Page 4 of A Spot of Tea and Sorcery: Vol. 6

Lunafeltpale. But she murmured only a soft, “I’m all right.”

“And your Mr. Grimm? Last I saw the man, he was heading out after my boy as well. He told me to come back here and wait. Is he all right too? Did you see him?”

Luna took another fortifying gulp of tea, her gaze wandering about the kitchen in an effort not to meet those knowing eyes across the table. But she could not stop the image of Mr. Grimm as she had last seen him from encroaching on her mind. Seated in the chair behind the counter. Purple poison staining his chin and shirt. Tears pouring down his face.

“I am not that person anymore.”

His voice, usually so posh, now broken with agonized emotion, echoed in the dark spaces of her memory.

“I am ashamed of who I was. Of what I became. But I have put all that behind me. The Grimshade Lord is dead and buried.”

Luna blinked hard and sniffed, determined to keep her feelings at bay. “No doubt Mr. Grimm is fine,” she said and took another sip of tea.

Mrs. Goddard’s hand slid across the lacework table-topper and touched Luna’s arm gently. “Did something happen between the two of you?”

“What do you mean?” Luna wouldn’t meet her gaze.

“Oh, don’t try to be coy!” Mrs. Goddard chuckled, though the sound wasn’t particularly mirthful. “I’ve seen my share of lovesick fools in my time. Why, I mothered seven sons, didn’t I? Seemed like not a day went by but one of ‘em was breaking his heart over some girl or another!” Her fingers tightened on Luna’s arm, a slight pressure. “But I swear, I ain’t never seen a man so dead-gone on anyone as that Mr. Grimm is on you.”

Luna frowned into her cup. “I’m sure you’re mistaken, Mrs. Goddard,” she said and took another large gulp.

“I’m not,” Mrs. Goddard answered with confidence.

“And even if he were,” Luna continued, setting the cup down on its leaf saucer, “I couldn’t . . .” Her voice trailed off, and she bit her lip.

“Why?” Mrs. Goddard pressed. “Because he’s your boss?”

Because he’s dangerous.

Because he belonged to HER, long before he felt anything for me.

Because everything I thought I knew about him might actually be a lie.

The thoughts tumbled around in Luna’s head, but her brow puckered tight. None of those excuses quite fit. Howevershocking the revelations Lancelot Mortimer had inflicted on her might have been, they didn’t change the reality of the man she knew. The man who bought her winter boots and tea sets. The man who memorized every tea in her accumulated stash and the proper proportions for brewing them, just so he could help her out when the afternoon rush got hectic. The man who held her so gently while dancing, be it on a dance floor or under a fancy Chippenham table. The man who somehow managed to make her laugh nearly every day with his deadpan humor. The man who nursed her through pneumonia and threw her surprise parties and cradled her close when she thought her heart was breaking. The man who had brought so much more beauty and joy to her life than she’d ever known was possible.

The man who had kissed her like she was the beginning and ending of his entire existence.

Luna took a last gulp of tea. “Because I’m leaving,” she said. “On the four am mail train, Wednesday morning.”

“What?” Mrs. Goddard’s hand flew to her chest as she gasped. “Luna, luv . . . does Mr. Grimm know?”

Luna shook her head. “And you can’t tell him, Mrs. Goddard!” she added hastily, her eyes flashing to meet the old woman’s. “No one knows. No onecanknow. Not until I’m gone.”

“But . . . but why?” Mrs. Goddard’s sweet expression hardened into an unexpectedly ferocious mask. “Did he do something improper?”

Luna opened her mouth, ready to protest her employer’s innocence, but paused. After all, there was nothingproperabout those kisses he’d given her in the kitchen. A warm flush roiled in her gut and spread through her body. She hadn’t exactly been her proper-est self either, had she? And were it not for Mrs. Goddard’s timely interruption, she couldn’t say just howveryimproper she might have become. The inclination toimpropriety had certainly been strong in the searing heat of the moment.

“Mr. Grimm is a . . . a gentleman,” she managed, swirling the dregs in her teacup idly, clockwise thrice and counter twice.

Mrs. Goddard’s eyebrow shot up. “Oh, so that’s the problem, is it?” Shetskedand shook her head. “Just can’t seem to unbutton his collar, can he?”

Luna’s mind flashed back to the moment when her fingertips had found the bare flesh exposed by his distinctly unbuttoned collar. That hot flush deepened to a full-on blush, and she ducked her head. “Um. Not exactly.”

“But that’s no reason to leave!” Mrs. Goddard persisted. “Some lads just take a little extra encouragement, don’t you see? I’m sure if you let him know how you—”

“No, Mrs. Goddard.” Luna spoke firmly, with more conviction than she felt. “It’s simply not possible.” She sighed then and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I can’t explain it. And I really shouldn’t have said anything. Please understand that . . . that my time here in Ballycastle has been . . . well, it’s been unexpectedly brilliant. I’ve loved every moment of working at the shop, and all your excellent breakfasts, and the flowers, and the teas, and everything. I know I’ll look back on these months as . . . as just the nicest of my life.” She released a little shuddering breath, determined not to succumb to tears, even as they threatened. “But it’s time,” she finished dully. Then she looked up and caught the landlady’s eye. “Please, trust me in this. And don’t say anything to Mr. Grimm. Not until after I’m gone.”

“And where is it you’ll be going?” Mrs. Goddard asked softly.