A few weeks after the explosive dinner, Clara came upon Araminta one morning, already up and dressed, wearing the same outfit she wore when Clara returned from the ball. Clara blinked a few times, still not accustomed to her mistress wearing trousers.
Araminta looked slightly panicked when Clara came into her chambers, but relaxed when she saw who it was. "Oh good, you're here."
Araminta had kept her more pleasant attitude toward Clara ever since the night of the dinner, and while Clara was always waiting for the other shoe to drop, she had to admit that it was quite nice. Araminta still expected high-quality work from her, but she was nicer in her demands and very rarely snapped at her.
"Do you have something planned for today?" Clara asked, eyeing the attire.
"I'm going out," Araminta answered. "With Lucretia," she added. She spoke confidently, but only because Clara spent so much time with her could she detect a hint of nervousness.
"And your parents?"
"Gone all day," Araminta said. "You won't have to worry about them. Just do what you usually do, and I'll should be back before they return."
"If not, I'll cover for you."
Araminta gave her a surprised look, but Clara shrugged. "What? You two are cute together."
To Clara's amazement, Araminta actually looked flustered. Clara chuckled and went to start making up the bed when a knock sounded on the door.
Araminta looked up in panic, but Clara just motioned for her to go behind her changing screen. Once she was out of sight, Clara opened the door, only opening it a fraction of the way.
"Hello, Andani," Clara said. "What can I do for you?"
"Hello Miss Clara," Andani said. "There's a transport on its way from the Norrington manor. Just one passenger."
Clara cursed internally, but smiled. "Thank you," she said, and then shut the door.
Araminta came back from around the screen, a frown on her face. "Why does he just show up?" she complained.
"It's better than having to go live with him," Clara pointed out.
"Not helping, Clara," Araminta snapped. She huffed, but then tilted her head her head to the side. She turned back around and gave Clara a look that could be nothing but trouble.
"What?" Clara asked slowly.
"Pretend I'm not here."
"What?"
"Andani hasn't seen me. I could have left earlier today. So pretend I'm not here."
"Andani knows everyone who comes and goes," Clara said. "That's his entire job!"
"He does take breaks," Araminta said. "Everyone does. I could have snuck out."
"What's the point? You can't sneak out now."
"No, but I can spend time with Lucretia here. No one will bug me in my chambers, no one is even allowed in except for you."
"And what about Harrison?"
"You spend time with him. You actually like him, and honestly, I think he might like you. Think of it like a date."
"Araminta!"
Araminta did a double take at Clara's lack of formality, and while she pursed her lips, she didn't chastise her. "Please, Clara," Araminta begged. "We're only able to spend the whole day together when my parents are out and she has the day off, which doesn't happen that often."
Clara struggled with herself. On one hand, she wanted to help Araminta with this, and getting to spend time with Harrison certainly wasn't the worst thought. But so many things could go wrong, and Clara still felt bad about lying to him.
"Fine!" she finally said. "But you can't leave this room. At all."
"Brilliant, thank you, Clara," Araminta said.
Clara didn't know how Araminta would be able to convince Andani how she managed to both come and go without him noticing, but that wasn't Clara's problem. She was sure Araminta could figure something out, and it's not like Andani would argue with her.
"Can you go let Lucretia know to come up here?" Araminta asked. "And then go down to the transport dock."
"Of course, my lady." Clara rolled her eyes as she walked down the hallway to go find Lucretia. A messenger mouse would be just as efficient.
After Clara delivered the news to Lucretia, who looked confused but hurried away anyway, Clara sped toward the transport dock. She wanted to get there before Harrison arrived, so Andani wouldn't say anything about Araminta actually being present in the house.
Clara breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the transport hadn't arrived yet.
"Araminta send you down here to greet him?" Andani asked when he saw her.
"No, actually," Clara lied. "I haven't seen her today. I don't think she's here."
"Well, I haven't seen her leave."
Clara shrugged. "Maybe she slipped out unnoticed. This is her ship, after all. She must know how to go around unseen if she wants to."
"I suppose."
It was a weak explanation, but Andani had no proof otherwise. "This young man certainly has poor timing," Andani commented. "This is the second time he's shown up and she's not here, right?"
"Yes, I suppose," Clara murmured.
"What are you going to tell him?"
"I guess the same as last time," Clara said. "Ask if he wants to wait and then go from there."
"He does seem like a dedicated young man."
"He does."
The transport arrived, and Harrison stepped out. He carried a brown package underneath his arm.
"Welcome back to the Llewelyn manor," Clara greeted him.
"Thank you, Clara. Hello, Andani," Harrison greeted.
Andani gave a nod back and watched the two of them leave the room.
"Clara, I have to say, you wear the same expression on your face whenever I show up at an inopportune moment," Harrison commented. "Which leads me to believe that Lady Araminta is not here?"
"I'm afraid not, sir. Er, Harrison."
He didn't look surprised, but he didn't look particularly disappointed, either. "How is she?" he asked. "I know the last time we saw each other didn't exactly go smoothly."
"She is doing well," Clara said truthfully. "And I know she's grateful for your insistence that she be allowed to stay here."
"Weddings are stressful enough under the best circumstances," Harrison said. "And we certainly do not have the best circumstances, wouldn't you say?"
"I wouldn't want to comment on your relationship," Clara said quietly.
Harrison studied her for a moment. "No, I suppose not." He sounded more matter of fact than derogatory. "Well, I don't mind waiting for her, at least for a little bit," he said.
"Is there anything you would like to do in the meantime?" Clara asked him.
"I wouldn't mind seeing your music room again. If you don't mind." He looked at her hopefully, and Clara had to stop herself from acting too excited.
"Of course, if that is what you would like." Instead of going into the sitting room, Clara headed straight for the back set of stairs. The music room was brightly lit, the sun shining overhead, but shields around the entire airship kept the room from getting too hot.
"I almost forgot how beautiful it is up here," Harrison said, staring out at the horizon. He turned back toward her. "Have you been up here at night, yet?"
Clara shook her head. "I haven't had the opportunity, no."
"I'm telling you, you really should."
Clara eyed the package still tucked under Harrison's arm. "If Lady Araminta doesn't return before you leave, would you like me to give that to her?"
Harrison held the package in his hand. "Actually, this isn't for her." He held it out. "It's for you."
Clara stared at it. "For me?" she repeated, refusing to believe she heard him right.
"Yes, Clara, for you." When Clara still didn't take it, Harrison rolled his eyes and grabbed her hand, placing it in her palm. "Relax. It didn't cost me a fortune, I promise."
Still feeling like this was a trick, Clara carefully unwrapped the gift and then turned the brand new, hardcover book over in her hands.
"It's the only one I could find in my house that was about mermaids," Harrison explained. "I thought your sister might like it."
Clara was speechless. Actually, properly speechless. It was a gorgeous book with a cover decorated with colorful illustrations. Clara flipped through it. It was longer than the one she had at home. Emme was going to love it.
"I don't think I can accept this," Clara said.
"Yes, you can. It's a book, Clara, not a house." Harrison stared at her intently. Clara could see that he wanted to her to accept it.
She held it between both of her hands. "Thank you. My sister, Emme, she'll absolutely adore it."
"I'm glad."
"But are you sure it's alright?"
"Clara, my parents aren't sitting around reading books about mermaids," Harrison said. "And it was my property, so I could decide what to do with it. And now it's yours. So yes, it really is alright." He shook his head and then sat down on the floor, leaning back against the window. "Not everything is a trap, you know."
"No, I suppose it's not."
"Do you read with your sister often?"
Clara paused and then sank down to the floor opposite him. She crossed her ankles, legs stretched out in front of her. "Only when she's sick," she admitted.
Harrison's eyebrows furrowed. "Does that happen often?"
"More often than I would like."
Harrison stayed silent as Clara wrestled with what to say. Every instinct was telling her not to open up, but at the same time, she was desperate just to talk to someone about her constant worrying over Emme. She talked to Ezra, yes, but she wanted someone who wasn't emotionally attached to the situation.
"Sometimes I feel like I'm going to explode with everything that's going on," Clara admitted. "She gets sick a few times a year. Ezra, the oldest of the five of us, and I do what we can to help her, but its hard. I worry constantly about her."
"I'm sorry," Harrison said. "I can't even imagine."
"Thank you," she said. "I guess, it's just difficult going through it and not having anyone else to talk to who isn't also going through it."
"If there's anything I can do to help," Harrison began.
"No." Clara cut him off. She wasn't to the point of asking for money from him. Talking to him was one thing, but money was something else entirely. "No, we have it handled," she said. "But thank you."
He didn't press the issue. "Well, I hope at the very least mermaids bring her some comfort," he offered. "I hope she's doing alright now?"
"Yes, she is well."
"That's good."
They sat in the sunlight together silently. Clara did her best to not stare, but it was difficult. "Can I ask you something?" she finally said.
"Go ahead."
Clara knew she was being forward, but her curiosity outweighed her practicality. "The last time you were at the manor," she said, "during the dinner, you mentioned how you agreed to the marriage between you and Araminta without any complaint. And well, to me that makes it seem like you do have complaints."
"Is there a question in there?"
"I guess, just why? I understand Araminta, there's a long history of arranged marriages in nobility. But you're not a lord."
"No, I'm not." Harrison frowned. "But I think my parents like to pretend we are," he said. "So from the time I was a child, they never talked about me finding someone to marry. It was always described as them finding someone who would be an advantageous match for me. So I suppose when they told me about the Llewelyns and Araminta, it didn't come as a shock. It's just the way things had always been."
"And now?"
His eyes flickered toward her. "Now it's done," he said simply. "And she's a good person, I can see that. It will be most advantageous, for the both of us."
"How romantic."
Her sarcastic words caused a flicker of a smile to appear on Harrison's face. "Don't tell anyone, but I would back out, if I could. Although, something tells me your mistress wouldn't be too offended if she knew that."
"I think she would understand the sentiment," Clara said.
Harrison took in a deep breath and shook his head as he released it. "But I don't want to think about that, now. As I said, it's done, so no point crying about it."
"I'm sorry for asking."
"No, it's alright. Honestly, it's kind of like you said, how it's difficult not having anyone to talk to about certain things. Or at least not anyone who isn't directly involved. I haven't actually told anyone that I don't want to go through with the marriage. Even though I'm sure it's very obvious to my parents. They just don't care."
Clara wished she could tell him that, of course, his parents cared. But she doubted they did. "Well, you could always run away," she said, feigning seriousness.
Harrison looked at her in alarm for a moment before realizing she was joking. "Oh, really?" he asked. "And what exactly would I do?"
"Take a transport, go down to the forests, start a new life," Clara said. "Trust me, Andani won't breathe a word to anyone if I ask him not to."
A wide smile had been growing on Harrison's face at Clara's fantastical idea. "Alright," he said, playing along. "But only if you come with me. And your family. We can get out together."
"I'm sure I can get Emme to be obsessed with woodland creatures."
"I know this is a joke, Clara, but don't actually tempt me with this," Harrison warned. "Don't make it sound too good to be true."
"Alright then," Clara said. She had to admit, it did sound pretty nice. "I don't think you'd do well, anyway. Living in the middle of the woods means living off the land. I mean, have you ever done manual labor in your life?" she teased him.
Harrison gaped at her. "Oh, you think I couldn't hack it?"
Clara shook her head, biting her tongue to keep herself from laughing.
Harrison crossed his arms and frowned. "Fine. Now you're not invited anymore."
"Oh, my sister will be devastated, now."
"I mean, Emme can still come. I said you're not invited."
"This whole thing was my idea!"
Clara felt more relaxed than she had felt since the ball, and Harrison seemed to be enjoying himself as well. He certainly was looking at her a lot.
Clara forced her laughter to abate, and she cleared her throat. "We probably shouldn't stay up here much longer," she said. "If Lady Araminta's not back by now, she probably won't be back anytime soon."
Harrison looked like he wanted to argue, but he just nodded and stood up. He held out his hand to help her up, and after a moment of hesitation, Clara accepted it.
"I really do hope she enjoys the book," Harrison said as they descended back down the stairs.
"I'm sure she will," Clara assured him.
Andani sat at the transport dock as the pair came back into the room. He raised an eyebrow slightly as they entered, but didn't say anything.
"No Lady Araminta, then?" Harrison asked.
Andani shook his head. "No, not yet."
"Then I think I'll be off." He turned to Clara. "Thank you for your service, today," he said.
"Of course."
Harrison got back in his transport, and a few moments later, he was gone.
"What was that all about?" Andani asked.
"What do you mean?"
Andani stared at her. "You two seem friendly."
"Don't be ridiculous, Andani," Clara scolded, although she didn't like how perceptive he was. "I mean, I've spent a lot of time with him at this point, stalling for Araminta. So we occasionally talk, there's no harm in that."
"Mhmm. Well, do tell me, what time should I make myself scarce so Araminta can pretend to return without me knowing about it?" Andani gave her a hard look before returning to his seat.
Clara paled and slowly backed away. Andani knew more than she thought.