Page 10 of The Rumpled Gentleman

Chapter

Ten

A s Sir George Airy, the esteemed Royal Astronomer, greeted Mr. Millstone with a warm handshake, Orion watched Elara’s father light up with an enthusiasm he hadn’t shown since they’d met. The two men immediately delved into a conversation about the celestial movements and their mystical correlation to apothecary arts. It was a sight that brought a faint smile to Orion’s lips. Seeing Mr. Millstone engaged and animated made for a stark contrast to his usual distracted demeanor.

Turning to Elara, Orion noticed a look of relief and contentment on her face as she watched her father. “Shall we take a stroll in the gardens while they’re conversing?” he suggested. “The flowers here are remarkable.”

Elara nodded, her eyes meeting his with a glimmer of gratitude. “I’d like that.”

He offered her his arm, and when her fingers settled at the crook of his elbow, he caught his breath at the unexpected jolt of pleasure it gave him. Something was happening here, between the two of them. Orion had felt the shift most clearly that morning, when they’d stood before the duke together and bluffed their way through the initial alchemical results. They were unified in purpose, yes. But there was something more than that at play.

As they walked towards the lush gardens of the Observatory, a sense of peace settled over him. The gardens were a tranquil oasis, a world away from the chaos and scheming of his father. Here, amidst the vibrant colors and fragrant blooms, he could momentarily forget the weight of his responsibilities and the complex web of deception in which he lived.

They meandered along the neatly trimmed paths, their steps in sync. Orion was acutely aware of Elara beside him, her presence a new and comforting one in the unpredictable storm of his life.

Elara took in the beauty of their surroundings. “It’s incredible here. So different from London’s streets. It feels like we’re in a different world.”

Their conversation flowed effortlessly as they discussed various plants and flowers, Elara sharing tidbits of knowledge and personal anecdotes that he found fascinating.

Orion found himself speaking of his mother. “She isn’t in the best of health. She is often tired, without reason that the doctors can find. She grows cold easily, so she keeps near our hearth at home. I take her to the theater as often as she wishes to go, though. She loves it there. I think, had she not had me to worry about, she would have been a great actress. Though she takes great pains to assure me that she would rather have me than her place in the spotlight.”

“She must love you very much.” Elara gave his arm a gentle squeeze. It was good of her, not to ask the probing questions that others did when they learned of his parentage.

Yet, despite her restraint, Orion found himself wanting to tell her more. To explain to her how he had come to be in his own predicament with the duke.

As they reached a secluded bench overlooking a pond, Orion gestured towards it. “Shall we sit for a moment?”

She agreed, and the two of them settled comfortably on the bench. For the first time since their arrival, her hand slipped off his arm as she adjusted the folds of her gown. Then she folded her hands in her lap and gifted him a peaceful expression that he hadn’t seen her wear before. That he’d brought her to a place where she could wear such a look gratified him immensely.

“I think my mother would like you,” he said at last, tilting his hand to one side. “After everything is over, once we’ve extracted ourselves from the duke’s hold, it would please me to introduce the two of you. If you wouldn’t mind that.”

She blinked at him. “Why ever would I mind? I would be honored to meet her. Truly.”

He chuckled, the sound dry even to his own ears, and looked down at the ground before them. “You know I am illegitimate. Legally claimed, but unable to inherit the duke’s title. My mother was only his mistress, a young actress pressured to accept his attentions. All while he was married to another. Not everyone is eager to form a connection with her. Or me.”

Elara stared at him, brow furrowed. “My father was an apothecary for most of my life. He met with all sorts of people, many of them looking for help in desperate circumstances as often as they wanted for potions of health. He raised us, his daughters, to never judge a person by their circumstances. We never knew what brought them to our shop. Instead, we must come to know a person by their character and then trust our instincts to guide us. Knowing you, seeing the sort of man you are, gives me reason to believe your mother is a wonderful person. That you speak so highly of her while you are obviously disgusted by the duke is a most excellent recommendation, too.”

She’d given him a gift, even if she didn’t know it, with her declaration of trust. He wished he knew how to thank her for it, too. Orion grappled with the desire to reach out, to hold her hand, to offer some physical reassurance of the bond that was undeniably forming between them.

Every day he’d spent hours in her company, and each time he’d left her side to see to his own work, he’d struggled to walk out the door. Even still, at work in his own cellar, his thoughts often strayed to Elara. Wondering what she did to occupy her evening hours. Hoping she remained safe. Wishing her rescue was already underway.

He’d not felt this way about anyone before.

“Elara, I want you to know that whatever happens, I’m committed to seeing this through with you. Not just because of the plan, but because I…” He paused, searching for the right words. “Because I care about you.”

Elara’s eyes locked with his, and in them, Orion saw a brief, bright look of hope. She looked down at her hands, twisting the ring she wore around her finger. “Thank you.”

For a moment, they sat in silence, the tranquility of the gardens enveloping them. The sun had dropped lower on the horizon. Soon, night would fall. It was time to take her back to the observatory. He rose from the bench and offered her his hand. “We had better find your father and Sir George.”

She slipped her hand into his, and Orion felt the tendrils of affection taken root in his heart wrapping tighter about him still. Elara likely didn’t even realize that each gesture, each word from her, strengthened the feelings he had for her.

He was quite certain he was falling in love.

They were allies in a quest neither had chosen, bound by circumstances that tested them at every turn. Yet, as the evening stars twinkled into view, Orion hoped their growing connection would bloom into something incredible.