Theodora

by Christina McKnight

  “Barbaric?” Alistair took a seat in the largest chair in the room, directly across the small table from Theo—agreeable to keeping a certain distance between them. He imagined for a moment crossing the few feet separating them and pulling her from the chair and against his body. Would she deny him the information he sought then? “I only called upon my younger siblings to help me keep watch over her. Must I remind you of the consequences the three of you faced if discovered in Whitechapel…at an archery tourney…without a proper chaperone?” He counted out the strikes against them on his fingers as he spoke, his blood pumping hard through his veins with each item.

  “Would you like some tea?” she asked, changing the subject. “If we are to have a heated debate on the merits of locking one’s sister in her room for days on end, then I find I am parched already.”

  For not the first time, Theo said the one thing that made him want to forget his fury and laugh. His temper gradually subsided as it had during their drive to her townhouse a few days before.

  Alistair had never met a person—let alone, a woman—who could so successfully dim his anger and cause the burden of his responsibilities to appear less dire, even comical.

  “I only just left my breakfast table, but by all means, ring for tea,” he conceded.

  “Very well.” Lady Theo stood and pulled the bell pull by the door, signaling for a tray to be brought, before sitting again. She folded her hands in her lap, the vision of grace and poise that was certain to draw every marriage-minded man’s attention during the season—unfortunately, the frown that settled on her face was not in keeping with the mask. “I assure you, Adeline is safe.”

  “And how can you possibly know this?” he questioned. “You are here, and she is…well, not where she is supposed to be.”

  “I am not her keeper, though I will tell you she should be arriving home at any moment.”

  “I am her keeper, and that of all my siblings,” he confessed. “If Adeline is discovered, it will not only ruin her chances at a successful match, but will also do a massive amount of damage to that of her younger siblings. If I cannot discourage her inappropriate escapades now, then the Melton family will not likely survive this season or any future season. Meaning, Adeline is not only dooming herself, but all her younger siblings, as well.”

  “I assure you, that is not her intent.” Though her words were said with bravado and honesty, Alistair noticed the glimmer of uncertainty in her eyes; a moment of hesitation and doubt as her head cocked to one side.

  “There cannot be another tourney—“ Alistair had scoured every news article in The Post for any listing of current archery competitions, and had only seen mention of the Grand Archers’ Competition of London in Greenwich Park. It was a tourney held every other year, and drew archers from across the county, and even France. But it was far too public—with archers much superior to his sister’s competency—for the foursome to think of entering. It would be rash—and delusional—to enter a tourney of that magnitude and think to claim victory.

  “No, not this day,” Theo said, waving his comment aside. “We were only practicing in Regent’s Park, as we have the last several days.”

  Alistair didn’t know what concerned him more: that they’d been practicing in plain view at a park, or the many times Adeline had ventured out her window and crawled two stories to the ground below, risking injury to her person.

  Lady Theo seemed to sense his unease. “Regent’s Park is far less crowded than Hyde Park, and I was able to find a suitable area hidden from view behind a grove of trees. I made certain we were not spotted by anyone, and that we returned home long before most of society took their morning meals.”

  “And what about—“

  “Adeline is quite deft at scurrying up and down the side of your townhouse using the window frames for guidance,” Theo said, putting to rest his other concern. “She was always the best at climbing trees at Miss Emmeline’s. She said it was due to having older brothers who mercilessly tormented her as a child.” She shrugged, giving him the opportunity to deny it.

  Alistair had forgotten his sister’s fondness for climbing and following him and Abel about their family estate. That was long ago, and was not cleverness found tolerable for a young debutante. “I shudder to think if a neighboring servant spied her slipping out the window, or worse yet, her skills for climbing failed her and she was seriously injured. You must understand I care very deeply for my sister—for all my siblings—and seek to offer them the most advantageous future.” He leaned forward, hoping Theo saw the sincerity in his words. “I know I may appear a bit—“

  “Overbearing?” Her eyes widened.

  “We have established that term is favored by Adeline, yes—“ His face reddened, and he rubbed the back of his neck, hoping to tamp down his growing agitation.

  “Domineering?” She unclasped her hands and fidgeted with the crease of her skirt.

  Alistair thought for a moment. “Again, I can see how it would appear that way to others.”

  “Tyrannical?” Theo outright avoided his stare with her final accusation.

  “Certainly not,” Alistair rebutted. “I draw the line there. I am not some classic Napoleon figure, I assure you.”

  Theo smirked, sitting up a bit straighter at his tone.

  She was teasing him, as he’d reveled in doing to Adeline in their youth.

  Could it be that Theo had forgiven him for—or forgotten altogether—his abrupt kiss and departure?

  But no, when she finally lifted her stare to his face, her gaze settled not on his eyes but his mouth. She hadn’t forgotten their moment of intimacy any more than he had.

  Chapter 14

  Theo found amusement in keeping Mr. Price on his toes—unsure of her stance on his plight to rein in Adeline. It was the same apprehension and insecurity she’d felt since he’d stolen her first kiss and ridden away without a backwards glance. Did he presume Theo received such intimacies often? It was not the case, and she knew not what to take from his forwardness—and immediate departure. She wanted to demand explanation of what his intentions had been in that moment, and what they were now as he sat before her, expecting her to betray her dear friend’s confidences.

  Theo owed Mr. Alistair Price nothing, least of all her promise to help him keep Adeline from doing as she wished and determining her own future.

  However, he owed her much—an explanation for his presumptuous behavior to begin with.

  And clarification as to why he kept appearing in places she was—both at her home and around town.

  For now, his grim expression said he’d be giving her no answers until she conceded to his pleas for assistance.

  “And what if I share with you the extent of your loss of control? What will I receive in return?” Theo was confident she’d garner his agreement to her terms.

  Mr. Price’s brow rose with interest. “What do you want?”

  Oh, the man was experienced in ways of barter and trade, though Theo had spent a full month researching the history and methods behind successful trading enterprises since the beginning of modern time. What she’d learned was fascinating—that demand for a product or knowledge was not based on the need or usefulness of the thing to be traded, but on how unattainable the product or knowledge appeared to others. The information she possessed was, at this moment, highly unattainable to Alistair.

  “I am unsure what you can offer me,” Theo countered. “For betraying my friend is worth a king’s ransom, do you not agree, sir?”

  Theo squared her shoulders, determined to keep poised before him—and show not a speck of weakness.

  “Is it considered betrayal if you are aligned with helping her remain untarnished?”

  “You have still given no evidence she is in jeopardy of harming her reputation.”

  A light knock sounded at the open door, and her housekeeper wheeled a tray loaded with refreshments into the room. Mr. Price turned his overly charming smile on the woman, and Theo could have sworn
her housekeeper’s knees wobbled slightly as she walked, her hips swaying to and fro a bit more than was necessary.

  She’d certainly gotten word of a male caller, for the sheer amount of treats on the plate was overwhelming—and unquestionably wasteful.

  “Thank you.” Theo’s smile wasn’t as cheerful as Alistair’s. “I will serve us.”

  “My pleasure, Lady Theodora,” the portly woman said before dropping a deep curtsey to Alistair and departing the room—quietly pulling the door closed behind her.

  She looked to Mr. Price to ascertain if he noticed they were now alone, a closed door separating them from the prying eyes and ears of her household. It was scandalous, to say the least. The exact thing that fueled the servant’s gossip mill. Thankfully, or not so thankfully, he’d returned his gaze to her—his bewitching grin now bestowed upon her.

  “Mr. Price, do I have something in my teeth?” Theo smiled widely, allowing him to see her pearly whites, knowing he’d find nothing but the need to distract him from their improper situation—and the odd way he was now gazing upon her. The expression on his face unerringly matched the one he’d donned a moment before he’d kissed her.

  He shook his head, clearing his throat. “Certainly not, Lady Theodora.”

  “Then I would kindly request you refrain from inspecting me so closely,” she chastised. “I am not a mare at the stock house, mind you.”

  Her words hit their mark, and he sat up straighter, keeping his gaze from traveling the length of her once more. “My apologies, it is only that I’ve never met a woman such as you before.”

  “And what type of woman is that?” Theo busied herself with her hostess duties as she set two sandwiches on a plate and held it out to him across the table. “A woman who can best you with a bow?”

  “No.” He accepted the dish.

  “Sugar or cream, Mr. Price?” she asked, taking hold of the teapot and gently pouring a healthy portion, not a drip landing outside the cup.

  When he didn’t answer, she looked up to him, noting he’d set his plate aside, forgotten.

  “Pardon, my lady?”

  “Would you enjoy sugar or cream with your tea?” The man was easily distracted; though she was at a loss for what had captured his attention so thoroughly he was unable to keep up with the fairly basic social niceties of accepting tea. “It is a lovely orange flavored leaf that goes exquisitely with a spot of sugar.”

  “Sugar it is.” He glanced to the serving tray as if seeing it for the first time. “I will not argue with your fine recommendations.”

  “Very well.” Theo dropped one lump of sugar into the steaming cup and handed it to Alistair. His fingers grazed hers, sending a sizzling jolt through her as he took the saucer she held out. “Now, you were saying I am unlike any woman you’ve previously met. Is it because I am a female who does not easily give up the secrets of her dearest friends?”

  “Well, yes and no.” He nervously glanced at his untouched plate as if Theo’s question had hit too closely to his true meaning behind the comment.

  “Do share, Mr. Price.” Theo made no move to pour her own tea. He would not escape her question so easily. “I am most interested to know.”

  He swallowed before speaking. “A woman with enough intellect and wit to distract me from my familial obligations.”

  Theo had come to realize a man who valued a woman’s mind and individual thinking was a rare thing indeed. Her mother—and Mr. Gladstone, as she’d recently discovered—took no stock in a woman’s education beyond how it would benefit their needs. But Mr. Price was certainly different—a polar opposite to Gladstone—and very much in line with her and Cart’s opinion on the matter.

  “I do not mean to interfere with your duties to your family.” Remorse spiked within her at her need to continue leading him on a merry chase for the information he sought. “Adeline, Lady Josephine, Lady Georgina, and I are attempting to collect enough money to help Miss Emmeline make the much-needed improvements at her school. There are many buildings in complete disrepair, and Headmistress finds herself without the funds necessary to patch the roofs or replace the fraying and broken furniture.”

  He looked at her doubtfully. “My sister, Adeline, the most selfish woman I’ve met—possibly in all of England—is potentially sacrificing her reputation and future to help another?” He chuckled. “I do not believe it. You continue to jest with me, Lady Theodora.”

  “Do not hear me wrong, Mr. Price,” Theo continued. “Miss Adeline greatly enjoys besting the most accomplished male archers, but her motives are pure and noble, I assure you.”

  His laugh grew louder, bouncing off the walls and growing in intensity as his cup rattled on his saucer. A drop of tea splashed over the rim and landed on the floor.

  Theo’s heart skipped a beat at the sound of his merriment, and she found herself fighting a smile despite the fact that his humor was at her expense.

  “You do not think Adeline can do something kind and generous?” To be certain, Theo would not have believed it several months ago. However, Adeline had been more than willing to aid her friends on their quest to help Miss Emmeline and their beloved school.

  “This is the same girl who caused two younger siblings to wear too-small shoes because she had to have a pair far more expensive than my father had the coin for. And she is so truly cunning, she convinced my father to allow it to happen.” He paused, stifling another chuckle. “Oh, and what about the time she stole all of Amelia’s, Arabella’s, and Adelaide’s school primers and threw them in the pond, thinking it would mean she’d be granted a day off from her studies?”

  Theo couldn’t help but laugh at the image his words brought to mind; it was exactly the Adeline she knew.

  “I think that was the final straw, the occurrence that convinced father that boarding school would benefit Adeline.” He paused, snatching a small sandwich from his plate and popping it into his mouth before continuing, speaking as he chewed. The sight should repulse her, but she found her eyes focusing on his mouth all the more. “While I was in favor of the idea then, I am unsure the coin spent on her education has benefited her in any way. She is as untamable and unwilling to listen as she was six years ago.”

  Theo swallowed past the knot in her throat and pulled her eyes back to his. “I can see how you may feel that way. Nevertheless, we are truly only seeking to help Miss Emmeline.”

  “Then why were you not set up to compete in Whitechapel?” he asked, noticing as she plucked an invisible spot of lint from her skirt. “Do not think I did not note you took Lady Georgina’s place in the tourney—which I might add was a clever decision. I have not seen her with a bow, though I doubt her skill rivals yours.”

  A blush crept up her cheeks at his blatant compliment. “Thank you, sir.” His offer of openness was refreshing. “I had not planned to complete, only instruct my friends on how to shoot with increased accuracy.”

  “But if your skill is unbeatable—and the main reason is to earn money—why would you hold yourself back and not compete?”

  He paid close attention as she pondered what information to share, how much of her personal interests she could divulge without fear he would laugh at her ambitions as he had Adeline. Alistair hadn’t meant to be cruel or belittle his sister, he was only unaware of the woman who lay beneath the child Adeline once was. Some days, even Theo wondered if the petty child had fully disappeared or was only hiding just below the surface.

  Much like others viewed Theo as a meek, pliable, proper young miss—prepared to take her place among the crop of new debutantes.

  “I had engagements that prevented me from entering the tourney,” Theo said, hoping he’d change the line of questioning and save her the task of explaining her passion for maps. “Speaking of previous engagements, I must depart soon to meet my brother at the museum—and I must change my dress and correct my hair before taking my leave.” Heat flooded her again at the mention of undressing. His eyes traveled the length of her, though it did not make
her feel the least bit uncomfortable; in fact, something inside her fluttered as if she’d swallowed a butterfly. His scrutiny was quite satisfying, indeed.

  Setting his tea aside, he slowly unfolded himself and stood. His sheer size filling the room, cocooning Theo in the aura of his presence. “Thank you, Lady Theo, I have enjoyed our discussion”—he glanced down at her, his gaze following the line of her neck to where her blouse covered her bosom, making her feel as if she’d already stripped her gown away and stood before, awaiting his approval—“immensely.”

  She released her breath with an audible whoosh, unaware that she hadn’t drawn air since he stood. “It wasn’t as if you gave me the opportunity to turn down your visit.”

  She smiled to cover her discomfort.

  Alistair’s hand shot to his heart. “You wound my pride, my lady.”

  “Certainly no more than being bested by a female on the archery field.” It was Theo’s turn to laugh.

  “Oh.” He bowed low before her. “Do not be so convinced my defeat wasn’t a planned loss.”

  She sucked in a breath. Could he have allowed her to win, thrown the competition in her favor? That was insulting.

  “You did not!” Theo narrowed her eyes. “I demand a rematch, Mr. Price.”

  He chuckled, straightening from his bow. “Name the time and place.”

  “Now,” she rushed. “I will collect my bow, and we will meet at Regent’s Park.”

  “That would be most agreeable if you hadn’t a previous engagement at the museum, and I did not have a hellion of a sibling to track down.” He moved toward the door as it opened to reveal Jude, Theo’s sister-in-law, ready to accompany her to the museum.

  The unsuspecting woman let out a yelp of surprise when she came face-to-face with Mr. Price. “Theo, I was unaware you had a visitor. I was coming to collect you. Cart is expecting us shortly.”

  “More’s the pity,” Alistair mumbled under his breath.