“With the way your stomach has been treating you these past days?”he asked, smiling down at her.Fiona could see that he adored her enthusiasm, but he shook his head.“I can’t have you getting sick up there.With the carriages enclosed, there would be no place for the contents of your stomach to land but on other riders.”
“That is unfortunately true,” Ilona frowned.“Still, I would love it.Might we come back another time?”
“It will be here for years to come,” Colin teased.“There will be plenty of time for that.”
Ilona smiled brightly, clearly pleased with his promise.“Someone must go!Why don’t you, dear?”
“I will save my time to share it with you,” Colin assured her, pressing a tender kiss to her hand.“Sean?Aylesbury?”
“I have to agree with my wife on this one, Col,” Sean shook his head, far more cautious than his brother.“Only the truly mad or eccentric would trust that machine.”
Fiona looked up at the towering wheel as it slowly rotated against the sky, the carriages gently swinging to and fro.It was a terrifying prospect.The very thought set her stomach in knots.She couldn’t wait to try it.
“Well, I’m in for it,” she said.“I would hate to go alone, though.Aylesbury?You’re daring and eccentric enough to try it, I’d wager.Would you care to give it a go?Or do you have no whimsy?”
He smiled with obvious pleasure.“I have plenty of whimsy and more than enough daring.Shall we?”
They waited in line as the carriages were emptied and filled one at a time, but when their turn came, there were no other riders to fill the cart.
She hesitated.The carriages were meant to hold more than a dozen people; she hadn’t imagined she would be alone with him.As much as she had enjoyed the day, she wasn’t prepared to have his undivided attention.
“You needn’t fear being alone with me.I won’t bite,” he whispered in her ear, gently encouraging her to board the gondola.Fiona glanced up at him, wide-eyed, and he grinned.“Yes, I can read you very well.What are you more afraid of?Me or that wheel?”
“Neither!”
Chapter 22
ThatLadies Journalarticle hasn’t proved useful even in the slightest.Ignoring Harry hasn’t seemed to help at all.In fact, he seems somewhat relieved!
~From the diary of Lady Fiona MacKintosh—Apr 1893
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The wheel ground intomotion, and Fiona watched from the window as they slowly rose above the rooftops, their four companions shrinking as they went.
“Incredible, isn’t it?”Coming to her side, Aylesbury slipped an arm around her waist and nuzzled her neck.“Almost as incredible as you were last night.”
