Without the worry of a courtship timeline, or the worry that Seth expected her to set aside the many dreams she wanted to pursue, she’d been able to enjoy his company, getting to know a man whose mind was a fascinating place to be given access to, and a mind, to her delight, that had more than enough room in it to conjure up new inventions while also allowing him to delve into her world of animals.
On the ship ride home, with no adventures save one—and it hadn’t really been an adventure, simply another encounter with the traveling circus that owned sorry-looking elephants that Annaliese had still been unable to purchase, even after having a slight altercation with a circus owner who’d threatened to have her arrested for unlawful attempted seizure of his animals—she and Seth had spent their time planning out details for her aviary, as well as an animal sanctuary.
Norma Jean and Louisa had been surprisingly helpful with that, their ability to recall anything they’d ever read allowingthem to make suggestions regarding different habitats for the animals Annaliese hoped to eventually rescue—those suggestions leaving Seth reaching for a pad of parchment, where he promptly began scribbling down ideas that sprang to mind of inventions he could make that would improve the lives of every animal that came to live in Annaliese’s sanctuary—a sanctuary she was intending on naming the Academy Fur Second Chances.
Norma Jean, of course, had pointed out that birds didn’t have fur, which was why Annaliese had then decided to name the aviary Seth was in the process of designing the Academy for Feathered Friends—one that would house birds that couldn’t be returned to the wild, given how long they’d been held from their natural habitat.
“I thought I’d find you in here,” Seraphina said as she strode into the large barn they’d built after the Merriweather fortunes had been restored, one that currently housed the donkeys they’d acquired in Florida, along with the herd of goats Ottilie had obtained years before, as well as Mother Goose, who still thought she was a goat and refused to have anything to do with water.
Seraphina moved closer before she stopped, took to patting the pocket of her heavy cloak, then turned her attention to Harriet, who was oh-so-casually moseying into the barn as well. Annaliese couldn’t help but grin at the sight of Harriet wearing the enhancer corset Norma Jean had agreed to get rid of and Harriet had snatched out of the rag bag, having somehow convinced some students to put it on her. The corset had been far too large for the little monkey, but after Harriet refused to face the day without it, Annaliese had cut it down to size. Harriet had also taken to helping herself to Irma’s hat, which, when paired with the corset, along with numerous rings and necklaces Louisa had given her, made quite the fashion statement.
“Hand it over,” Seraphina demanded, holding out her hand.
One of her frequent innocent smiles was Harriet’s first responseto that, until Seraphina arched a brow that she’d somehow managed to make bushier than ever, which had Harriet going from smiling to looking grumpy. She then trudged over to Seraphina and handed her a pocket watch, evidently still unable to resist the lure of anything shiny, even though she now had more than enough shiny objects to call her own.
“It’s fortunate you’re adorable because you’re a menace,” Seraphina said before she pocketed the watch and returned her attention to Annaliese. “I came to deliver some good news. That hair dye Seth mixed for us has done wonders with restoring the Zambarello sisters’ hair, as well as Mabel’s.”
“I imagine Elena Zambarello will be relieved about that.”
“I’m sure she will be as blond doesn’t really complement her daughters’ skin tones, nor was it overly attractive when their hair started showing dark roots.” Seraphina blew out a breath. “I’m still annoyed they were able to sneak off to the retiring room during academy hours and hydrogen peroxide their hair in the first place—and duringmywatch.”
“Welcome to my world.”
Seraphina gave her chin a rub, something that didn’t disturb the mole she’d stuck there at all since she’d been using Seth’s special adhesive, the strength of it keeping her moles firmly in place these days. “I really am looking forward to Drusilla returning because it was beyond embarrassing to have to escort Penina, Donata, and Mabel home, all of them sporting platinum blond hair, something they were able to achieve because I didn’t think all their frenzied whispering during a table etiquette class was a sign they were once again up to something.”
“What did you think they were whispering about?”
“Riley, who, if you didn’t know, is currently sweet on a young lady who works in a diner.”
“That information must have caused a lot of young academy ladies to be disappointed.”
“All I can say is thank goodness we’ve been able to hire morethan a few new instructors lately because I was stuck in Drusilla’s office for days, consoling one young lady after another, all of whom were missing classes due to, if you ask me, far too convenient cases of fits of the vapors, supposedly brought on by their distress over Riley being off the market.”
Annaliese’s lips curved. “Better you than me.”
“Yes, well, you should probably be warned that, due to Riley’s defection for the diner lady, many students have reclaimed their infatuation for Seth, although, since it’s become obvious to everyone that the two of you share affection for each other, I think most of the infatuations are beginning to fade away.”
Annaliese frowned. “You don’t think I’m setting a bad example by holding Seth in affection, and he with me, without having a formal commitment between us, do you?”
Seraphina waved that aside. “It’s the 1880s, Annaliese. It’s past time we women were able to spend whatever amount of time we need with a gentleman, and vice versa, before announcing anything formal, something that will allow us to avoid unfortunate unions.”
“Why do I get the impression you’re speaking from experience?”
“Because I am.” Seraphina gave her chin another scratch. “My father, God rest his soul, met the Widow Drayton, who I must say is an exceptionally beautiful woman, and then married her within a two-month period of time, believing he’d been fortunate to be given a second chance at love after my mother died.” Seraphina’s eyes flashed. “Love was not what my father got with that marriage, although I don’t believe he realized that right away because it turned out that the Widow Drayton was a very, very good actress.”
“She pretended to love him?”
“Too right she did, just as she pretended to love me, at least to my father, using that love to convince him that I deserved to attend a boarding school in Switzerland, one she’d heard wasthe best academy for young ladies in the world. Father, having promised my mother before she died that he’d always do what was best for me, something I’m convinced he told his second wife at some point, didn’t hesitate to send me off to Switzerland, which effectively removed me from his life.”
“But he eventually figured out that the former Mrs. Drayton didn’t love him?”
“I don’t know that for certain as I had relatively little contact with my father after I left for boarding school. I actually never saw him over the ten years I attended that school as I never went home for the holidays or summer breaks. I’ve simply concluded that he must have realized he didn’t love her because, surprisingly enough, he left me the bulk of his fortune instead of leaving it to a woman I now always refer to as Stepmother Dearest.”
“He left you his fortune?” Annaliese repeated.
“He did, but I can’t access it until I’m married or turn twenty-five.”
Annaliese wrinkled her nose. “Shall I assume that those conditions are why you’ve been hiding out with us over the past several months?”
