The familiar, warm grin appeared on Grace’s face and James had to mentally beat down the pleasure that shattered in his chest at the sight of it. He repeated his mantra silently as she stepped toward him and gently placed her hand in the crook of his arm. But the moment she touched him, all ability to control his inner dialogue was lost.
“You know, Dr. Hall, if you continue to be so agreeable, I’m going to have to take back the things I said to my sisters about you.”
They stepped out into the chilly night air, which felt more welcoming than he imagined it might.
“You’ve spoken about me to your sisters?”
“Oh yes. Particularly after Aunt Belle’s birthday ball.”
Ah, the night he told her he wouldn’t allow her to shadow him. He had often replayed their conversation from that night in his mind, particularly the first part, when she wished to speak with him alone. It would be too embarrassing to reveal to her now that he had first assumed she wished to speak to him as well… It didn’t matter now.
“I suspect it wasn’t at all pleasant.” James waved to a footman. “Lady Belle Smyth’s carriage?”
The man leaned back, glancing down the street.
“It’s about eight carriages down, sir. I can get it for you?”
“That won’t be necessary, thank you,” James said as he and Grace turned down the road. He glanced down at her. “Your silence is telling.”
“I will not lie. I didn’t speak very generously about you, but I’m afraid my own pride is the reason for that.”
“How so?”
“Well, I hadn’t considered what my request might mean for you. That is to say, I understand the weight of having a female student. The issues it could cause between you and your other responsibilities, including colleagues and the like—”
“Miss Sharpe, I do not care what my colleagues think.”
“You don’t?”
“No.”
“Then why were you so against the idea of my shadowing you? Dr. Barkley made it sound as if you were against the whole situation.”
James counted, six, seven, eight until they reached the carriage, trying very hard to ignore her questioning as well as the scent of her. Why was she so intoxicatingly sweet smelling? The truth was too embarrassing to tell and yet, to refuse her an answer felt equally as damning.
He opened the carriage door and climbed in.
“What does the medicine look like?” he asked as he began smoothing his hand over the velvet cushioned seats.
“She didn’t say,” Grace said, climbing in after him. “Perhaps it’s in the liquor compartment.”
He turned around, sitting down as he watched Grace sit opposite, her hands going to a small rectangular door that unlatched from the interior wall, revealing a small crystal bottle of reddish liquid and two sherry glasses.
“Your aunt has a liquor compartment?”
“Of course. She gets sick from the swaying of the carriage on long journeys. She takes a dram or two of sherry to fall asleep.”
James shook his head, as a humorous breath escaped his lips.
“That woman is an enigma,” he said, leaning forward to trace his hands along the carriage floor. “Is it a vial of liquid? Perhaps powder or pill form?”
“She didn’t say.”
“Well, what’s it for?”
Grace shook her head.
“She said it was for pain, but I’m not sure I believe her. She seemed secretive,” she said, leaning forward until their faces were quite close. “A trait you and she share, evidently.”
