The night air sloshed on her bare skin and nudged her into shivering. Jane rubbed her arms and imagined Mrs. Wattlesbrook’s voice crying out in Obi-Wan Kenobi tones: “Remember to wear a wrap and bonnet when you go out!” Some part of her hoped that the older woman would find her now and just send her home to put an end to the greasy shame rising up in her. Another tiny part half-heartedly wished Colonel Andrews would notice she was gone and come cheer her up.
She wandered the garden path (so as not to get grass stains on her hem) and when her teeth began to chatter gave up hoping for relief by either exiling Wattlesbrook or diverting Andrews. Without hope, it was impossible to fantasize.
Jane reminded herself that an excess of hope was largely her problem. If only she were more of a pessimist, she wouldn’t have to grapple with these impossible whimsies and wouldn’t be here now, forlorn and pathetic in make-believe Regency England.
Her path wound around to the smaller second building that housed the servants. A first-story window flickered with the unmistakable blue light of a screen, and it drew her nearer, a moth to flame. She could hear an announcer burble, “New York Knicks” and “Pacers,” though she couldn’t make out any details. The real, gritty, urban, twenty-first-century clamor of U.S. basketball sounded as good to her as chocolate soup.
That’s right—she remembered now that those teams were opening the NBA season in a game on October 30, whichmeant if someone was watching it tonight in England they must have played yesterday in New York, making today—
“Halloween,” she said aloud. “How appropriate.”
The cold and the dark night rubbed against the blue light and the sound of the game, and the thought of going back alone to bed or returning to watch the whist game made her want to scream. She stepped up to the door and knocked.
The television voice cut off, replaced by the sound of pattering activity. “Just a moment,” said a male voice.
The door opened. It was Martin, aka Theodore the gardener, in pajama pants and no top, a towel hanging around his neck. Unclothed, he had the kind of build that made her want to say, Yow. She was glad she was wearing her favorite evening dress.
“Trick or treat?” she said.
“What?”
“Sorry to interrupt.” She indicated the towel. “You’re working out?”
“Miss, uh, Erstwhile, right? Yes, hello. No, I just couldn’t find my shirt. Are you lost?”
“No, I was walking and I . . . I don’t suppose you could give me the Knicks–Pacers score?”
Martin looked around as if trying to spy out eavesdroppers, pulled her inside and shut the door behind her.
“You could hear that?”
“The game? Yes, a little, and I saw the light through your window.”
“Blasted paper-thin curtains.” He grimaced and ran his fingers through his hair. “You are going to catch me at everything bad, aren’t you? Let’s hope you’re not her spy. She’ll have my balls for stew.”
“Who, Mrs. Wattlesbrook?”
“Yes, in whose presence I signed a dozen nondisclosure and proper-behavior and first-child and I don’t know what other kinds of promises, in one of which I swore to keep any modern thingies out of sight of the guests.”
“Tell me that Wattlesbrook isn’t her real last name.”
“It is, actually.”
“Oh no,” she said with a laugh in her voice.
“Oh yes.” He sat on the edge of his bed. “I take it, then, you’re not spying for her? Good. Yes, dear Mrs. Wattlesbrook, descended from the noble water buffalo. It’s a decent job, though. Best pay for being a gardener I’ve ever had.” He met her eyes. “I’d hate to lose it, Miss Erstwhile.”
“I’m not going to tattletale,” she said. “And you can’t call me Miss Erstwhile when you have a towel around your neck. To real people I’m Jane.”
“I’m still Martin.”
“So, do you play basketball?” she asked, eyeing again his splendid height.
“Americans always ask me that, and that’s why I started watching the NBA games in the first place. Now I’m shamelessly addicted. They’re a bit more exciting than football, aren’t they? About as much running around but a lot more goals. Don’t tell a soul from Sheffield that I said that. Long live the Manchester United.”
“Yes, absolutely, go United,” she said, crossing herself.
“So, you came about the score.”
