She smiled. “That sounds lovely, my lord.”
As they walked together to the kitchen, Smith thought that he was not the sort of man normally prone to trying to romance women over picnics. He did not think himself lacking experience with the fairer sex, nor did he think he’d been courting anyone recently, but he supposed he had no way of knowing. He hoped he did not have a young lady waiting for him somewhere. Or, worse, a wife. Could he have been married? Was he betraying that wife right now by his interest in Adele?
Lord, but it was frustrating not being able to remember anything.
Adele wore pale yellow today. Her light hair was pinned up in a simple twist at the top of her head, like a crown of hair. Smith found he liked the simplicity of her dress and style, that she was never fussy or, he supposed, impractical. She seemed to be part of the household staff and had a number of tasks she must complete each day, so perhaps the elaborate dress of an idle woman would not be a good fit for her.
He sensed a deep unhappiness in her, too. She was good at putting on the mask of a smile most of the time. He’d seen the mask slip when she’d returned to his room with the mirror and the soap however. He found something in him wanted to help her with whatever was bothering her. He wanted to take her sadness away.
Adele and Cook worked quickly to put a meal together, but Hugh insisted on carrying the hamper outside. Cook handed Adele a blanket, which she spread on a patch of grass as Smith carried the hamper to her. He sat beside her and began to unpack it.
It was a modest lunch. Fresh bread, a hunk of cheese, a few slices of beef. Smith did not like the part of himself that was focused on looking for signs of income. This led him to believe that his real self often spent time thinking about money, but whether it was because he had a lot of it or a little, he could not determine.
Was he cruel? Kind? Judgmental? Did he attend many balls? Did he work hard? He had no idea.
Adele primly folded her legs beneath her as she sat.
“I grew up in the country,” she said. “I shall never quite get used to the cramped spaces of the city.”
“I believe I like the city, but I cannot say for sure.”
She laughed softly. “Part of me likes the pace of the city. Everything happens faster here. And I like that I am but a short carriage ride from being able to buy anything my heart desires, although I admit I am frugal and do not often indulge. But the city is also full of interesting characters. You don’t see many street performers wearing purple cloaks singing bawdy songs for a few pence in the country.”
“No, I suppose you wouldn’t.”
“There is a man like that who plays a large drum outside the bookshop I like.”
“So you read a lot?”
Adele laughed. “There are books littered around the house like crumbs for mice. I’m surprised you didn’t notice.”
He smiled at her. “I did. I just wasn’t sure whose books they were.”
“The countess is largely confined to her room these days.”
“Since she came down with the cold?”
Adele shook her head. “It started a few weeks before that. We used to spend a lot more time together, but lately all she wants to do is sleep and read her books. She is partial to novels that have some mystery to them.”
“I think I must have liked reading before, but I cannot recall any of my preferences.”
“I can only imagine what it must be like.”
“In some ways, it is like discovering the world anew,” he said, and he genuinely felt that way. He spent a lot of time wishing the gray haze would clear from his head, but he also liked exploring the world now. Getting to know Adele was the chief highlight, and as they discussed books she’d read recently, he admired how expressive she was, how intelligent. She had a dry wit, as well, something she only seemed to express when she let her guard down.
They made quick work of the meal Cook had prepared as they talked.
“Do you feel up for a walk in the park today?” she asked as they packed up.
He wanted to spend more time with her, but he conducted an honest assessment of his own strength. “I am not sure I could walk very far today. My strength is not quite all the way back yet. Tomorrow, perhaps.”
“Very well.” She sounded disappointed.
It took some effort, proving his point, but he managed to push himself up onto his feet again. “Please do not think I do not want to walk with you. It really is just that I’m tired. Trying to remember things seems to take a lot of energy.”
“I shall look forward to a time when you are in better condition for walking.”
“I may retire until dinner, in fact. Please do not feel I’ve abandoned you.”
