Chapter Text
Theo
Six.
The Thwarte greenhouse did not suffer from the gloomy and neglected atmosphere that seemed to permeate the rest of the estate. Bright sunlight streamed through the glass, giving Theo and the others a well-lit area to create an effigy of Guy Fawkes to burn.
Almost everyone had shown up to do this project. Guy, of course, was showing Jean to her room (and Theo hoped that Guy would heed his not-so-subtle hints and take that time to become acquainted with her, at least). Conchita and Honoria had begged off, citing they still needed to unpack. Richard wandered off soon after they started – to go find Conchita, Theo assumed. That only left one person unaccounted for.
“Where’s Lizzy?” he asked the group. The others looked up and around in confusion, as though they assumed Lizzy had been hiding amongst the plants the entire time.
“Oh,” said Jinny. “She’s probably still in the kitchen cleaning up. We were making marshmallow.”
“What’s a marshmallow?” Miles asked.
Jinny opened her mouth to answer, but Seadown beat her to it. “It’s apparently a sugary concoction that’s meant to be roasted over a fire.” Theo thought he detected a hint of derision in the other man’s tone, but he wasn’t sure.
“That’s right,” Jinny confirmed with an awkward smile.
Seadown continued. “So, if you were looking forward to having the traditional treacle toffee tonight, you will unfortunately be disappointed.” He turned imperiously towards Jinny. “There is a reason certain things become tradition, wouldn’t you say? It’s inadvisable to shake things up.”
There was no misinterpreting his tone this time. An awkward silence descended on the group. Jinny looked down at the table, her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. Nan openly glared at her brother-in-law.
Theo cleared his throat. “It sounds delicious,” he assured Jinny.
She nodded jerkily, eyes wide. “It is, don’t worry.”
Miles added, “Yeah, and maybe we can start a new tradition of roasting something other than this.” He brandished the dummy’s head, already stuffed full of straw. The others quietly chuckled.
Seadown smiled stiffly. “Of course.”
“Well,” Mabel cut in with a dry tone. “Lizzy and the others are truly missing out on all the fun of stuffing –“ she turned to Miles. “What’s his name again?”
“Guy Fawkes.”
“Right.”
The group fell silent once more, and though this time it was no longer fraught with tension, the memory of it lingered just beneath the surface. Theo surreptitiously glanced at Seadown and Jinny. She was helping him stuff the dummy’s arm; neither of them gave any indication that they were upset with each other. Maybe what just happened was a fluke and not a regular occurrence.
He sighed and looked back towards the house. He almost wished he did what Nan goaded him to do earlier and gone to the kitchen. Washing dishes with Lizzy seemed preferable at the moment. Almost. He grabbed a fistful of straw.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Mabel pick up the stuffed head and consider it.
“So, just to be clear, this Guy invented bonfires?”
~*~
Seven.
Pounding footsteps and his own staccato breaths were all Theo could hear as he jogged through the maze. He checked behind him. Miles was still following. Damn. He needed to think quickly – left or right. Left. He continued on and made a few more random turns before glancing over his shoulder once more. No Miles. Finally – he was alone. He slowed to a stop and took in his surroundings.
For anyone else, it was a non-discerning, overgrown hedgerow, but not to Theo. He could traverse this maze in his sleep if he wanted to. He knew exactly where he was. He walked until the path diverged into three. If he took the middle path, the center of the maze was almost a straight shot. But he didn’t move forward. Did he want to go to the center? Was it even worth it to win the game this year? He’s lost count of how many times he’s won before – it was at least over ten. But those were happier times – when the Thwarte estate would be crawling with people…when the air was sweet with music and laughter.
When Guy’s mother wasn’t ill.
He turned away from the fork and walked back to where he was, heaved a sigh, and plopped to the ground. He leaned back against the hedge, not minding that the leaves and branches poked and prodded at him. The mild discomfort was a good distraction as he willed his mind to clear. It was an easier thing to do when he had a canvas in front of him or if he was swimming in the Celtic Sea, but he was not deterred. He closed his eyes and focused on slowing his breaths, and soon enough his racing thoughts and now-bittersweet memories ceased.
Hushed voices snapped Theo of his self-imposed trance. He opened his eyes and strained his ears – it was coming from behind him…through the hedge. He should ignore them; his mother once told him, “It is rude and unbecoming of a duke to eavesdrop.” But he was bored and curious. And what Mother doesn’t know won’t hurt her, he thought. As he craned his head and peered through the foliage, the first thing he registered was the color red. It was Lizzy – her scarlet plaid dress standing out like a beacon against the wall of greenery. Her companion was clad in a more muted umber – Jinny, then.
“I don’t think this is a good idea,” he heard Jinny whisper.
“It’ll be fine. I’ll handle it.”
“But what if – ?”
Lizzy held her hand out. “Handkerchief?” Jinny sighed, but gave her the requested item. Lizzy gathered the white cloth daintily between her fingers and waved it above her head for a few moments. Theo frowned in bewilderment.
“Do you think he saw that?” Jinny asked.
“One way to find out,” Lizzy replied. She looked down the path and bit her lip, internally debating something. She turned back to Jinny. “Just stay here. I’ll be back in a moment.” She didn’t wait for a response as she set off down the path and out of Theo’s line of sight.
Well, that was bizarre…and underwhelming, Theo mused. He settled back against the hedge. He wondered what that was with the handkerchief, who did they want to see it, and why Jinny was so worried. Maybe he’ll get some answers whenever Lizzy returned from her task. He absentmindedly began to fiddle with the signet ring on his right hand as he waited.
Not too much time had passed before Theo heard approaching footsteps. Only they sounded much louder than he expected. He looked to his right, and sure enough, Lizzy was heading his way. She was looking behind her as she walked, her dark curls cascading down her shoulder. When she faced forward, she stopped short at the sight of his reclined form. “Oh. Hello.”
Theo rushed to stand, feeling his ears burn from his mortification. “Hello,” he replied.
Lizzy’s lips curved upward in a small amused smile as she watched him brush leaves off his shoulders. “Are you…lost?” He scoffed.
“Not in the least. I know this maze in and out. I’ve won this game before, so I thought I would take my time this year.” He noticed that she looked like she was holding back laughter. “What is it?”
“Sorry, it’s just.” She raised her hand and took a hesitant step towards him. “Do you mind if I?... There is a leaf –“ She gestured toward his head.
“Oh.” Theo let out an embarrassed chuckle. He felt his blush return with a vengeance, the heat creeping from his ears to his cheeks.
As Lizzy closed the distance between them, he found himself bending his head forward to allow her better access. His eyes were trained on her features as she focused on her task. She bit her lip in concentration. He felt her fingers lightly comb through his hair. A slight shiver ran down his spine. “Sorry,” Lizzy muttered apologetically, her dark eyes meeting his briefly before returning to his hair. “There. Got it.” Theo straightened while Lizzy stepped back to a polite distance. She twirled the offending object between her thumb and index finger before letting it flutter to the ground to join the other discarded leaves.
“Thank you,” he told her with a bashful smile. “Now I won’t be looking like a wood nymph.” Lizzy giggled, which pleased Theo. A flash of pale yellow drew his eyes away from her smile. “Seadown.” Lizzy whipped around in surprise.
“Your Grace.” Seadown stood a ways away from Theo and Lizzy, cutting an imposing figure in his black coat. For some reason, his pale eyes were trained on Lizzy. Theo didn’t like the expression on his face.
“Is everything all right?” Theo finally asked when it became apparent Seadown wasn’t going to continue on his way.
Seadown finally blinked and cut his eyes to Theo. “Quite. I was just looking for my wife.” He returned to glaring at Lizzy. Theo frowned as he looked between the two. He now had a pretty good guess at what Lizzy and Jinny’s conversation was about. He couldn’t see Lizzy’s face as she was standing in front of him, but her stillness reminded him of prey that was in the sights of a predator.
“I’m sure she’s trying to find the center just like everyone else,” he lied to Seadown, a clear warning in his voice. He stepped forward until he was right at Lizzy’s shoulder. He wondered if Jinny could hear them from the next hedgerow.
Seadown smirked. “You’re right, of course. I’ll be on my way, then.” With one last icy gaze in Lizzy’s direction, he turned and slinked back the way he came.
Theo lightly touched Lizzy’s arm. “Are you all right?” he asked.
She gave him a grateful smile. “Yes. Seadown is just upset that I’ve foiled his plans of sneaking off with Jinny.”
Theo nodded and looked down the path Seadown disappeared to. He recalled what happened earlier in the greenhouse between the married couple. “Ah, I see.”
“It’s just that –“ Lizzy began. He turned back to her. “Mabel and I will be going back to New York soon, and Jinny’s my best friend, and I never get to see her –“
“You don’t have to explain,” he assured her.
“Right,” she whispered. Her eyes scanned their surroundings before they landed back on Theo, considering. “You say you know this maze?”
He frowned. “Yes. Why?”
“Do you know the nearest way out?”
He understood now. He grinned. “Yes.” He led her down the path until they reached the fork. “Take the path on the right. And keep right until you find the exit.” Now it was Theo’s turn to consider Lizzy. Would he be overstepping if he asked what he wanted to? He decided to chance it. “You’ll get Jinny from the next hedgerow over and take her with you?”
She widened her eyes. “How did you – ?”
“I couldn’t help but overhear you two,” he admitted. “Sorry,” he added sheepishly.
Lizzy looked at him stunned. “So you knew where Jinny really was when you told Seadown – ?”
“Yes.”
She crossed her arms. “You know…I should be angry at you for eavesdropping.” She tried to look at him sternly, but her upturned mouth gave away her amusement. “But since you’ve helped, I’ll let it slide this one time.” Before he could reply, she added, “And to answer your earlier question – yes…if I can convince her.”
Theo simply nodded. “Good. I’ll let you leave to get her, then.”
He watched Lizzy as she started down the path that would take her back to Jinny. When she was once again out of his sight, he turned back to the fork, deliberating. He entered the center path. He had a game to win.