The worst thing was that the day had remained perfect. Not a cloud marred the absolute blue sky. A light breeze cleaned the coal dust from the air and carried a hearty scent of wet soil. Days like that were a rarity, and she longed for a walk in the park, some sunshine, or listening to the birds’ song.
“Right-o.” Perry set aside the documents they’d finished and selected a new folder. “We can start with the reports on…” He opened the folder and read. “Changes of the values in extraction coal production.”
Oh, goodness. “Can we take a walk?” She propped her elbow on the desk and rested her chin on her palm. “Please?”
He scrunched up his face as if she’d spoken in a foreign language. “A walk?”
She gestured at the window. “Look at the sunshine. The sky is a solid blue. The temperature is delightful. The breeze is perfect. We’ve been sitting here for hours.”
He furrowed his brow. “Yes, that’s called working.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m sure even workers are entitled to a break. It’s good for one’s health.”
“You may go if you want. I don’t take walks in the park.”
“Yes, I gathered that much.” She rose, and he stood up as well. “But I’d like to go with you. Just an hour. We might buy something to eat from a street vendor and enjoy it on a bench in the park, watching the birds flying around.”
His eyes flared wide. “I don’t eat street food.”
“Baked potatoes are delicious, or we can have a slice of pork pie or a Cornish pasty. Come on, Perry. Take a walk with me. It’ll be fun.”
There was a quick knock on the door, and Dr. York entered the study. “Perry, I brought you a few bottles of camphor oil. Great for muscle pain.” He came to a stop upon seeing her. His face blanched. “Miss Winkworth.” He bowed.
“Dr. York.” She nodded. “I trust you recovered well from the incident with the artichoke pastry.”
He scrubbed the back of his neck. “I did, thank you. I can’t complain. I tried, but no one ever listens, especially Perry.” He let out a nervous chuckle.
Edith laughed as well while Perry shot his gaze skywards.
“I was trying to convince the earl to take a walk,” she said. “Surely, Dr. York agrees with me about the benefits of exercising.”
“I do. Absolutely.” Dr. York gazed everywhere but in her direction. “Miss Winkworth is right. Perry needs to take a walk. Well, it’s always a pleasure to chat with you, Miss Winkworth.” He put a basket of bottles filled with an amber liquid on a table and left in a hurry.
Perry exhaled as if answering made him tired. “All right. It sounds like madness, but fine. Let’s take a walk.”
“There was a time when you wouldn’t have hesitated to agree to a walk in the park.”
“That time is long gone.” He held the door open for her.
After a footman helped a muttering and scoffing Perry slide into his coat, they headed out. The ride in the hansom cab would be a short one, but she had every intention of enjoying it.
She closed her eyes for a moment, letting the warm sunlight from the window caress her cheeks. When she opened her eyes, he was staring at her.
“Isn’t it lovely?” she asked.
He averted his gaze. “It is.”
She touched his hand. “You’ll see, it’ll be great. And as a general rule, ladies are always right, and gentlemen are always wrong.”
“So if I say, ‘by Jove, Edith, you’re right!’, does it make you wrong? We have a paradox.”
She narrowed her gaze. “You truly are a scoundrel.”
He laughed, a deep, rumbling laugh she loved; it calmed the restless feeling always bothering her.
When he helped her out of the cab, deep lines marred his brow again. Children ran along the pavement and the gravel paths of the park. Pretty parasols twirled in the sunlight.Everyone chatted and laughed. The happiness was contagious, at least for her.
Instead, Perry walked with his tall hat down over his face, shoulders hunched, and a scowl that would terrify the most hardened highwayman.
