“It’s a lot of fun,” Cambridge Sinclair said. He then wrestled the book off Blimley and handed it to Forrest. “Go on, I promise you’ll enjoy it.”
Ruby took the hand Forrest held out to her, and climbed into the carriage. He followed. She then sat pressed to Walter.
“I will read, and then Miss Knight.”
She made a strangling noise as she sat.
“Lady Nauticus looked at the beautiful woman being attacked by Gallic roosters and the man running to her aid, and felt her heart sink. Miss Pollycock and her dearest captain had once been engaged.”
The crowd booed and hissed their disapproval. Forrest ignored them and focused on the words. One thing he’d realized was that if he and Ruby had stayed out of the carriage and continued to protest, the cries for them to read would have escalated. He knew how these people worked. Harmless and yet determined.
“That’s my father!” Ella shrieked.
He waved. The women in the crowd sighed. His cousins rolled their eyes.
He read on for a while until the duchess cried, “Next!”
Forrest looked at Ruby. She was terrified.
“It’s all right, I’ll carry on.”
“Ruby can read!” Ella climbed into the carriage. “Hello, Walter.” The dog licked her face. “I told all my new friends about you.”
And just like that, Forrest watched the fear ease, and Ruby was rising to her feet. He handed her the book. She didn’t look at him, just took it. Ella, he noted, moved to her side and clutched her hand. He stood at her back.
“Miss Pollycock screamed,” Ruby began, her voice clear and sweet. “Captain Broadbent and now Lady Nauticus ran to aid her. Perhaps Lady Nauticus did not move as fast as she should, but she did move.”
“Hardly surprising when faced with that perfidious witch,” someone said.
“If he goes off with that Pollycock woman, I’m not reading any more of these books in protest!”
“He knows a good woman when he sees one,” Beth said.
“I wish he’d declare his love,” the Duchess of Raven muttered.
“‘Help me, my love!’ Captain Broadbent asked her. ‘You are my one true love, but we cannot leave Miss Pollycock to her fate,’” Ruby said.
She read the entire page, changed between voices with each new character. She soon had the crowd enthralled.
“Cerise appeared—”
“Who?” the crowd roared.
Nathan raised a hand. “Who is Cerise?”
Ruby looked at the book, her eyes moving over the page.
“A French lady of the night who is also a double spy for the English, annnnd…” She drew out the last word. Forrest watched the crowd lean closer. “…the mother of Lady Nauticus.”
“No!” everyone gasped.
“And that is a wonderful place to finish,” she said, closing the book.
“More!” the crowd roared.
“Well,” the duchess said. “I declare that was one of the most enjoyable readings thus far.”
Everyone agreed, all talking over the top of each other about the unexpected appearance of Lady Nauticus’s mother.
