“I can’t this time, James … I just can’t,” she answered and felt the heat enter her cheeks.
“Damnation, boy!” James was on his feet and rushing towards the pond. “Don’t go on those rocks!”
Too late. Felix’s foot had already slipped on the slimy surface, causing him to do a split between two rocks. He released a yell of some proportions, lost his balance, and went bodily into the pond.
A great deal of commotion ensued because of this mishap, and for some hours afterwards Felix’s escapade was the butt of much joking. Cherry’s blues were set aside for a time, but only for a time.
* * *
The next morning brought James boldly into the breakfast parlor. He was heartily greeted by all and told to join them at the table. He declined, advising them that he had been up for hours, breakfasted earlier, and was now ready for a tour of Bromley lands.
Freddy jumped up immediately. As of late, it had been evident that he had taken on a new sense of responsibility, and this excursion was just what he needed to lighten his mood. He had remarked to Cherry more than once that her friend James was a top sawyer Corinthian.
“Right you are!” Freddy agreed, going towards the doors.
Cherry laughed as she waved them off. Her depression once again descended, but time was limited, and she hadn’t enough to spare for that. She had the twins and their lessons to attend to for the remainder of the morning, but although she went through the motions, it was not with her usual enthusiasm.
It was nearly noon as she ushered the twins into the dining room for a meal of cold collation. They took to munching, but Cherry only picked at her food.
Francine watched her and said, “What you need, Miss Cherry, is a visit to see the baby ducks. We were there first thing this morning when you were busy with something or other, and they are so adorable.”
Cherry smiled indulgently and agreed to it when the dining room door opened and both James and Freddy strode boisterously inside.
“Well,” Cherry said, laughing, “don’t you both look … er … healthy.” She eyed them up and down, for both young men looked a bit disheveled.
“We raced, you see,” Freddy explained, going to the sideboard table for a plate.
“Did you?” Cherry sensed more to the story.
“For the … love of a woman,” James put in with a hand to his heart.
“Never say so,” Cherry returned on a giggle.
“Indeed. Said she would have the winner, and she did!” James chuckled.
Freddy blushed brightly, and Cherry looked into his eyes and said, “And there, Freddy, you swore me love to your last breath or some such nonsense, not so very long ago. Men … such fickle beings.” Laughter was in her eyes and at the corners of her mouth.
“Yes, well, it wasn’t my fault, and I didn’t win her. James won her.”
“James … et tu, Brute?”
“No, no. I won her, but I gave her to Freddy.” He was grinning broadly. “Ain’t in the petticoat line, as you well know. Besides, she wasn’t in my style …”
“Freddy?” Cherry teased unmercifully. “What have you done?” She now put a hand to her heart. “You are a dreadful heartbreaker …”
“One doesn’t kiss and tell, Cherry—you know that,” James stuck in.
Freddy threatened him with a fork, and much jesting followed, so that no one noticed as a tall, striking man entered the dining room to survey the scene.
Felix was the first to exclaim, “Sky—well met, brother!”
Cherry almost gasped as she turned around and found his dark blue eyes all over her. She did in fact stop breathing for a moment. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed James, who looked from her to his lordship with a puzzled frown.
James moved to Cherry’s side. “Don’t worry, girl, I’m here,” he offered in way of protection.
She turned and looked up at him doubtfully. What could he mean? He further confused her by adding, “I had no idea, Cherry, that Lord Westbrooke was somehow connected to Bromley … no idea at all.”
“Why should that matter?” she asked in an aside and a whisper. She noted Sky was looking from her to James with a growing dark expression. What was happening here?