Storing Up Trouble, стр. 69

A second later, she felt something jab into her stomach, realizing it was the prosthetic limb. A second after that, she realized they were standing in the middle of a busy sidewalk, and . . . it was not exactly the right setting or moment for her to be enjoying a kiss with Norman.

Tearing her lips from his, Beatrix took a step back, faltering because her foot had yet to return to the ground. Flailing about, she grabbed hold of Norman’s arm, concern immediately replacing the shock she’d been feeling when she glanced at his face and found him staring at her, quite as if he was experiencing some manner of shock as well but hadn’t snapped out of it just yet.

Glancing past Norman, Beatrix found Theodosia leafing through her book like mad, shaking her head and muttering until she finally stopped on a page, lifting her head a moment later.

“While this is certainly an unexpected development between the two of you, not to fret,” Theodosia said, catching Beatrix’s eye. “According to this book, as long as Norman immediately asks for your hand in marriage, there will be no unfortunate repercussions for the kiss the two of you just shared in front of an entire crowd, if you neglected to realize that.”

Beatrix felt the most unusual urge to laugh, until Norman blinked and began looking as if someone had knocked him over the head with something heavy.

“We have to get married?” he asked, the note of disbelief in his voice going far to banish any urge Beatrix felt to laugh, replaced with an urge to kick the man.

“Of course not.”

“But Theo just said it’s expected after we, ah . . . kissed—a kiss I’m going to assume was noticed by more than a few people.”

Beatrix gestured around at the crowded sidewalk, where not a single person was seemingly paying them the least little mind. She looked back at Norman. “No one noticed anything, probably because everyone’s preoccupied with getting home in time for dinner.”

Norman’s brows drew together. “I’m sure someone must have witnessed our kiss.”

“I did,” Theodosia said, holding up her hand.

“Yes, well, you don’t count, Theodosia,” Beatrix returned. “And besides, you must realize that Norman’s unexpected kiss was simply a result of him suffering some adverse effects from the madness we just experienced. I believe that sensitive nature you mentioned earlier might have been to blame.”

Norman narrowed his eyes on her. “I’m not having an adverse effect to any madness, and I’m not all that sensitive.”

Beatrix arched a brow. “Does that mean it’s a frequent occurrence for you to kiss an unsuspecting lady on the street?”

“Can’t say that I’ve ever done this before.”

“Then for goodness’ sake, put that unusual mind of yours to work, which will then allow you to conclude that your recent behavior was some manner of anomaly.”

“My mind is in fine working order. It’s working so well, in fact, that I have to consider what Theo suggested.”

Beatrix waved that aside. “Honestly, Norman, even though we did enjoy a rather pleasant kiss, there’s no need for talk of marriage.”

His eyes narrowed another fraction. “You found our kiss to be merely pleasant?”

“Indeed.”

“Perhaps I should give it another go. I’m sure I’m capable of delivering a more-than-pleasant kiss.”

“Absolutely not, and with that settled, we’re going to put this matter behind us for good.” She nodded to Theodosia, who missed the nod because she was once again thumbing through her book. “We should get on our way, Theodosia. If you’ve forgotten, my aunt has plans for you this evening, ones I’m going to assume she’s anxious to begin.”

Theodosia lifted her head. “I thought Gladys was only going to serve me dinner and then have one of her friends try to fix my hair.”

“That’s some optimistic thinking on your part,” Beatrix said, pretending not to notice that Theodosia’s eyes had gone wide and that she’d begun muttering under her breath about “terrifying situations,” followed by her hair not being that bad after all.

Returning the prosthetic limb to the satchel she’d dropped to the ground at some point, probably the second Norman’s lips had touched hers, Beatrix nodded to Norman, who was watching her far too intently and looking remarkably disgruntled.

“I’m off to make certain Agent Cochran has no further questions for me, and then I’m going home,” Beatrix said.

“Just like that? With no further discussion about what transpired between the two of us?”

“Yes.” Turning on her heel, she marched her way over to Agent Cochran, who greeted her rather warily, lending the impression he’d witnessed the kiss but was too polite to mention it. Thankful for that small favor, she was quickly told that there was nothing further he needed from her, since he’d already informed the police about what little he knew of their attackers. He then nodded to Officer Stewart, the policeman who’d taken down her account of events, and told her that Officer Stewart was going to be accompanying her home since dangerous criminals were still afoot.

Not having a reason to argue with that because she certainly didn’t want to suffer another ambush, Beatrix thanked Agent Cochran before she moved to rejoin Norman and Theodosia.

That those two were whispering to each other was somewhat concerning, especially when their whispers came to a rapid end the second they caught sight of her.

“Am I interrupting?” she asked, earning a nod from Norman and a shake of the head from Theodosia.

“Shall we get on our way?” Theodosia all but chirped, an unusual state of affairs because Beatrix had never heard the woman sound quite so chipper. “My pony and wagon are just over there, next to Mort.”

Norman’s eyes widened. “I forgot all about Mort.”

“Which you might not want to do again since you are now responsible for that animal’s welfare,” Beatrix said.

“I would have remembered him at some point, but . . .” Norman looked over to where Mort was standing by Theodosia’s wagon, his eyes closed and body completely still. “Do you think there’s something wrong with him?”

Beatrix glanced to