He yelped, stepping back, trying to escape the beast. But Mouse was not to be denied his greeting.
“I am so very sorry, Your Grace,” Katrina babbled, lunging for her dog’s collar. “He does like people, ever so much.”
“What the devil is it?” Ash managed while trying and failing to push the animal’s nose from his person.
“He’s my dog, Your Grace—er, Ash,” Katrina panted, finally managing to get ahold of the heavy leather collar and tugging with all her might—which, unfortunately, had about as much effect on the creature as a fly on a bull elephant.
“His name is Mouse,” Bronwyn added, joining Katrina in her attempts at pulling the dog back and at a safe distance from Ash.
“Mouse?” Ash asked incredulously as, finally, Bronwyn and Katrina succeeded in gaining control over the exuberant beast.
Katrina flushed bright pink and gave him a nervous smile. “He was the runt of the litter.”
“If he is the runt, I would hate to see what his siblings look like,” Ash muttered, tugging at his waistcoat.
Nelly and Eliza tore into the front hall just then, squabbling like peahens. Upon catching sight of their guardian, however, they skidded to a halt, their mouths snapping shut with audible clicks.
Bronwyn might not have thought anything of it—no doubt they were embarrassed at being caught going for each other’s throats—if Ash had not reacted to them in the same manner.
“Eliza, Nelly,” he said, his voice solemn. “Welcome home. I trust you behaved yourselves for Lady Tesh?”
“Yes, Ash,” Nelly responded, her typically cheerful voice devoid of inflection.
“Miss Denby,” Eliza said, ignoring her guardian entirely, “may we play with Mouse?”
“Oh! Er, actually, I must get back to Lady Tesh.”
But such reasoning had no effect on the girl. “I’m certain she wouldn’t mind you staying for a short time,” she wheedled.
“Eliza,” Ash growled. “Miss Denby has told you she cannot stay.”
The only indication that she had heard him was a slight roll of her eyes. “Or you could leave Mouse here,” she continued with an encouraging smile.
“Oh, yes,” Nelly chimed in, looking up from rubbing Mouse’s ears. “That would be great fun. We’d take such good care of him, we promise.”
“I don’t…that is, I’m not sure…”Katrina, looking as panicked as Bronwyn had ever seen her, cast a desperate glance her way.
“Actually, I have need of you girls this afternoon,” Bronwyn said to them. “Ash has managed to get ahold of my specimens and books and equipment, and I’ll require help unpacking and sorting them. Do you think you could assist me?”
“Specimens!” Nelly stepped back from the dog, seemingly forgetting the creature was even there as she bounced on her toes in excitement. “What kinds of specimens?”
“Insects, you ninny,” her sister scolded before turning to Bronwyn with an expression that was even more excited than Nelly’s. “We would love to help. We’ll go prepare ourselves right away.”
Giving Katrina and Mouse quick farewells, the two girls hurried up the stairs, their footsteps clattering like a herd of cattle as they each tried to outrace the other.
Bronwyn let out a breath of relief, then turned back to Ash and Katrina with a smile. But it froze on her face when she caught sight of her husband’s expression. He looked, quite literally, as if he were in physical pain.
“Ash, are you well?”
His features rearranged in a moment, leaving no trace of the former anguish. “Of course I’m well. I’ve just come to tell you I’ll be heading out and won’t return until this evening. I’ll see you at dinner. Miss Denby,” he murmured, bowing slightly. And then he was on his way, striding out the front door. And Bronwyn had never felt more confused.
But there was no reason for confusion, or hurt feelings, she reminded herself as she saw Katrina and Mouse on their way. The time they had spent together thus far had been a short tangent from the path their lives were to take, no matter how wonderful it had been. This was not a marriage based on affection.
Even so, she could not help but reflect on his reunion with Eliza and Nelly. They had all appeared painfully uncomfortable with one another, as if they were nothing more than strangers. Yet she knew, from her conversation with Ash at the Elven Pools two days ago, that he cared for the girls, perhaps much more than he comprehended. She also knew, from his actions yesterday, that he was capable of great kindness. Why, then, the cold greeting and the sudden change in mood?
But she was overthinking things. It had been an interaction of a mere moment. She could not base any conclusions she might have on so minor a conversation, if you could call it a conversation at all. She had more important things to tackle, such as the care of three girls, one of whom appeared resentful that she was there at all.
She looked up at Caulnedy’s brick facade and took a deep breath, feeling somehow as if she were about to cross some invisible line that she could not come back from. But she was no missish miss. Ignoring the shout that echoed through the house and the pale, angry face that peered at her from a second-story window—Regina’s room, she knew—she straightened her shoulders and strode inside.