Page 98 of Infamous

‘I was wrong,’ said Eddie. ‘As it turns out, I often am. Again .?.?.verysorry.’

‘As you should be,’ said Rose, straightening up with a sigh. ‘So. What’s the plan?’

‘I just want to go,’ Eddie said, glancing over at Albert, who was now sitting on the trunk a respectful distance away, scratching Juno behind her ears. ‘I don’t want to be here for a moment longer.’

‘Good,’ said Rose. ‘Let’s get you home.’

They went upstairs to pack, Albert following behind. With all three of them together, they accomplished it quickly, and then Eddie ducked behind the screen to change into her travelling clothes, ignoring Albert’s look of horror. At the last minute she added Valentine’s coat on top, reasoning that she could return it in London, and feeling as if she needed a bit of armour. The rest of her manuscript fitted nicely, folded into the inside pocket.

‘I will take this down to the dock – the boat is waiting for us there,’ said Albert, lifting her trunk.

‘Thank you, Albert,’ Eddie said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, which made him so flustered he just nodded in reply.

‘Please do not harass my fiancé,’ Rose said, giving his arm a squeeze. ‘He is the one you have to thank for hearing news of Nash’s supposed book, and for insisting that we come here at once, before I had even opened my mouth.’

‘Albert,’ Eddie said seriously. ‘Thank you. I .?.?. I give you my blessing, to marry Rose.’

‘Hmmm,’ said Albert. ‘I am not entirely sure you have earnedmine, after all the tears I have had to dry these past few weeks – but I will take it under consideration.’

‘Fair enough.’

It was raining harder now, as if to befit the occasion, and they had to bow their heads against it as they walked quickly across the lawn and into the safety of the trees. Eddie chanced a look back at the house, magnificent and decrepit, one strong gust of wind away from total collapse, and only walked faster in the direction of the dock.

Captain Perkins was standing at the prow of his boat, looking irate; Albert reached him first, and carefully deposited the trunks.

‘Oh,God,’ said Rose, her eyes fixed on something over Eddie’s shoulder. ‘Whatever you do, Ed, donotturn around.’

Eddie turned around.

Nash had just cleared the trees, and was making straight for them.

Chapter Thirty-three

‘We can just cast off and go,’ Rose said urgently. ‘Eddie?’

Eddie took a deep breath and then shook her head.

‘No,’ she said. ‘No, I rather think we need to have a little talk.’

Nash slowed down as he approached her, and then did a few ridiculous adjustments of his hair and collar, as if they had not seen him at full sprint just a few moments ago and might imagine that he had strolled here with perfect composure.

‘Edith,’ he said when he reached them. ‘Eddie. You weren’t really going to leave without saying goodbye?’

Eddie just stared at him, open-mouthed and disbelieving. His audacity was truly something to behold.

‘Well, yes, all right .?.?. Valentine told me what you .?.?. Look, let’s just get this over with, shall we?’

‘Get this over with?’ Eddie shouted, any trace ofhercomposure abruptly taking its leave. ‘Youstole my manuscript, Nash! You watched me work myself to the bone over it these past few months. You acted as if it was second-rate, as if I needed your help to make it worthy of anything at all – and all the while you planned tostealit from me, to pass off as your own!’

Nash was already shaking his head.

‘All the while? No, no .?.?. Good Lord, you greatly overestimate my powers of forethought. It was only once I had started helping you, giving you guidance .?.?. Really a lot of itwasmy work, by the end, if you—’

‘You barely evenbrusheda pen against it! You gave me a handful of notes, ononeoccasion!’

Nash rubbed his eyes with great agitation, as if he had somehow imagined this conversation going much better.

‘Edie, look—’