Rafe and Jane were up to something but Sylvie currently did not have the energy to be bothered about it. She'd argued with Jane over lunch and had raised her voice. Granted, Jane could not hear the loudness of her voice, but she had seen her body language. It had started off with Sylvie not promising to take her ice skating at Hyde Park because Rafe had told her to avoid going to public places as much as possible. It was easy to be followed and for things to go wrong in a split second if there were too many people around. She hadn't told Jane that, of course, instead making the excuse that they were in mourning and it was not seemly to do such things. Jane had made her protest known by not eating her vegetables, going as far as to intentionally knocking her plate over to the floor. That had somehow devolved into an argument, which further deteriorated into a furious signing match, which had somehow resulted in Sylvie yelling.

And now, the morning after, Sylvie felt like a complete and unequivocal witch. Jane had lost her father, had moved to a completely foreign place and now she wasn't even allowed to wander about as she had been back in Carlisle, where they had a good amount of open space on their property for Jane to play about in. Sylvie had been heaping all the blame for these new restrictions on mourning but Jane was beginning to chafe against them, growing more and more frustrated every time Sylvie refused a request to go out for something. Sylvie ought to be more understanding, more patient. She was the adult. She did not want to lie to Jane, but what was the alternative? Tell Jane that the Bad Man was real and he was out to get them? It had been difficult enough already to assuage her fears, she did not want Jane to be afraid or worried. Not when Sylvie was sure Rafe would keep them both safe.

Sylvie really regretted her lapse of composure, wishing she had just let Jane sulk instead of being baited into an argument.

And it hadn't even really been about Jane's refusal to eat her steamed asparagus and peas, Sylvie had been in a bit of a fragile mood since the evening prior and it had everything to do with the letter she was writing currently. And the two more like it that she had already written. It didn't help that Rafe seemed increasingly frustrated with each day that passed, unable to find that one thread that would lead him to the answers. Even now his eyes seemed bloodshot, circles beneath them.

And now Jane was giving her a rather pointed cold shoulder, scribbling away on her notebook, talking only to Rafe, who finally had time enough to come sit with them after a week of hard work. At one point she had even led him away to speak of something in secret! And Sylvie was feeling.....hurt. It was silly and a little selfish for her to be upset that Jane was opening herself up to Raphael. He was a good man, the sort that made Jane feel important and valued. He listened to her instead of dismissing her as a lack-wit just because she could not speak, he never spoke to her in that condescending manner older people reserved for children. It was just that....well, Sylvie was far too used to being Jane's sole confidante and she felt somewhat unhappy that a third person was encroaching upon her relationship. Which was both silly and juvenile, but it was true nonetheless.

"She won't let you go ice skating? Well, poppet, I'm sure your mama has a very good reason for that," The words had Sylvie turning her attention back to her companions, her brows drawing in a frown. Why, the little tattler was telling on her to Rafe! "But I'll see if we can manage something."

Sylvie sent a maternal glare in her daughter's direction, which was promptly ignored as Jane scribbled something on her notebook and passed it to Rafe. The petty little creature! She would not sign so that Sylvie would not know what she was saying. Rafe looked at the note and smiled.

"Well, we should ask your Mama, shouldn't we?"

"Ask me what?"

"Jane and I have a very important errand to run today, would it be alright if we went shopping?" Rafe winked at Jane conspiratorially.

"Market?" Sylvie asked anxiously. "Are you certain that would be acceptable?"

Jane turned to look at her with a pleading expression, her little eyes wide with anticipation.

"She'll be perfectly safe with me, Sylvie," Rafe's expression softened as if understanding her concern. "And I think it might do her good to have a little excursion."

Sylvie looked at Jane again, who was employing her cutest, most irresistible face that Sylvie had never been able to withstand. If Sylvie refused she would be the villainous killjoy and further extend this quarrel between herself and Jane. If Rafe was sure it was safe, perhaps an outing would improve Jane's mood.

"Well, may I join the two of you?" Sylvie asked finally, the little pinch of jealousy stinging her heart. They hadn't even asked her if she would want to come with them. When Jane and Rafe shook their heads in unison, that pinch evolved into a full-fledged stab. "Why not?"

'It's a secret errand.'

And that had Sylvie tempted to refuse right then and there. It wasn't right! Jane didn't have secrets, not from her! And the fact that she trusted Rafe with whatever this secret errand was making her feel so......neglected.

"I hope you two have fun on your excursion, then," Sylvie congratulated herself on not letting even a single ounce of her hurt color her voice. "But she will ask for ices, and she may not have them. It's too cold and she's just recovered from her sore throat."

Jane pulled a face in protest at having her plan for treats foiled.

"Excellent, why don't you go and get changed then, Jane? I'll send for the carriage."

Jane bounded away happily, racing as if Sylvie might change her mind if she loitered around too long. Once her footsteps had faded away, Rafe came and sat on the seat next to hers, pushing her spectacles up her nose.

"And what are you doing, looking so pretty?"

And in spite of her vow to act as aloof and unaffected by their intimacy as he seemed to be, a blush rose to her face because of the simple compliment that had been rendered as simply as if it were fact.

"Letter writing," she almost stumbled over her words, becoming aware of him, the minty scent of him that made her want to bury her face in his neck and breathe him in until she felt calm.

"And what are you writing that has you this upset?" He pressed a finger to the center of her forehead, making her aware that she was frowning without even realizing it.

"I.....it is my resignation letter. I also wrote letters to women who might potentially be interested in becoming my replacement. I want to make the transition as smooth as possible if I am to quit on such short notice," Sylvie admitted with a sigh, taking her glasses off, pinching the bridge of her nose, and letting her shoulders slump inward. "I was already feeling low about that and then Jane and I got into a spat. I just feel terrible."

"Oh yes, I heard all about that from the offended party, she made quite the compelling case against you, my dear tyrant. I hereby sentence you to asparagus for dinner indefinitely," he teased her as he grabbed the half-written resignation letter from her desk and folded it into his jacket.

"What are you doing with that?"

"I'm going to keep this until you really need it. We still have time, Sylvie. Do not look so defeated, I....I hate to see it. I'm trying, I swear to you."

He gazed down at her, his face set with determination but she could still see the exhaustion seeping through his otherwise pristine appearance. He'd matched his earring to his emerald waistcoat and Sylvie thought he looked far too handsome, in spite of the dark circles under his eyes. She felt a thrum of heat run through her body, settling in a flutter between her thighs. She remembered the sight of his magnificent nude body, all lean muscle, and restrained power. She remembered the sensation of his fingers toying with her, his tongue on her breasts, the intensity of the orgasm that she had tried to match several times by herself.

Er, yes. Unaffected she was not. She shifted in her seat trying to find some relief from the heat pooling between her thighs.

"I know you are, Rafe," she forced herself to focus. "I almost still cannot believe that this is truly happening to us. It's just so....fantastical. I'm just a boarding school instructor from a small town and now I've somehow become embroiled in a treason scandal? How does that even happen?! It feels like I'm living in a dream, and every day I wake up hoping that it wasn't real. It is madness! It is madness, and I'm going to lose everything I have worked for because of it."

"Sylvie," he cupped her face in his hands tenderly and for one hopeful, exhilarating moment she thought that he was going to kiss her, but he merely ran his thumbs along her cheeks soothingly. "I will make sure you get everything you want, I swear it."

She hummed noncommittally, knowing that he sought to reassure her with empty words. After all, how could he possibly promise that? She appreciated it, regardless; his kindness, his tenderness.

"If you have time today, you ought to rest instead of taking Jane outside," Sylvie traced the circles underneath his eyes with a tender finger. "You seem exhausted."

"Hmmm," he closed his eyes and let out a tired sigh. "I have a meeting later today, I'll try and get some sleep tonight. And Jane and I really do have an important errand to run."

"And what exactly is this errand that you are keeping from me?"

He opened his eyes and looked at her with his customary devilish grin. "A secret is a secret, Sylvie. You'll find out when it's time. Maybe I want to get a set of matching earrings with Jane? Can you imagine it? We shall make a handsome pair indeed. I simply do not have enough pieces in sapphire and topaz," he made a dramatic show of slumping in dismay that made Sylvie giggle. 

"I do not like the fact that the two of you are teaming up against me," she could almost hear the pout in her voice.

"Against you? Never," he flicked her nose and finally stepped away, leaving her oddly bereft. "Return of Sulky Sylvie, is it? She's your daughter and she loves you most of all, stop fretting because of one simple argument."

She opened her mouth to retort but was cut off by the approaching, hurried footsteps of a very eager Jane, who was dressed and ready for her day out, complete with a small reticule that matched the ribbon in her hair. Oh, she was an adorable little thing.

"Aha! Why Miss Jane, have you kept enough of your pocket money to buy me a treat, then?" He offered her his hand and she took it, nodding seriously. She raised her hands and signed, 'But no ices.'

Well, Sylvie would take that for a victory.

"Have a good day then, you two. I'll see you at dinner," Sylvie called out after them as they walked out to the main door hand in hand. Rafe made a gallant show of handing her up the carriage like a proper little lady.

She smiled at him, rolling her eyes, a lazy sort of affection settling in her bones. It wasn't until much later that Sylvie considered that she ought to be concerned by how easily she had slotted him into a place in her family. That Jane was perhaps not the one who was going to be hurt and disappointed when they eventually went back to their own lives.