He chuckled at her theory. “There’s not much left to steal here, to be honest. It all looks beautiful at first glance, but everything you see in this house is old and worn out, much like the owner himself.”
“You’re not old,” she reminded him.
“Just worn out?” he asked, unable to resist teasing her.
“No,” she replied, her eyes widening in shock at the possibility that she might have offended him without meaning to. “That’s not what I meant at all. I just… meant, you’re not old and, of course, logically, you cannot be worn out, either.”
He liked seeing her confused and blushing. It made her all the more beautiful. But he wisely kept that conclusion to himself.
“Actually, the two aren’t mutually exclusive,” he revealed. “But someone as sweet and naïve as you couldn’t possibly know much about that.”
From the look on her face, he realized that he had crossed the line. He had, without meaning to, offended her. She tried to get up, but she was too weak, so he rushed to help her, but she lifted her arm at him to refuse his help.
“I’m fine,” she told him. “Also, someone’s age doesn’t keep him immune to the harshness of life.”
He thought she would offer some explanation, some glimpse into who she was, but she didn’t, much to his disappointment.
“That is true,” he agreed. “That is why we need to be kind to one another when life refuses to be. Will you accept my offer, Rose?”
Her face softened as she gazed at him, her long eyelashes blinking quickly as if to ward off sleep and drowsiness.
“May I think about it first?” she asked. “I would like to discuss it with my aunt and brother first.” Her eyes widened in shock uponmentioning them. “Oh, they must be dreadfully worried about me! I must go home immediately!”
“No, no, absolutely not,” he shook his head. “I insist that you stay the night, since it is already late. By the time you head back, it will be dark. I cannot, in good conscience, let you leave, Rose, especially not in your state.”
“Oh, no, I cannot stay,” she tried to refuse his offer. “I do appreciate it, but I simply cannot. My aunt and brother, they will—”
“Be notified immediately of your stay here,” he interrupted her. “I shall send word at once.”
“I really should get going,” she said, endeavoring to get up again, but she fell back into the chaise lounge, obviously still feeling lightheaded.
“I really think you should stay, for your own good,” he reminded her. “A good night’s rest will do you good.”
He could see that she was fighting herself, deciding what would be the best course of action. But eventually, she came to the same conclusion as he did.
“Will you send word to my family, so they don’t worry about me?” she asked again.
“Of course,” he nodded. “Would you like to write them a letter yourself?”
“Oh no, no,” she shook her head. “Just sending someone over with news of my whereabouts would be enough.”
“As you wish,” he nodded, locking his hands behind his back. “My steward, Mr. Hancock, will make all the arrangements.”
“Thank you,” she said. “I shall leave first thing in the morning. I don’t want to be a burden to you any more than I already have.”
“You have not been a burden at all,” he reassured her.
The truth was that he welcomed the little adventure that had befallen him, although he still couldn’t tell where all that would lead him.
“I was happy to help,” he replied.
“Thank you,” she smiled, then she looked surprised. “I don’t think I’ve said that yet.”
“You haven’t,” he smiled. He couldn’t believe that, for one precious moment during this conversation, he was able to forgetall about his scars and talk to her as if he were a normal person, and not the monster they deemed him to be.
“I… I’m really grateful for what you’ve done,” she added. “If you hadn’t found me…”
“Your aunt and brother would have,” he finished her sentence in a hopeful manner, although both of them knew that was possible, although not probable. The boar problems were indeed becoming greater and greater, and he hated knowing that she was wandering the woods on her own. He wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if something happened to her.
