“I need to tell you something that will come as a surprise, and an unpleasant one at that.”
He faltered in his step, turning to look at her, and then he kept walking as did she.
“Go on,” he said. “I’m sure I can handle whatever it is.” He shot her an encouraging smile.
“Yes, I know,” Rose said. “I certainly believe you can. A few years back, I met a—”
She was hit in the back of the head and spun around to see a child’s ball made of rough canvas rolling away from her.
“What in God’s name?” William began. “Are you all right?”
“Yes.” She rubbed the spot where the ball had hit her, not only startling her but knocking askew her favorite straw boater and mussing her hair.
Glancing around, she expected to see a group of children playing, yet saw no one who might have thrown it. There was a couple on a picnic blanket. There were two girls playing with sticks and hoops nearby. There was an elderly couple strolling. There was Finn, darting out from behind a tree and gesturing at her.
Finn!She wrinkled up her nose. What was he indicating? Then, as he clapped his hand over his mouth and shook his head, she understood and turned quickly away. She couldn’t let William know she knew Finn, not until she’d explained everything. Besides, he looked like a madman!
“Some mischievous boy, no doubt,” William said, taking her arm and continuing the way they were going. “You were saying?”
Rose looked back over her shoulder. Finn was still shaking his head and putting a finger to his lips as if to shush her. Obviously, he didn’t want her to tell William about him.What should she do?
