Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 116547 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 583(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116547 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 583(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
“Are you not?”
She frowned. “It would be normal to do so, would it not? After all, everyone here seems quite entertained.”
“Not everyone,” I said.
She glanced around. “Who else is not?”
“Me.”
“You?”
I nodded, looking to the monkeys as they too called out. “These poor creatures, plucked from their vast forests and nature, stuffed into cages for our amusement. It is rather sad. I must admit I did not think of it when I decided to attend. It was only upon seeing their—”
“Their eyes,” she finished for me, and once more my attention was on her. “They are not happy, you see it too.”
I nodded, not sure why I was smiling. “Yes, I do, but apparently many others do not. They are far too transfixed by the wonder of them existing at all.”
“That is because none of them know what it is to be in a cage,” she muttered.
“I beg your pardon?” I was not sure of her meaning.
Her eyebrows furrowed as she glanced back up at me. “Are you truly as kindhearted as you seem, Dr. Darrington?”
“I do not think myself a vicious person, but I do not pretend to be angelic either.”
“So you are so kindhearted. For only those kind in nature deny being called such.”
“I am not sure of that logic, my lady.” I smiled. “For the cruel will deny being cruel as well. I believe it is best to judge a person by their words and actions.”
“What words or actions of mine have led you to judge me as a person worthy of your affection?” She questioned so calmly, yet all of me shattered into chaos.
I stared back at her. Each time I met her, she stripped me of all reason and ability. I swear I was quite intelligent, but never could I show it beside her. I merely became a fool.
“You have no response? Am I to take it you were struck utterly by my appearance?” she questioned, her head tilted to the side.
“We ought to keep pace,” I said, seeing the gap between ourselves and our party growing and taking a small step forward. When she joined me, I focused on the cobblestones at my feet. “I will not deny that when I first made your acquaintance it was your appearance that so utterly awed me.”
“Is that why you slammed a door in my face?”
“I did no such thing.”
“Well, it was not a slam, but it was very…abrupt…and in my face.”
I recalled that moment before I’d had to tend to her brother. And it was true I was abrupt. “Forgive me, I…I did not know what else to do then but run.”
She giggled, and glanced up at me. “Are you always so honest?”
“About myself? No. I’m rather guarded and temperamental so others will leave me be. But…”
“But?”
“Papa, can we see the birds?” the second-youngest Du Bell girl, the one with blonde hair, Devana, called out as she pointed to the aviary.
“You wish to come all this way for birds?” The youngest girl, Abena, frowned. “There are birds in England. I wish to see the other animals.”
“You both have come to an impasse, what are we to do?” the marquess asked, glancing between them.
“We call a vote,” said Devana.
“We can be kind and listen to the youngest.” Abena grinned, causing her papa and mama to laugh and her siblings to grumble.
“She abuses her status as the youngest far too often, Mama.” Hathor shook her head beside Henry and Miss Parwens. “She is spoiled.”
“As were you at her age,” her mama replied, and then glanced to where Verity and I were standing, looking between us. I felt an urge to take a step away immediately, unsure of what she thought.
“Verity, my dear, what would you like to see? You are our guest and thus you choose.”
They all looked back to her, and she glanced around at the cages before looking over at the aviary. I watched as she took in the sheer size of it and the birds that flew around at the top.
“I do believe I would prefer to see the birds as well,” she said gently.
“The birds it is then.” The marquess nodded, taking his youngest daughter’s hand as her face fell but she walked on.
I waited for us all to begin again before speaking to her. “Did you choose birds because their cage is biggest, thus it will feel least like a cage?”
“Was it that obvious?”
“Maybe to me alone,” I replied, and then remembered another thing that lured me to her every other time I had set eyes on her. “And if I was correct, I do have another question.”
“Yes?”
“Oftentimes at balls or when I arrived at your home or at dinner, I noticed you looking toward the entrance. At first, I thought you were waiting for someone. But could it be you were looking to escape?”