“I have given your plight brief consideration,” he said, “and may have prudent advice to offer.”
“Prudent advice, you say? I am all ears.”
“Yes. In the interest of attracting suitors, I suggest you refrain from unleashing goats on unsuspecting young men, lest you gain a reputation for unfeminine behavior. Although I am particularly fond of goats, I fear others may find them less humorous than I did.”
Her frown curved into a smile. “Thank you for the very practical advice. However, I should take this opportunity to explain that the goats were simply retribution for what you had done to me two years earlier.”
“Two years earlier? What do you mean?”
“You know very well what I mean, Señor Romeo.”
He fought to suppress a snort as understanding dawned. He recalled the incident but wished to hear her version of events. His expression remained blank. “I still fail to understand. Perhaps you would remind me.”
Her smirk clearly communicated her disbelief of his professed ignorance. Still, she played along. “Very well, Mr. Ashford. The summer I turned sixteen, my head became filled with all manner of fantasies regarding possible suitors. A regular Gothic novel, if I recall. Imagine my reaction, then, upon receiving a letter from a secret admirer professing his adoration of me. A letter signed only ‘Romeo.’”
He chuckled softly. “I can only imagine.”
“I am certain you can. Well, then imagine my further flights of fancy when a subsequent letter suggested that we meet clandestinely for the purpose of professing our love for each other.”
“The cad!” He gripped his lapel in mock affront.
“Yes. The cad. However, owing to my tender age and lack of judgment, I agreed to meet the mysterious stranger in the clearing at the end of Pickford’s Holloway. At the appointed time, I slipped the watchful eyes of my protective mother and hurried to the clearing in search of true love.”
“Did you find true love there, Jane?”
“You know very well that I did not. Instead, I found a donkey tied to a tree. And hanging from the donkey’s neck was a piece of wood sporting the name ‘Romeo.’”
He laughed, despite his best efforts to resist. She whipped her hand around and leveled a finger at his nose. “And that was exactly the laugh I heard emanating from the trees along with the mirth of many others. You and your ridiculous friends, no doubt. I was humiliated.”
His laugh trailed into a sigh. “I will admit I enjoyed your humiliation at the time. However, now I feel an apology is in order.”
“Don’t let me stop you, sir.”
“Right, then. I apologize for humiliating you in front of my friends. However, let me also say how impressed I was by your subsequent actions.”
Her apparent confusion indicated that she had forgotten the rest. “My subsequent actions?”
“Yes, Jane. Despite your obvious embarrassment, you approached the donkey, cried loudly, ‘Sir Romeo! How I have longed for you!’ and then planted a kiss on the poor animal’s nose that made my friends a little jealous. Then you tossed your hair and left the clearing as if nothing were amiss.”
She chuckled softly at his retelling of the events. “I had forgotten that part. I remember only the humiliation and hurrying home to cry for hours afterward.”
Shame flooded him as he observed the hurt still apparent in her eyes. His hand stretched to lightly touch her sleeve, freezing her on the spot. She eyed his hand with frowning alarm before finding his face. He withdrew the touch and removed his hat.
“The prank was beyond cruel. I admit that now and ask your forgiveness. Truly.”
Her frown faded slowly as she returned his gaze. “I forgive you. Truly.”
“Thank you.”
“Although…”
“Ah,” he said. “I knew a caveat would be in order.”
She glared at him. “I was merely going to say that despite the humiliation, I did like the donkey. He was certainly more charming than your uncouth friends.”
Adam smiled and resumed walking. “And more charming than I am?”
She hurried to match his stride. “That goes without saying. However, you might be slightly more charming than Beelzebub here, although I remain undecided.”
