It was a gesture so bold she shocked herself with it. She would never have believed she would have done such a thing. But thenagain, she wouldn’t have expected to leave the orphanage in the company of a man she hardly knew. She wouldn’t have expected that she would come and live at his house for any duration of time. After all that, touching his arm seemed like a small step to take.
But maybe it didn’t to him, because he looked up at her, his eyes growing wide. She froze for a moment, uncertain as to what she should do, doubting herself—but she didn’t lower her hand. It seemed important to let him know that she wasn’t going to pull away from him, that no matter how complex and difficult their situation became, she would be by his side. The fact that he had confided in her about his desire to do something for Emma was powerful. Meaningful. It meant that he was beginning to really trust her, in the same way that Emma’s laugh today had meant thatshewas starting to have trust again.
It’s a day for moving forward. It’s happening for everyone.
He took a step closer to her. “It’s been so wonderful having you here,” he murmured. “You see things I wouldn’t have been able to see on my own, Bridget. You’ve made all this so much easier already, for me and for Emma. And I know you’re just going to keep doing that.”
She breathed in sharply. What was happening?
His hand grazed her cheek. Her eyes drifted closed. He had been angry with her just a few short hours ago. He’d been unhappy about the fact that she was making him go to the picnic. And now…
I don’t understand. I don’t understand why he’s standing so close to me, why he’s touching my face… I don’t understand why my hand is still on his arm.
She didn’t understand, but she also didn’t want it to stop.
She found herself leaning forward, as though hoping to signal to him that she liked this strange, new touch, that she wanted it to continue. She hoped desperately that he wouldn’t pull away.
“Reeves? Are you out here?”
The sound of Agnes’ voice cut through the moment like a knife, and Reeves dropped his hand just in time. A moment later, Agnes appeared in the foyer.
“I wondered where you’d gone,” she said, thankfully seeming to take no notice of what was going on between Reeves and Bridget. “Emma is asking for you. She’s in the sitting room.”
“She’s asking forme?” Reeves’ eyebrows shot up. He whirled around.
Bridget, too, was startled into forgetting what had just taken place. “Is she speaking?” Could it have happened that quickly?
“Oh,” Agnes said. “No, I’m sorry. I meant she made another drawing and pointed to the picture of you, Reeves, and that’s how I know she wants you.”
Reeves’ face fell slightly, but he nodded. “Lead the way, then.”
The two of them left the foyer and went off toward the sitting room, leaving Bridget on her own. She raised a hand to her cheek.
That had all been so unexpected. Strange, yes… but in an odd way, it had been wonderful.
But the question remained, now that he was gone—what had either of them been thinking?
CHAPTER 16
“Ican’t believe you’re having a ball,” Norman admitted as he and Reeves strolled across the grounds of Greystone Manor. “It’s so out of character for you.”
Three days had gone by since the picnic. The invitations to the ball had gone out, and apparently the first of them had been received, for a response had come in just this morning. “I won’t be having it if more people don’t send word that they’re planning to come,” he grumbled. “I’m not going to host a ball for one guest.”
“Oh, be patient,” Norman said. “You know perfectly well that people are dying to get a look at the inside of Greystone Manor. You’ve made yourself one of the most mysterious figures in all of London with the way you never socialize.”
“You don’t need to make it sound sinister. It’s not that I don’teversocialize,” Reeves said. “I get out from time to time.”
“I don’t know when the last time was.”
“You know, people are only interested in me because they want to know how I got my scars. And frankly, I don’t know why they don’t just assume I got them in the war.”
“Because there were people who saw you before you went away to war, and your face was scarred then,” Norman said easily. “You could tell everyone the true story, you know. It makes you look good, not bad. People would respect it if they knew it.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I respect it,” Norman said quietly. “You know that. What you did saved my life. You intervened when I was attacked. Those men would have killed me. And then you helped me settle my father’s debts, so they would never come after me again. What you did changed my life. I hate that it left you scarred, but you know I admire you for stepping in.”
“You would have done the same for me,” Reeves said gruffly. “I don’t ever regret it. But I do wish people wouldn’t stare.”
