Constantine Capers: The Pennington Perplexity by Natalie Brianne (new ebook reader TXT) 📕

“Perhaps it is a paraphrase, but does that make it less true?”

“I suppose not.”

“It isn’t wrong to fall in love. Even if it is unrequited. It can certainly be painful, but you can learn a lot. About yourself, and about the world. I wouldn’t worry too much about your feelings. Just let them be what they are. Things will work themselves out.”

“Patience isn’t exactly my strong suit.”

“Then this is the perfect opportunity to learn.”

“There’s another problem, though.”

“And what is that?”

“I’m not sure if my feelings for Byron are actual feelings for him or just a longing for my parents.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“He keeps reminding me of someone. I can only assume it’s my dad. The way he smiles and makes me laugh. I think I remember how Dad used to make Mum laugh. But shouldn’t I love him for him, not for what I’ve lost?”

“Oftentimes in life we are attracted to things that are familiar. There’s nothing wrong with that. His familiarity is what made you like him to begin with. If you love him—”

“I don’t love him! I mean, I don’t think. I’m not sure. Maybe I do?”

“If you love him, it will be for him.” He finished his cup of tea and set it on the tray. “Would you like me to leave this for you, or clear it away?”

“You can leave it. Thank you, Landon. I do feel better.”

“I had hoped you might.” He paused, with a twinkle in his eye. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look at someone like that before, Mira.” Mira felt her face reddening. Landon smiled and stood up.

“I’ll keep an eye on him and make sure that he’s worthy of you, just in case anything happens. It will likely be a while before your uncle notices anything, so for now it can be our little secret.” Landon’s eyes crinkled, and he straightened a bit, resuming his stance as a butler.

“Thank you.” She smiled back.

“Can I do anything else for you this evening, Miss?”

“No, I think that is all.”

“Pleasant dreams then.”

He walked out of her room and closed the door softly behind him. She sat there for a moment, nibbling on another biscuit. Her anxiety had lessened just by talking to him. Everything had its own time. She just needed the patience to wait for it.

Waking up in her uncle’s house disoriented Mira. Looking around the room from her bed made her feel like a small child once again. This room was full of wonder, excitement, boredom, dread, sorrow, grief, happiness, and love. She could see all of it in each curve of the woodwork around the doors, in each swirl of the design on the wallpaper, and in every fleck of paint on her desk. She felt every intangible feeling of her life in every tangible picture frame, bedpost, and curtain. She picked up a long-forgotten doll and placed it with reverence on the bed, meeting it like she would an old friend. So many days had been spent avoiding the loneliness that came with the isolation of a small child on a large estate. She moved over to the window and brushed the curtains aside.

A man strolled up the street in front of her uncle’s house. She watched as he nonchalantly turned, keeping a steady eye on the building. Byron had succeeded. A policeman watched the house. Anxiety crept up the back of her neck.

Her appetite was absent during breakfast. She took a few bites and could barely swallow them. She said goodbye to her uncle as he left for the day, then went to the kitchen to fill a pitcher with water. She climbed the stairs to her room, careful not to spill a drop, and watered the mums that she had retrieved from Mr. Graham’s the day before. She hoped Byron was wrong. That Mr. Graham had died in his sleep. But Byron was rarely wrong, and the evidence towards his hypothesis mounted ever higher. She sat on the bed.

Byron told her that he would be there before noon. She glanced at the clock and lay back, realizing that she still had hours to wait. Well, if she was waiting anyway, she might as well reacquaint herself with her uncle’s house.

Swan Walk had seven landings and a basement. Her room was at the top and had two large glass doors that let in quite a bit of natural light. These doors opened out onto the roof and gave her a wonderful place to paint and sketch when the weather was fair. She had even made a little patio for herself.

The house was filled to the brim with wood carvings and marble fixtures. The main landing contained a library that doubled as her uncle’s study, along with a parlor, sitting room, formal dining room, regular dining room, and a door revealing stairs that led to the kitchen area. The library was lined with shelves full of books and artifacts. Her uncle had a large desk with different odds and ends on it, and a few comfortable chairs. The parlor sat next to the library. The formal dining room was fully serviced through the regular dining room which had a dumbwaiter that went down to the kitchen.

The cook would come and go from an alternate entrance. The one she had known as a child married recently and moved to Wales. Mira didn’t really know the new one, and she and the parlor maids didn’t live with them. Landon on the other hand, lived in a small apartment in the basement and had a separate entrance to the house via a small staircase at the back of the house. On the next landing there was one bedroom and a large area that could be used as a meeting place, ballroom, or studio. Mira liked it because of the small rotunda-like bay window. There was a grand piano, and there were large portraits hanging on the walls. Lacy curtains framed the