CHAPTER13
SAGE
Sage descendedthe stairs into a great commotion happening in the main hall.Most of the party, it appeared, had donned attire for an outing.Staff were handing out gloves and hats; Mr.Thompson was looking especially dapper with his walking cane in hand.The front door, which was being held open for their impending departure, allowed a thick band of sunshine to spill across the floor of the entryway.
Roger gave a broad gesture when he noticed Sage had appeared.
“Ah, Mr.Ravenwing!It is a most beautiful morning.Won’t you join everyone for a stroll across the grounds?”
“I am not dressed for such an activity,” Sage told him.He was wearing a rather expensive pair of shoes.
“Nonsense,” Mr.Thompson said.“You look smart, as always.”
“That is the opposite of what I meant.”
“Besides, this is no Hyde Park,” Miss Thackeray was quick to add, ignoring him entirely.“We are not looking to impress anyone.”The way she had fixed her hair was indication enough of that.Half of it spilled down her back in unruly tendrils.Somehow, it suited her.
Sage scoffed.“I never said?—”
“Not that you need to.”Torquil gave him a knowing grin as they passed by on their way to stand beside Emrys.“You’ve already done quite well at it.”
He met Conrad’s gaze where he stood beside Roger, hands on his hips and bouncing slightly on his toes, too eager to be standing in one place for so long.Conrad gave Sage an open smile.It appeared that their secret was out.
“Now remember,” Roger began, cluck-clucking like a nervous parent over his freshly-hatched brood.“Stay on the path and you will be perfectly fine.Wyn and I have walked it numerous times and we’ve yet to get lost.”
“Where is the fun in that?”Emrys asked, wrapping his arm around Torquil’s shoulders as they started for the door.“You cannot tell me you spent your entire honeymoon here and did not get the urge to wander.”
“Roger has always had a fear of wandering!”Miss Thackeray called over her shoulder.She stepped through the doorway after the Ladies Fitzhugh, her arm linked with Mx.Hillcrest’s.Mr.Thompson was close behind, followed by Emrys and Torquil.Keelan and Silas were last.They looked like they would’ve rather still been in bed.
Sage paused.
“Are you not joining us?”The question was meant for Roger, but he looked at Conrad as he asked it.“You said everyone was going.”
“Oh no, we’re going to continue our work in the study,” Roger explained.“It will be nice to have some time to focus without the constant distractions.”He chuckled.“Though, I suppose it is our own fault for filling our home with people and then expecting them to entertain themselves without us.”
“I would imagine it takes some time learning how to host,” Conrad said.“It seems like an enormous responsibility.I think you’ve done a wonderful job of it so far.”
“Too kind of you to say!”Roger held an open hand toward the door.“You’d better hurry along if you want to stay with the party, Mr.Ravenwing.”
Sage wanted to tell him he had absolutely no interest in doing so.Days of rain only meant whichever path they were meant to follow would be a muddy disaster.And if Conrad was not going either, why should he even bother?It was yet another opportunity for him to be alone in a crowd.
He lifted his chin sharply.Be amenable, he told himself.
“Best of luck with your drudgery,” he muttered before he left them to it.
* * *
The pace setby the Ladies Fitzhugh was surprisingly quick.What started as an opportunity to chat and comment on their pleasant surroundings had become an effort in keeping up and not panting audibly.
“Anthea!This was not meant to be a race,” Miss Thackeray complained, though she did not appear to be struggling as much as some of the others.
“After so many days trapped inside, it would do us all well to get a little light exercise,” Lady Anthea retorted.
“Lightbeing the vital word,” Keelan huffed out.He and Silas were still at the rear with Sage.“I was not prepared to exert myself with both arms pumping during this activity.”This was exactly how their leaders were charging ahead, elbows bent and shoulders working.
Emrys gave a sly grin at the man.“Yes, Keelan, we all know you’ve perfected the one-armed approach.”
Keelan gasped with great offense to the comment as everyone else laughed gamely.Sage found the reaction perturbing.Why were they able to find humor in such witticism when his answer to the riddle had been entirely unsettling?
