“Forgive me, for intruding, Mr Tulk, Miss Skeffington,” he told them with a low bow. “But I was just leaving and wished to say farewell to you both before I depart.”
Though he continued to talk to them both, his gaze was locked upon Alice. She could not move a muscle, not even her jaw in order to respond. And she was grateful for the way Mr Tulk stepped in to intervene.
“It has been a pleasure getting to know you better this week, Lord Warrington,” Mr Tulk stated, offering the man his hand. Lord Warrington’s gaze did not leave Alice’s. He barely seemed to notice Mr Tulk’s hand, only looking away to shake it when Alice finally managed to blink.
“Indeed, Mr Tulk,” Lord Warrington replied with a smile though Alice noticed how strained it was. Mr Tulk seemed not to, returning the smile in his most friendly and charming manner.
Releasing his hand, Lord Warrington turned his full attention back on Alice. She would have much preferred if he had merely bowed once more and disappeared into the crowd. It would have been a much less painful farewell. Yet dragging it out like this was so painful that Alice barely managed to stop herself from objecting to it openly.
“I do hope that your journey home is a pleasant and safe one, Miss Skeffington,” Lord Warrington said, offering her his hand. Alice’s skin tingled and her eyes threatened to fill with tears, but she placed her palm in his, her entire body trembling when he leaned down to press his lips firmly to her knuckles.
“And I you, Lord Warrington,” she responded, her hand lingering in his long after he had straightened up. Alice was certain Mr Tulk could sense the tension between them and yet she could not look away from Lord Warrington’s striking green gaze. A lump formed in her throat, threatening to choke her.
“Alice! There you are!” her mother’s shrill voice brought Alice back to the present, forcing all the memories she shared with Lord Warrington back into the depths of her mind, where they belonged. “Our carriage is ready. We ought to be on our way before the rain begins again.”
Alice was more than a little relieved for her mother’s interruption. She could tell from the lady’s tone and the bounce in her step that she was eager to be on her way, back to her husband, before something else went wrong.
“Of course, Mother, I was merely saying my farewells,” she explained, gesturing to Mr Tulk and Lord Warrington.
“Yes, oh, of course,” her mother said, her gaze flitting from one man to the other before she curtseyed and added, “Forgive my eagerness, gentlemen, I admit I am feeling quite homesick.”
“No need to explain yourself, Lady Skeffington,” Lord Warrington was the first to respond. His voice continued to be like music to Alice’s ears and she had to stifle the quivering desire it caused deep inside her.
“Thank you, Lord Warrington.” Lady Skeffington bowed her head again and then turned to her daughter. “Come, we should be on our way before anything else can go wrong.”
“Goodbye, gentlemen.” Alice smiled to Mr Tulk and Lord Warrington, curtseying and holding her breath to prepare herself for walking away. It felt as though it was one of the hardest things she had ever had to do. Even as she said her farewells to Owen and Nancy, hugging her friend tightly and thanking her for a fine week, Alice felt her heart breaking all over again.
By the time they made it into the carriage and the vehicle began to move, Alice could no longer hold in her emotions. Tears began to stream down her face, unbidden and unending.
To her mother’s credit, she did not question her. Instead, she moved from the bench opposite to sit beside her daughter. Taking her into her arms as though she was a child once more, Lady Skeffington hushed her gently and stroked her head to soothe her as she cried.
For the first time in months, Alice felt close to her mother, and it did nothing to help, only making her cry and sob more. Yet it appeared to be exactly what she needed because for the first time in a little over a week, she finally felt relief.