She summoned up a smile. “I’m fine.”
The look he gave her was rife with disbelief, but he said no more. He merely pulled out his pocket watch to check the time.
It was Marietta’s turn to frown. “What happened to your fob?”
“Pardon?” He replaced the watch.
She waved her hand. “You usually have that on a silver chain. Is it in need of repair?” It was none of her business, granted, but a better topic for conversation than her health.
A lopsided smile settled on Slade’s mouth. “No. I had borrowed it from a friend a year ago and finally remembered to give it back today.”
Hez, seated on the other side of Slade, snorted. “You borrowed a fob?”
If she could just reach across to smack that derision from his tone…but Slade laughed. “Only after I lost the one my father gave me and didn’t want him to find out.”
Hez looked about to make reply—though whether it would be amused or cynical she couldn’t be sure—but he paused as more people moved to the seats on the other side of Marietta.
She glanced over too and smiled at the couple. Polite greetings sounded from both sides of her, but thankfully servants began dimming the house lights, and the babble in the auditorium quieted. The play would soon begin.
She made it through the first act with no increase to her headache. Lucien had taken her to New York once to see the original cast, and she always enjoyed watching how productions changed over time, the roles growing and expanding. This set of actors breathed life into the lines.
During the first intermission, all the voices around her started buzzing. Much of the second act she scarcely heard. And when she rose for the second intermission, the pain behind her eyes pierced too quickly for her to control the response.
Her whole family, it seemed, had been waiting to pounce at the end of the row.
“You are ill.” Isaac said it like an accusation. “Why did you even come tonight if you are unwell?”
Hez rolled his eyes. “You know how she is when she makes up her mind to do something, but this is absurd, Mari. You must think of your health. Come, I will see you home.”
A train ride home with Hez when he had a bee in his bonnet—not a relaxing end to the evening. “I’ll be fine. It’s nearly over.”
Granddad elbowed his grandsons out of the way and tipped up her chin to look into her eyes. “A headache? You need quiet, Mari.” He tapped the end of her nose. As always, pure love flowed from the point of contact. “Which you wouldn’t get if we all left with you.”
“I am ready to go as well.” Barbara slipped into the place at her side and wove their arms together. She did look exhausted, no doubt from her hours of volunteering at the hospital that day.
Granddad patted her on the shoulder as he would any of the grandchildren who shared his blood. “Good of you, my dear, but two lovely young women will not be making the trip back to Baltimore on their own. Oz, you’ll see they arrive safely, won’t you, son?”
Isaac stared at their grandfather as if he had lost his faculties. “Granddad—”
“An elegant solution.” Isaac’s wife, Laura, tugged him back a step, amusement gleaming in her eyes.
Slade looked none too sorry to be asked to depart. “It would be my pleasure.” He crooked both his arms. “Ladies?”
Too miserable to argue, Marietta settled her hand in the curve of his left elbow while Barbara took his right. “Thank you. Goodnight, everyone.”
None of them said much as they descended the stairs and waited for their wraps, nor during the hack ride to the train station. And, of course, once they were on the train to Baltimore, it was far too easy to stare into the darkness and let the sway of the car lull her into a half sleep. She scarcely noted the second cab ride home, and she may have trudged up to her room without even the presence of mind to wish Slade a grateful farewell had Barbara not taken the lead.
She halted them all inside the front door by the low-burning lamp and smiled warmly at Slade. “Thank you so much for seeing us home, Mr. Osborne. And Mari dear, for insisting I come. It was a true pleasure. Shall I fetch Cora for you?”
“No.” No need to rouse Cora from her bed. Marietta returned Barbara’s smile. “I can manage on my own.”
“Then I will bid you both good night.” She grasped Marietta’s hand and gave it a squeeze, dropped a quick curtsy to Slade, and turned toward the stairs.
Marietta watched her disappear and then pivoted slowly toward Slade. His gaze was already on her. Maybe that was why her throat went so dry. “I…thank you, Slade. For seeing me home.”