and under the watchful eye of her brother. Jonathan may be a lot of ungodly things, but he wouldn't allow a man to lay hands on his sister. At least, she hoped not.

She had only just barely been forgiven for her Lockhart-induced strangeness, the last thing she needed was rumors to turn on the family once more. Therefore, her very thinly veiled threats to her brother in an effort for him to behave were more than warranted.

"I can trust my own two feet far more than the awful beast that threw me." Emma's words did not come easy. She could only hope she didn't sound like the idiot her voice made her feel like.

"That gentle mare?" William laughed a hearty laugh, continuing their walk with her arm through his. "The poor thing came wandering back with this sad look in her eye, soaking wet."

"Oh wonderful, at least she felt remorse after abandoning me in the woods."

"At least she came back at all."

"I did as well, in my own time."

Rather than the reprisal of his laugh Emma had hoped for, a gasp from her gentleman companion nearly had one rip from her own throat in surprise. What in the world could have made him react like that? Was there another snake? Or, horrifically, had he spotted something odd in the tree line?

She hadn't seen Edmund in nearly five days, but that did not mean he wasn't there.

Nearly snapping her neck to Mr. Tate, Emma was almost just as shocked to see the grin furling up the tips of his whiskers.

"I just had the most wonderful idea. What if we went to pay respects to the woman who saved you?"

"What in the world do you mean?" Emma had to stop herself from scowling, internally sneering at the thought of William on the search for her savior.

"Take me to this cabin in the woods! I would like to thank this mysterious woman for saving your life. What do you say, Jonathan?" He yelled back to the mournful man following them.

"Anything to make this end faster, Tate," Jonathan's voice broke over the wind, his next breath taken with a cough.

"The pub fair will be mine tonight," William shouted again, his smile only broadening when the other Thompson finally straightened. Her brother's response was lost on Emma, who was far too preoccupied with stamping down her burning flush, the memories of her alehouse night rushing back through her mind.

Whatever Jonathan had responded with, he certainly had brightened considerably. Jogging up to join them, the previously groggy man looked infused with new life, eyes shining and skin somehow more youthful.

"Really," Emma began, finding her voice again, "I don't think-"

"You speak my language, William," Jonathan patted him on the back, cutting off Emma without care. "So, what's this? Trampling off through the trees, are we?"

"No, we are not." Emma didn't even bother to look at her brother, knowing the convincing did not need to be done to him. William, though, was entirely unbothered by her response.

"And why not?" Though his tone was jovial, his eyes crinkling under his grin, Emma could still hardly hold back her scowl. "It would be the proper neighborly thing to do, after all, and we've been here for nearly a month. That renders us neighbors, doesn't it?"

"It does not." She had said her stance, what more did he need?

"And if anything, you should have given your thanks a long time ago, Jonathan," William prodded the man with an elbow. "She did save your sister's life, after all."

"You make a good point." Jonathan's smile reminded her of the snake, how it slithered across his cheeks, no doubt fully aware of how uncomfortable his sister was.

Emma could have strangled him, perfectly content if that smug grin would be the last time she ever saw his face.

"Exactly!" She had never seen William Tate look as excited as he was then, wide eyes scanning the edges of the yard, the trees reaching their branches over the manicured grass. It was as if he felt they were beckoning him, while Emma could only feel their repellant. The trees knew there was nothing within them for such a group.

With a demure cough, Emma drew the overly excited attention of the men back to her. "I'm afraid I have lingering anguish from my ordeal, gentleman. Why, my skull pulses just thinking about that horrific place! Those woods are no place for a young woman. In fact, I'm a bit peckish. William, if you'll accompany me-"

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