Anew (Disappeared #3)

10

In the interest of prolonging their walk as long as possible (and also maintaining some privacy), Xochitl suggested they take a little-known path that wound toward the village. It meandered over the green fields, through wooden gates in the low stone pasture walls, past creeks, and around thickets of trees.

It was just like the old, early days — the blissful days — when they could walk through the Nextic forest without worrying about being seen together. Cecilia had, of course, declined to come so they were perfectly alone. At last.

Ahuil and Theodosia dawdled behind the others. He took her hand, sending an electric shock up her arm.

"Just for a moment," he said softly, his golden eyes on her face. "I've been waiting the entire day — the entire week — to touch you again."

Her cheeks went hot. She had hardly touched him since they had arrived in England. Usually it seemed entirely beyond reach. Now she felt the same as she had at the picnic — that her world, as she knew it, was receding and letting them live their lives together again. Anything was possible.

Xochitl gave them both a mischievous smile and pulled Yoltzin ahead to give them some private time. Yoltzin protested, claiming she had many questions for Theodosia about Louisa and what it was like to be a lady.

Ahuil's thumb caressed her palm. "You look so beautiful. I could hardly keep my eyes off you in church," he said. "I had to restrain myself from just getting up and sitting with you, damn the consequences."

"I could feel you looking at me." She blushed again. "I hope you're being careful."

He gave her a lop-sided grin. "I'm trying my best. Believe me, I wasn't staring at you the entire time. I couldn't — Yoltzin kept tugging at my coat and asking a million questions."

Theodosia laughed. "I'm sure she did."

He squeezed her hand and pulled her a little closer. "How are you? We haven't been able to speak since the picnic."

"I thought you were avoiding me."

"Avoiding you? No, no. I'm trying to be discreet. Theo, sometimes the urge to touch you is so strong I have to go downstairs and lock myself in my room — yes, actually lock myself in — for fear I'm going to do something unseemly. Dinner is the hardest. When I'm at your side I can't even look at you for fear I might just kiss you in front of everyone."

She looked up at him through tears. "I'm so happy you are're not avoiding me. It's so hard, not being able to speak to you. I'm always trying to guess what you are're thinking. And you know how my mind works — I fret and think the worst."

Ahuil stopped and wrapped his arms around her. She allowed herself to finally melt into his embrace. She realized how much she missed being close to him — the solidity of him, his smell, his warmth.

"How I've missed you," she murmured. "My love."

Ahuil cupped her face and kissed the tears that slid down her cheek. "Theo..."

There was Aa piercing whistle made them both jumpup ahead. "Someone must be coming," he whispered, looking down the path. He planted a burning kiss on her lips and looked her intensely in the eyes. "Dearest, will you see me tonight? I know we can't be rash. But somehow, somehow can you see me? Even just for a few minutes."

"Yes, yes. I'll find a way."

He kissed her deeply again and then disappeared melted effortlessly into the woods. A mere second later, a couple and their four children rounded the path. Theodosia She greeted them solemnly and then rushed ahead to catch up with Xochitl and Yoltzin.

The former caught her hands eagerlyurgently. "Did they see you? I was distracted and didn't spot them until the last minute."

"Ahuil ducked into the trees just in time." Theodosia took a deep breath. "Now we shall continue our walk together, as the vicar, my father, and God intended." She tucked her arm through her friend's. "You look so lovely, Xochitl. Navy blue suits you."

Xochitl rolled her eyes. "Thanks but I'd rather be comfortable. How am I supposed to hunt in this thing? Oh right, women aren't supposed to hunt here. I'll have a hankering for a venison stew and be half out the door before I realize I have to wait for some man to get the deer for me."

"You're too funny, Xochi. You don't realize how shocking you sound, which is the best part."

"No, I fully realize it now. Keeping my mouth shut is a full-time job. I'm relieved when it i's just Yoltzi and I because I can speak without being told I'm wicked or some nonsense."

"I would'd never tell you that. You are're my hero," Theodosia said, squeezing her friend's arm.

"Thee, when can I play with Louisa?" Yoltzin asked as she skipped ahead of them. "She looks like a plant that's been inside too long — all droopy and pale. Anne and Mary and I play dolls by the river and we have ever so many adventures."

Theodosia smiled at her. "I will'll arrange it somehow, pet." She turned back to Xochitl. "But tell me really — how are you?"

Her friend smiled in a way that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'm fine, Theo. Actually, I'm more worried about you and Ahuil than anything else. He comes to the village as often as he can — which, by the way, how strange is it that we have to pretend to be cousins? Anyway, he tells me how you're practically a prisoner in that house. I so hate to think of you trapped in there."

"Better a prisoner than being shipped off to be someone's wife," Theodosia said. She opened a little wooden gate and they passed out of the forest into a pasture of sheep. "I know that my father is's waiting to make sure nothing about my disappearance becomes public knowledge. As soon as he is 's sure there's no potential for scandal I will'll be in London, decorated like a peacock and trotted in front of endless bachelors."

Xochitl grimaced. "Oh dear. What are you going to do about Ahuil?"

"I don't know." She paused. "He asked to meet me tonight. Xochi, I'm afraid of myself. To see him is to want to be near him. I'm not sure how long I can continue this pretense farce — that I don't love him, that he is's nothing to me but a servant."

Xochitl took a deep breath. "Then we should start making another plan," she said matter-of-factly. "We can go away somewhere. What about America? Or France?"

Her pulse quickened as she thought of leaving her family, especially Louisa.striking out on her own. "Let me think about it. But you're right. Plans must be made. I was a fool to think we could all live in Helenshire together happily ever after."

Xochitl leaned against her friend gently. "We were all in shock after what happened in my world," she said in a low voice. "The only thing we could think of was safety. This was the best option for us. But it won't always be so."

Theodosia nodded and looked away over the endless hills of Helenshire, and far beyond into the hazy distance. Even though she had traveled to another world to be with Ahuil, somehow traveling within her own world made her sick to her stomach. Without connections, family, or money, Theodosia suspected her world would prove very difficult indeed.