XV

Morning Suite

Eggs…

Lin turned over, squinting against the sun that flooded into the room. Some smell brought her stomach to growl again. She sat upright when she realized she was in a most unfamiliar place. A steaming tray of an English breakfast sat upon a small table in the sun. Unfolding the blanket from her legs, she carefully stepped to the floor, staring cautiously at the tray. She wet her lips, looking around the empty room before she finally closed in on the meal and set to devour it.

After digesting and feeling much more alert, Lin took up the toast and moved toward the window. Gardeners worked diligently on their flowers in the garden while beyond that, in a courtyard mingled several figures all dressed in pale and flowery colors. His guests, she assumed…

Downing the last of the tea, he cringed somewhat. It wasn't Chinese tea, but it was eatable. She wiped her mouth upon her sleeve and looked around the room again. A small note beside the place where she slept caught her eye. She practically ran to snatch it up, turning it over as she carefully read the English letters.

'You broke into my study and fell asleep before I could speak with you. I hope this brings you up to health so we might come to some sort of agreement. Please stay hidden in the room until I come for you by nightfall. – My only request.'

Holding her breath, she set the paper down to the nightstand again and looked around the empty room…wondering what she would do with the extra hours alone.

"I say, does that Mrs. Lindon have any more of those scrumptious tarts?" Gilroy asked, squinting against the blinding white of his own suit in the sunlight.

Dressed in gray, Rathbone chuckled. "I'll see if she's in the mood." The guests chuckled lightly, knowing well enough mood would have nothing to do with it. If the master asked for tarts, then the master got tarts. "I've some things last minute things to see to before I can join you."

"Oh fiddle-faddle." Said Gilroy, gulping down his lemonade, "You'll be dragged out with us tomorrow on the buggy ride, like it or not…"

Rathbone's polite smile fell. "Not Lady Francis."

"The same!" Gilroy chuckled.

Inspector Doyle chuckled, "Pardon my interruption, but is she still on the search for husbands for her daughters?"

"Always!" Gilroy said, "Even after they're engaged."

Rathbone groaned inwardly, turning toward the conservatory door, "I'll… have those tarts sent out."

Doyle and Gilroy chuckled, "Well," Doyle said with a light grin, "At least I'm not the one being pinpointed for marriage."

Gilroy lifted a brow, "My dear man. You're going as well."

Inspector Doyle stupidly froze, unaware of the scene playing just behind him at the back door.

A hand clasped around his mouth, an arm around his stomach as he was quite literally yanked off his feet and off the steps to the conservatory. He thudded to a clumsy landing inside the bush and into h flowerbed. Whirling around to find Lin, faintly smiling at him.

"Lin?" He said with surprise, only for her hand to clasp over his mouth again.

"SHH!" She pushed him against steps and wall, cornering him there.

"Umf," Came his muffled response as she hit him rather hard against the wall. He muffled incoherent words again, but Lin's hand stifled out their meaning.

"What?"

Rathbone wrapped his hand around her tiny wrist and pulled her hand from his mouth. "I said you've ruined my good morning suit." He paused a moment, looking quizzically to her, "What are you doing here?"

Suddenly she wondered herself. "I… came… to thank you." She nodded, pulling her wrist free and then shaking his hand like a man.

Skeptically he eyed her, unenthusiastically returning the gesture. "I'm sure. If there weren't so many guests around you probably would have taken the moment to exact your revenge." He pulled his hand free.

Lin frowned, "You spared my life."

"But not your fathers." He said cleanly. A silent beat passed between them before they averted their eyes, "I have to go. You'll remain unseen, wont you?" She nodded. "And you'll be in that room tonight so we can discuss this in detail?"

Hesitantly she nodded.

"Good." He glanced to his shoulder, "Now, if you'll excuse me I have a new coat to find among my other tasks." He swept past her, almost stepping into her shoulder on his way back around the hedges. Lin frowned at the back of his head… First he helped her and now he was giving her a bitter tone. She crossed her arms, ready to let her annoyance grow back to anger when he stopped at the edge of the steps. A coy smirk lifted to his face, which slowly gave way to a genuine smile.

Lin's face smoothed, surprised at what she was seeing. With a wink, he dashed up the steps and through the doorway. Lin slowly grinned with astonishment at the friendliness she read, preferring it to the would-be enemy routine.