The desire to kiss her had stampeded through him so fast he’d been forced to steady himself against a nearby chair for a moment. The awareness that she was no longer a child but well on her way to becoming a woman he might desire had prompted him to avoid her company since. She’d been too young and he’d been appalled by the need she’d instilled in every fiber of his being.
But she was older now and during the time they’d spent apart, he’d done a great deal of thinking. He had decided that if she showed an interest in him the next time they met, he’d ask for Andrew’s approval. This he’d obtained that morning after stopping by her shop, so the only thing that remained now was for him to make his intentions known to Kathy herself.
The main course ended and dessert was brought in. Mrs. Reynolds started talking about a friend of hers who’d recently mentioned plans of going to Bath in the spring.
“Perhaps we can go as well?” she asked her husband. “It would be a wonderful experience for the children.” The Reynoldses had two more besides Andrew and Kathy. Jeremy and Tatiana were thirteen and fifteen respectively, which was quite a bit younger than their older siblings.
“Oh yes,” Tatiana exclaimed with the enthusiasm of a young girl eager to try something new.
“I have been reading about ships lately,” Jeremy said, sending a conspiratorial glance to Tatiana. “Visiting the seaside could be very educational.”
“We shall see,” Mr. Reynolds told his family, but the smile on his lips indicated he was inclined to grant them their wish of a springtime sojourn.
Timothy ate the last of his pudding while wondering if he and Kathy might have formed an attachment by then. His chest tightened at the thought of it, at the possibilities and the hope that swept through him each time their eyes met. He wished he could escort her to the parlor once the meal was over, but the men were meant to stay behind in the dining room and enjoy their after dinner drinks while the ladies took tea separately.
“Are you all right?” Andrew discreetly asked him after a while when his father went to refill his glass at the side table.
Timothy sipped his port. “Quite.”
Andrew frowned. “You’ve been quiet all evening. Pensive.” His brow creased. “Are you wondering how to proceed with Kathy?”
“I’d advise you to be direct,” Mr. Reynolds said. Timothy turned to stare at his host. The older man snorted. “What? I might be getting on in years but I’m not blind or deaf. If my daughter will have you, I’ll be very pleased indeed.”
Bolstered by this knowledge, Timothy could scarcely reach the parlor fast enough. He tapped his foot and pretended interest in the political issues Andrew brought up next. Presently, the Ecuadorian War of Independence did not hold the same degree of importance to him as the woman he wanted to woo. But the discussion finally drew to a close as they each emptied their glasses and stood. Timothy tugged at his sleeves, suddenly nervous with what lay ahead.
His heart beat a frantic rhythm when he entered the parlor. The cravat he wore had somehow grown tighter than ever before and the wool of his trousers had started to itch. Spying a vacant spot on the sofa next to Kathy, Timothy moved toward her. She broke off her conversation with her mother and Tatiana and met his gaze when she sensed him approach.
A blush swept over her cheeks and Timothy’s heart stuttered. Her eyes conveyed the same degree of yearning he’d seen there before, three years earlier, when he’d been too afraid of what she was feeling and too aware of her youthfulness to pursue it.
“Do you still make up stories about other people?” he asked once he was comfortably seated beside her.
She smiled, her eyes wide with wonder. “You remember?”
“How could I forget when my own involved a carriage chase and a sword fight?”
Her smile curled upward, dimpling her rose–colored cheeks. “There were also pirates and treasure.”
“There were?”
She shrugged one shoulder and reached for her tea. Not looking at him, she said, “In the expanded version.” Her smile slipped from her face and was swiftly replaced by a frown. “You did not fare too well against the pirates, but you did survive, albeit with one toe missing.”
Timothy froze, his eyes fixed on Kathy’s jaw and the way it seemed to tighten. “You’ve been angry with me,” he murmured, so low no one else would hear.
Cradling her teacup between her hands, she stared into the light brown liquid. Her breaths came slowly, in complete contradiction with the rapid beat of her pulse at her neck. “No.”
She looked at him then, her eyes so clear he could feel her absorbing each line of his features. “I’ve been angry with myself. With you, I was merely disappointed.”
And that was somehow worse. He swallowed and shook off the frisson of fear taking hold of his body. “Because I left as suddenly as I did when I was last here?”
“You did not bid me farewell.”
He’d merely excused himself from her company, informed Andrew he felt unwell, and gone home to the rooms he’d rented near St. James. He’d remained there for a month before deciding to travel to Edinburgh. There, he’d used his education to make a decent living as a mathematics and physics professor at the university. To supplement his income, he’d offered advice on accounting and had even helped a few business owners improve their finances.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
Kathy pressed her lips together. “Andrew missed you.”
Timothy’s heart squeezed. He wanted to ask her if she had missed him too, but such a personal question deserved more privacy. As it was, Mr. Reynolds had just proposed a game of charades, and Tatiana was now dragging Timothy from his seat, insisting she would need him as a prop. He laughed, caught up in the warmth and closeness the family so generously let him be a part of.
When the hour grew late and he saw it was time to take his leave, he thanked his hosts for a wonderful evening. Glancing hesitantly at Kathy, he wondered how best to broach the subject of seeing her again without making a fuss.
And then Andrew said, “Kathy and I will walk you out.”
Kathy stared at her brother for a second. “But–”
“Come on,” Andrew said. “It won’t take more than a moment.”
“It would be well done of you,” Mr. Reynolds said, offering his support.
Kathy rose from her spot on the sofa as if her gown was made of lead. Her steps approaching the door where Timothy stood were like those of a prisoner headed straight for the gallows. Timothy’s heart sank. Perhaps he’d been wrong to suppose he could come back now and expect her to still harbor feelings for him. It had been three years after all. Most likely, her girlish fancy had faded. There was even the chance she’d found someone else to give her affection to.
Still, he opened the door wide and gestured for her to step through it. He then gave the rest of her family one last wave before following her out together with Andrew. The parlor door closed behind them to keep the heat in, alerting Timothy to the chill in the hallway.
“I just need to fetch something from Father’s study,” Andrew said. “Won’t take more than a moment. You two go right ahead.” He hurried away before either Kathy or Timothy could stop him.