The words lingered between them. Amelia found herself thinking about her parents, her failed engagements, and every decision that had been made on her behalf. She thought about the terrified young woman who had run away rather than surrender her future.
Most of all, she thought about Gabriel telling her she was brave. Nobody had ever called her brave before. The memory settled warmly in her chest.
Valerie moved to sit beside her near the window. “Will you stay for longer than you planned?” she asked quietly as she clasped her hands together.
Amelia’s breath caught. There it was. The question she had been trying desperately not to think about. She looked down at her lap and wished the answer were simple. Unfortunately, nothing involving the Duke of Anderton had ever been simple.
“I do not know,” Amelia admitted at last as she traced a finger along the edge of her sleeve.
Valerie looked disappointed, though not surprised.
Amelia hated seeing that expression. “But I do know one thing,” she continued as she lifted her chin. “I am done allowing other people to decide my future for me.”
Valerie tilted her head curiously. “Even my uncle?”
A smile escaped before Amelia could stop it. “Especially your uncle,” she replied as warmth crept into her cheeks.
Valerie laughed outright this time. “Good luck with that.”
Amelia laughed.
Amelia wandered down the corridor with little awareness of where she was going. Servants hurried past carrying flowers, ribbons, boxes, and enough fabric to clothe a small army before the upcoming ball. Every corner of Anderton Manor seemed alive with preparation and excitement. Amelia barely noticed any of it because her thoughts remained hopelessly tangled around one particular duke. She had spent the entire morning attempting not to think about Gabriel and had failed with remarkable consistency. At this point, she suspected her own mind had joined forces with him against her.
She was so distracted that she nearly walked straight past David when he appeared around the corner.
The little boy slowed as he approached her, twisting his fingers together nervously. “Miss Amelia?” he asked, glancing up at her before quickly looking away.
Amelia smiled and crouched slightly to his height. “Good morning, David,” she said warmly as she brushed an imaginary speck of dust from his shoulder.
To her surprise, he opened his mouth as though intending to say something important, then abruptly turned and ran.
“David?” Amelia called after him as he disappeared around the corner. Her smile faded. She remained standing there for a moment, feeling an unexpected ache in her chest.
Have I done something wrong?
The possibility troubled her.
Amelia hurried after him and searched the nearest corridors first. She checked the schoolroom, the morning room, the library, and even the conservatory. Several servants pointed her in contradictory directions, which only made matters worse. Mrs. Jacobs informed her that boys possessed an ability to vanish whenever adults wished to find them. Amelia was beginning to think the housekeeper might be correct. After nearly twenty minutes of searching, she was ready to recruit Grover for assistance.
At last, she spotted a familiar shoe peeking from behind a decorative alcove near the west corridor. Amelia paused and folded her arms. She could clearly see the rest of David concealed behind a marble statue that was nowhere near large enough to hide him. The urge to laugh nearly escaped her. Children were wonderful creatures, but subtle they were not. Amelia walked forward carefully and stopped beside the alcove.
“I wonder where David could possibly be,” she said thoughtfully as she examined the ceiling. “This is quite mysterious.” Silence followed. Amelia placed a hand dramatically over her heart. “Perhaps he has been abducted by highwaymen and is already halfway to Scotland.”
A small snort emerged from behind the statue despite someone’s obvious attempt to suppress it.
Amelia smiled to herself before leaning against the wall. “Well, if anyone sees him, do tell him I have spent the entire morning searching.” Another pause followed.
Then a small voice emerged from hiding. “You found me.”
Amelia nodded solemnly. “I confess the shoe gave you away.”
David peeked around the statue and looked mildly offended. “It was not supposed to.”
“An unfortunate betrayal,” Amelia agreed as she crouched beside him.
David hesitated before finally stepping out from his hiding place. Something about his expression made her concern return. He looked nervous rather than mischievous. His small hands twisted together while he stared at the floor. Amelia’s heart softened at once.
“What is troubling you?” she asked gently as she settled onto a nearby bench.
