Between the Pages and Lines

Chapter 6: Introductions Redo

---Travis---

"Is she alright?" Earnest asked, looking at Travis with concern as he carried Evelyn out of the ballroom. "There is a fainting couch in the library two doors down. Though I never have made the use of it for fainting."

"I am sure she is fine," Travis answered, trying to keep his voice as steady as he could. There was no use worrying his friend. "After such a long journey, I am sure all that is required is a breath of air and a nice cup of tea."

"Oh yes of course," Earnest called to a maid standing near the library door as they approached. "Go and fetch a cup of herbal tea for my guest she has fainted and in need of something to sip on."

"Right away your grace," the maid answered, giving a quick curtsy before hurrying toward the kitchen.

The library doors were opened and Travis went to lay Evelyn down on the couch near the fireplace. He propped her up and brushed her hair out of her face. Her features looked lovely in the pale light of the moon.

"Shall I get a fire started M'Lord?" A voice asked from the shadows.

Travis looked up to see a servant looking curiously at them while holding a book in his hand. It would seem they had thought now a good time as any to arrange the books and add the new purchases.

"No," Travis said. "I am sure that we will not occupy the room very long. A quick breath and some tea and a retirement to her room is all she will need I am sure."

The valet nodded his head before resuming his arrangements of the books leaning close to the bindings in order to read the titles.

"What on earth happened do you think," Earnest wondered aloud as he stood nearby looking at Travis.

"Well what can one expect would happen when being introduced to the Duke of Wellington? My cousin did speak of you as almost a deity in her mind upon her arrival. It seems like your reputation precedes you, and it is all good things indeed." Travis laughed trying his best to fill the silence with humor. "Why I myself was saved this fate meeting you for the first time because we were but young boys at the time. Not a title among us whilst running about in the maze and through the forests."

"Ah yes," Earnest murmured, his eyes seeming to soften at the old memories of his youth. "We were thick as thieves, not all the butlers in the world could keep us from soiling our clothes with our rough play outdoors. Oh my mother's deep sighs at the sight of us. I can still hear them even now echoing through the house at times. What great disappointments we were."

"Yes," Travis agreed, his eyes still on Evelyn looking for any sign of movement on her part. "We still seem to be getting into our own sorts of trouble even now. I dare say I wouldn't be surprised if your mother is still sighing from her grave at some of the antics that we seem to participate in even now as respected adults."

"The world would be a sorrowful place if we didn't find something to amuse my ancestors, acquaintances and even my own staff with," Earnest exclaimed with a laugh. "No matter what gastly thing you hear from them. They sure do love to work here if not to just be a part of a great mess that was caused by us every so often."

Travis smiled at his friend. They had known each other since childhood and gotten themselves into many wild situations. He turned to look at Evelyn again. For some reason he didn't want to tell Earnest about her though. The truth about her mind being ill. Her status of not being his cousin, but a stranger that he felt some strange connection to. He couldn't explain even to himself. Since the moment he walked into his chambers and found her in his clothes hiding. He had felt a strange pull in her direction. As if they were destined to meet.