by Wendy Vella
Hearing a loud sniff, she glanced up at him. His head was thrown back and he was sniffing the air.
“You look like a hound,” she muttered.
“This place has more smells than an evening out in the company of two hundred of society’s finest members.”
“What do you smell first?” Intrigue overrode her anger at him.
He shot her a look, then away again. They had never discussed this, the strange abilities his family had, but she knew, and they knew she knew.
“The thyme….” He then went on to list every other herb in the warehouse, and there were considerable.
“Very impressive.” Emily walked to the first long table and stripped off a glove. Picking up some dried lavender, she crushed it, sending the pungent scent into the air. She loved this warehouse for the blend of smells.
“I shall pass out if you continue to do that.”
“Really?”
Cam smiled. “It would take more than that, but very strong scents can make me nauseous and unstable.”
“The children are waiting, Em,” Max said, touching her shoulder. “Essie, Dorrie, Somer, and Warwick are there also. But before you go to them, I wanted to remind you once more about the fund-raising event coming up. Do you still wish to attend?”
“Of course,” she said when inside she wanted to decline. It was for his charity, so she could hardly refuse. It was not a society event, so she could attend, even considering her birth.
“What are the children waiting for?” she heard Cam ask, but did not wait to hear her brother’s reply. Climbing the stairs, she heard loud chatter as she reached the room she wanted. Entering, her eyes ran over the children assembled.
“We have come to help today!” Somer Sinclair said in her usual excited little voice. Beside her sat Dorrie and Warwick, and lastly Essie.
“Excellent. I’m sure the boys will enjoy that.”
There were ten of them, all boys Max had rescued off ships, and not one of them looked happy about the prospect of girls teaching them anything. Warwick, however was accepted, and seated beside Silver, who was blind.
Max had procured books, so pages were opened, and the lesson progressed with few issues until it got to the point where someone was to read out loud.
“I wish to,” Dorrie said.
“But you know how to read. The boys do not, so one of them can do it.”
“But if I read first, that will show them how, then they can do so after,” the little girl said with a logic Emily could not fault.
“These boys have devilishly good memories, Dorrie, and would remember your words, and we do not want them cheating, now do we?”
“Warwick cheats,” Somer said, she then smiled at Ben, one of the boys. The smile a hundred women gave a hundred men every evening within the hallowed walls of society.
“I do not cheat!”
“You cheated at cards just last night,” Dorrie said, backing up her sister as she always did, no matter if she was right or wrong.
“I’m telling Dev you lied!”
The boys watched eagerly as the Sinclair siblings erupted into an argument. As Essie had just slipped out of the room, it was left to Emily to attempt to rein them in, but it was no easy task.
“Hello, my heathens, what appears to be the problem?” Cam appeared in the doorway.
“Somer said I cheated.” Warwick glared at his sisters.
“That was harsh, my sweet, and thoroughly uncalled for given your penchant for the same thing. Apologize at once, or there will be no treat for you.”
“Sorry.”
“With more feeling, if you please.”
“I’m very sorry for calling you a cheat, Warwick. Please forgive me?”
Emily wanted to laugh at the meekly spoken words, but swallowed it down. The elder Sinclairs were masters at controlling their siblings, and it was a wonderful thing to observe.
“Warwick,” Cam then said in a tone that asked something of the boy.
“I accept your apology,” he said begrudgingly.
“Harmony is restored. Now please continue, as I am in need of a refresher in how to spell. Just yesterday I spelled peg incorrectly. Who in this room, who does not have the last name Sinclair, can help with the correct way to spell it?”
Emily watched as Silver raised his hand.
“Go ahead, Silver,” Cam said.
“P-E-G,” the boy said.
“Excellent, how about ‘and’?”
Emily sat quietly while Cam took over the lesson. She did not mind. He was very good at this, and soon had the boys involved, their usual reticence gone in their excitement to participate.
Max had asked her to help him educate the boys he saved from the ships. Most had been mistreated, and he was giving them a chance to make something of their lives by educating, housing, and looking after them until they could do so for themselves.
One of the boys, Peter, had been gravely ill, unable to breathe with ease when Essie got hold of him, but now he had color in his cheeks and smiled often. He still wore a thick scarf that he breathed into when the weather was cold or thick with fog.
“I’m sorry for taking over your lesson.” Cam came to where she sat as Warwick took over throwing out words.
“No, that is quite all right. They love this, especially the interaction with you and your siblings. What is that look for?” she questioned him as he looked at his little sisters and brother.
“They are growing up; it is hard to take. They no longer wish to sit on my lap or let me cuddle them.”
“They will always want that, I’m sure. You are very important to them, and have such a bond with your family I doubt it could ever be severed.”
He looked at her, his eyes filled with sympathy.
“You sound wistful. Did you not have such a bond with anyone before you came to live with James?”
“I don’t wish to discuss that, and should not have done so earlier.”
“I provoked you.”
“What a surprise.”
“What was your brother like? I’m asking as a friend, and for no other reason.”
“I believe you met him,” Emily said in a stilted voice that she loathed, but could do nothing to stop. Speaking of Edward was not easy.
“I did, and he could be charming, so surely he was not always unstable?”
Emily shrugged as she felt a fist close around her chest.
“A shrug is not a response, Emily. So let’s try that again. What was your brother like to grow up with?”
“We moved about a lot, there was little time for fun, or... or that.”
“That being?” How could a pair of green eyes change expression so rapidly?
“’Tis of no matter.” Emily managed to exhale.
“I beg to differ. It matters to me if it matters to you, which by the rather pained expression on your sweet face it obviously does.”
Emily refused to blush at his use of the word sweet. He was just speaking, complimenting again as he always did. He was a master at that, making people feel good about themselves. She’d often wondered why.
“Why do you do that?”
“What?” One dark brow rose.
“Compliment, deflect, always the happy, funny man who makes everyone laugh.”
She’d surprised him. His eyes widened.
“I cannot help how I am natured, Emily. My family is large, and we all have our place within it.”
“I understand that, but you seem—”
“We were discussing you, not me.”
“But I have no wish to discuss me.”
“One question,” he said, looking around them.
“Pardon.”
“You get one question again, as do I. Are you game to ask it?”
The look in his eyes challenged her.
“Oh, they have left,” Emily said, surprised that she had not noticed the children filing out.
“Max came in to herd them down for a meal.”
Emily didn’t mo
ve. “Who goes first?
“You, and I will know if you lie.”
“How?”
“Your face goes perfectly blank.”
“It’s always blank.”
“Not completely.”
How did he know that about her too?
“All right, let’s begin before we start arguing,” he said. “I will go first.”
Emily braced herself; he would not make this easy on her, as he hadn’t last time. But then, she would be sure to do the same.
“Have you ever loved someone who is not family? I mean the heartrending, I cannot live without you kind of love that can be shared between a man and woman?”
He was asking the same question she had. His eyes held hers steady, all mockery gone.
“Ah... well.”
“The truth, Emily.”
“Yes,” she whispered. “I once believed I was in love, but I was a young girl, and soon realized it for what it was.”
“Which was what, exactly?” His words were gentle.
“You said one question, and now I must see to the children.”
“Do you not wish to ask me a question?”
The lure was too much to resist. “What is your deepest fear?”
Unlike her, he answered without hesitation.
“To wake and find myself alone. To rise and have no one who loves me, or cares if I do not come home for my meal. To realize that I walk this land alone, and am bound to no one. That, Emily, is my deepest fear.”
She sniffed, then pressed a hand to her nose. “That would indeed be a terrible fate.”
“Although,” he raised a hand, “I must own to wishing for solitude often when my family is around.”
He’d said it to make her laugh, but she knew him by now. Knew he was doing what he always did, and trying to make light of the situation.
“No, Cam. Don’t lessen what you said. It was honest and true, and came from your heart. Thank you for sharing it with me.”
His smile was gentle, and so sweet Emily’s toes curled inside her boots.
“I wish I’d thought of asking that one first, but perhaps next time.”
“Will there be a next time, then?”
“Oh yes, there most definitely will.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The carriage carried the women into Bond Street. Eden, Essie, Lilly, and Emily. All going to have their final fitting for new dresses they would wear to the Winslow charity ball.
“The evening will be fun,” Eden said. “I always find these kinds of things more enjoyable than a traditional society event.”
“Yes, and the women are not quite so uppity, and willing to discuss things more candidly,” Essie added. “Of course there will be some peers there, the more forward-thinking kind.”
They were so beautiful, these sisters-in-law of hers, and Lilly. Confident, capable, and more importantly, born on the right side of the blanket.
“Madam Blanchard will have just the perfect style and color for you, Em. Don’t worry, you are in the best hands. She has your measurements, so we are to see the finished product.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” Emily lied.
They chatted and laughed until the carriage pulled up in Bond Street. Then they were stepping down and heading for the boutique.
“Don’t tarry, Em.”
“Your brother says that to me,” she said to Eden as she stepped from the carriage.
“Which one.”
“Cam.”
“Ah well, his aim in life is to annoy people, so I can imagine he says it often.”
“Why do you think he does that?”
“What?” All the women turned to look at her.
“Jokes and makes light of all situations?” Emily wished she’d kept her mouth shut, as Eden and Essie frowned. It was not her place to speak this way.
“I have no idea. He has always been that way,” Eden said. “Annoying.”
“But loyal and the best of brothers,” Essie added. “I have never actually thought about his behavior before.”
“I should not have said anything—”
“You have as much right to speak as you wish as any of us, Emily. Perhaps it’s about time you realized that.”
Lilly said the words, her eyes steady on Emily’s.
“Yes she does, but only she can come to that realization, and as we are on limited time today, perhaps she can think about it once Madam Blanchard is treating her like a pincushion.”
Eden had not been exaggerating. In fact, she was pinned, draped, and tweaked for some time, until finally they were done. She stood through it thinking about what Lilly had said. They believed her an equal, and yet she did not, and doubted she ever would. But perhaps she could be less of a mouse when she was in their company.
“How do you cope?” Emily felt exhausted as the fitting finally drew to an end. Yes, she’d been fitted before, but it had not been as laborious as that. She was relieved when they were once again back on the street.
“You get used to it, and there has to be a price to pay for looking beautiful. It is my life’s work to make Dev’s jaw drop and his eyes narrow. I love it when he roars at me to get upstairs and put the rest of my dress on.” Lilly laughed.
The others agreed, and Emily thought it must be nice to love someone as much as these women loved their husbands.
“Miss Tolly.”
Turning, she found Mr. Jackson behind her.
“Good day to you, Mr. Jackson.”
“My dear Miss Tolly, may I say how beautiful you look today.”
“Ah... thank you.” Emily fought the blush as she introduced him to the other women.
He only glanced briefly at them before looking at her once more. It was disconcerting to have a man stare at her in such a way.
“Will I have the pleasure of seeing you at the Winslow event?”
“Yes, we are to attend.”
“Wonderful. I hope you will save a dance for me?”
“Of course,” Emily said, flustered.
He bowed once more and left.
“That man seems to be popping up all over the place.” Essie was frowning. “I believe you saw him at the bookstore and Max’s warehouse?”
“He likes you, Emily. Very much is my guess,” Eden added. She too did not look happy about that fact.
“Oh, I don’t think so.”
“Emily, dear, he does, but because you are not used to male adoration you can’t see it for what it is. Now just accept it, and let us get into the carriage. The children are waiting for us,” Lilly added.
Emily believed Mr. Jackson a nice enough man, but she had not thought of him in any other light but as her brother’s business acquaintance.
“Come along now, we are late and the show is due to start shortly. Cam will have eaten all the candy, and the children will be arguing if we do not make haste.”
Cam watched the carriage roll up with his sisters, Lilly, and Emily inside.
“Finally,” Dorrie said loudly. She was swinging Cam’s hand in boredom while they awaited the womenfolk’s arrival. “We have been here an age.”
“Surely you exaggerate. It has only been ten minutes.”
“An absolute age,” Somer said from where she leaned on Dev’s long legs. “I’m quite exhausted.”
“Yes, because your life is extremely taxing,” Cam drawled. “Rising whenever you wish, someone helping you bath and dress, and then supplying you with an endless buffet of food.”
“It’s a hard life,” Max agreed. He had Warwick attached. The boy stood at the man’s side quietly, watching as he always did. But close enough that he could lean in every few minutes and feel Max’s presence, who in turn had his hand resting on the boy’s shoulder. The man had come a long way since marrying Essie. Before he would have done anything to avoid contact with people.
Warwick was raised with two loud, rambunctious sisters who tended to talk and do everything for him, which for the most he handled. It was rare that he rebelled,
usually with a curt word that brought the twins into line. He was more and more like Dev every day.
“At least it has not started without us,” Samantha said. She held James’s hand.
The adults always took charge of a child each when in company, as they had a habit of running away or causing mischief if left to roam free.
“Hello!”
Cam smiled as Eden waved from the carriage doorway. Lilly followed Essie and Eden. They were three extremely beautiful women, and the beauty was bone deep. Happiness also contributed to that, a happiness they had not always felt.
“Hello, you’re late,” Cam said, because it was expected of him by the little sister currently hanging off his hand. “Dorrie wanted me to censure you.”
“We were waylaid I’m afraid, by one of Emily’s admirers.”
Emily appeared in the doorway after these words, and Cam battled the fist that wrapped around his chest, cutting off the supply of air to his lungs. This has to stop.
It annoyed him that she would have put herself deliberately last getting out of the carriage. Annoyed him that she believed herself beneath the other woman.
“Admirer?” he heard Max say.
Emily immediately moved to the back of the group. He wanted to shake her.
“Yes, Mr. Jackson. He was quite taken with our Emily.”
“What?” Cam dragged his eyes away after cataloging everything she wore, from the chipped bonnet down to her small black leather boots. “Who has an admirer?” he said, suddenly recalling his sister’s words.
“Emily.” Eden came forward to kiss her husband and slip her arm through his. “He is quite taken with her, and wants her to save him a dance at the Winslow event.”
The only word for what he was feeling was rage. It was swift and fierce, and only because he’d had lots of practice in his lifetime hiding his emotions from his family was he able to do so now.
“Pardon?”
“Mr. Jackson was on the street when we left the dress shop, and he stopped to talk with Emily.”
“Did not so much as glance at us,” Lilly added. “Only had eyes for Em.”