“Do you think Lady Tottenham truly loved him?” Anne asked in a skeptical voice. “Or did she only love the rabbit?”
I glanced at the side of her face as she examined the portrait. “I think she loved him all along,” I said. “No one falls in love because of a rabbit, not even Lady Tottenham. All the rabbit did was make her see him differently; it helped herrealizethat she loved him. Once she stopped resisting him, her feelings were obvious.”
Anne’s eyes found mine in the dark. “I suppose that could be true, but Lady Tottenham is clever. Even at her young age when she met him, I’m certain she knew her own mind.” She cast her light in the direction of the glass case.
I followed her to the row of animals behind the glass. “Knowing your mind and knowing your heart are two very different things.”
Anne seemed intent to ignore that statement. She moved her candle quickly along the length of the glass with a scowl. I recognized the problem before either of us voiced it. Among the many hunting trophies were various species of birds, foxes, squirrels, and…several different rabbits.
We exchanged a glance.
Anne handed me her candle before moving to the end of the case and sliding the latch. Thankfully it wasn’t locked. The hinges creaked as she opened the glass door. Her nose wrinkled.
“That does not smell pleasant.”
I inhaled the musty air with a matching grimace. Anne laughed, covering her nose with one hand. When the shock subsided, she leaned forward, examining each of the three rabbits. “Do you suppose one of them was her pet? She might have chosen to have it preserved and kept at Birch House.” She threw me a mischievous smile. “Which one do you think was her pet?”
“If I guess correctly, what do I win?” I asked with a grin.
She groaned. “Must everything be a game?”
I laughed, crouching down to face the three rabbits. They stood in a row. One was much larger than the other two. All three had light brown fur and glassy eyes. Anne bent down to examine them with me, resting her hands on the edge of the case. I held the candle up to the first rabbit, the smallest of the three. I cringed at the rough stitching that had been done to cover one of its ears. “This one looks far too ragged.”
Anne nodded. “Lady Tottenham would have protected her pet rabbit’s ears at all costs.”
“She likely put him in a bonnet and dress.”
Anne tipped her head back with a laugh, a genuine smile spreading across her cheeks. “Perhaps she even employed a maid to fan him.”
I laughed, moving the candle closer to the largest one. We both gasped.
Anne burst into giggles. “Why does he look like he could be a pugilist?”
The rabbit’s face had been contorted into what appeared to be a scowl, its large frame resting on its back legs, the short arms curved at its sides. “Someone stole this creature’s boxing gloves and he wants them back,” I whispered.
Anne’s laugh was contagious. My laughter subsided, and I watched her as she struggled to compose herself. In truth, she had never been more beautiful. I couldn’t look away.
Her eyes shot open. “Alexander!”
I followed her gaze to the rabbit. I smelled the burning fur before I saw it. I jerked the candle back, but it was too late.
The rabbit’s face was on fire.
Smoke spiraled up into the air, a tiny orange glow racing across the old, dry fur. I panicked, tugging my cravat off my neck and crumpling it into a ball before smothering the singed right side of its face. The rabbit tipped over, but I fell to my hands and knees, keeping the cravat pressed against it. I peeled it back, releasing a heavy sigh of relief to find the smoke dissipating. A clump of burned fur sprinkled to the ground.
I lost control of my laughter again, glancing back at Anne. She was covering her mouth with one hand. Her entire body shook, her eyes gleaming with amusement. I leaned back on my heels to lift the rabbit back to its feet, my balance faltering. She took my arm to steady me, her own laughter echoing off all six walls of the room. Anne’s eyes shone with tears, but not the sad kind. She doubled over, gripping my arm as we crouched in front of the case. She wiped at the corner of her eye, pressing one hand to her stomach. My cheeks ached as my laughter subsided.
She reached across me, snatching the candle from my hand. “You cannot be trusted with this.”
“It was an accident.” I reached for the base of the candle, throwing her off balance as she tried to keep it far away from me. She cast me a warning look. “Would you like to contend with a flaming grouse? We are going to set the entire case on fire.”
I grinned and snatched at the candle again. She tipped forward, but I caught her by the waist, pulling her back to a neutral position. Her smile faltered as her gaze met mine, and she hastily swiped at a curl on her brow. Our very recent kiss plummeted back into my mind. Was she thinking of it too? I held the candle steady in my other hand. If we kissed again I would be distracted enough to set all three rabbits on fire. Perhaps even my own shirt.
It would be worth it.
Anne’s eyes flickered away from mine. Her features hardened to a business-like expression again. I released my grip on her waist as we returned our attention to the rabbits.
“My guess would be that this one was her pet.” She reached forward to pat the top of the third rabbit’s head. “Look at his face. He has a gentle disposition. The taxidermist took great care in making him presentable.” She took a deep breath and carefully lifted the rabbit a few inches off the floor.
