“Very well then. Let us soar together, Kai.”
His joy at her answer spread all the way to his heart. Lifting her in his arms, he carried her towards the looming shape of the balloon.
“We’ll be ready to lift in a few minutes, sir,” the balloonist called out, not even lifting his gaze from his preparations. A couple of younger men scurried about, assisting him.
“That’s quite all right, Mr. Coxwell. Just let us know when you are ready,” Wang replied. Looking down at Esther, he offered her a small smile. “Shall we find a place to sit while we wait?”
She looked around. “We could go back to the carriage or… Oh, would you look at that arch over there?” She pointed towards a point to his left and he turned his head in that direction.
Sure enough, an ancient-looking, massive stone arch stood there in the middle of the park, almost hidden away by vegetation and illuminated by the timid glow of sunrise.
“Would you take me there? There might be a bench or somewhere to sit nearby.”
“Certainly.” He would take her anywhere she wanted. Helping her explore and expand her horizons was one of the greatest pleasures of his life.
“I can’t believe I’ve been coming to Hyde Park for years and never knew this was here. Never heard anyone mention it, either.”
“And yet it seems as if it’s been here forever,” he observed.
Esther peered at the top of the arch, where some characters were visible.
“If I read the date correctly, it’s been here since Roman times.” She transferred her gaze to him and pinned him with those beautiful hazel eyes. “Put me down.”
“Where?”
“Right here, under the arch.”
He looked around. “There’s nowhere to sit.”
“No, I mean, let me stand on my own, Kai. I think I’m ready.”
His brave, indomitable little kitten. He wouldn’t have recommended it yet, but her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm and the thirst for adventure. If she insisted she wanted to stand, who was he to curtail her wings? He would be here beside her to make sure she didn’t come to harm.
With the utmost care, he bent his knees and lowered her legs to the ground, supporting her with his arm around her waist while she transferred her weight to her legs.
She leaned heavily against him, tightened the grip of her arm around his shoulders. He relished the feeling of having her be so comfortable with him that she would lean against him without a second thought, seeking his aid as she tested her legs. They were a little wobbly at first but soon firmed with her determination. The weight he supported became lighter as she transferred it to her own two legs.
Her face turned to him, radiant with joy, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “I’m standing, Kai. I’m standing again.”
He was sure his face reflected her joy, for his cheeks ached from smiling. He was so proud of her. She had worked tirelessly and made more progress than he had thought possible in the short amount of time they had been holding the therapies.
“Yes, you are. You are doing great. I’m so proud of you.”
The smile she gave him stole his breath. “It’s only thanks to you. You made this possible.”
He shook his head. “It’s all you. Your determination, your tenacity. I merely showed you the way.”
Esther opened her mouth as if to protest but then closed it. No doubt surmising her effort was better channeled towards standing. She transferred one of her hands to the arch.
“Isn’t this amazing? This arch seems to have been here for over a thousand years. Can you imagine how many people have seen it, touched it, walked through it? The history that it has witnessed?”
He contemplated the impressive structure. “It makes one think about time, permanence, and legacy,” he mused. “And about how limited our time on this world is, that a structure made of stone has seen several generations of us fragile mortals come and go.”
A shadow passed over her eyes, and he wondered if she was thinking about her late husband. The previous earl had been dead for only a year. His death was what precipitated Colin’s return to England, and Wang had accompanied him for moral support, and also because he had been curious about this country. Now he regretted his words. He had been reflecting on his own life, but Esther was just out of mourning. Did she still grieve for her husband? His own losses had taken place much longer ago, over two decades, but were no less painful for the time passed.
“What is this?”
While he was lost in the past, she had leaned forward to scrutinize a set of faint characters. The slide of her delicate fingers over the grooves in the stone made him jealous of the inert material.
