I lifted my head and saw a tall form with one leg swinging above the ground, and arms clutching a pair of crutches.
My lips curled into a wide smile. I thought for sure he would be with my brothers and Miles.
Without a second thought, I broke into a run to catch up with him. Normally, it was hard for me to keep up with Asa’s long strides, but the crutches set him back and I was by his side within seconds.
“Asa? What are you doin’?” I asked.
“Well, hello, Nat,” Asa greeted me as though this was the first time he was seeing me today.
My eyes swept in the direction of the trees as the two of us continued to walk toward Belgrave. For the first time, I had to slow down my steps for him. “Did my brothers leave you?”
Asa gave a curt nod, keeping his focus on every step. “I believe I was far too slow for them.”
He swung his body forward, his good leg taking the lead while his broken foot continued to dangle above the ground. Every time he shifted his body onto his crutches, his face contorted into one of discomfort.
“You appear to be in pain,” I commented.
Asa glanced at me from the corner of his eye and stubbornly forged ahead. “I have a broken foot.”
“I understand. But your arms seem to be in pain too.”
“They hurt,” Asa grunted as he took another step forward. “Because of these blasted,” another grunt, “crutches.”
My heart lurched as I watched him wince in pain with every step.
You need to help him! He’s in pain.
Skipping ahead of him, I held my finger out. “You stay here! I’m gonna do somethin’. All right?”
Asa stopped walking and took a deep breath. “Oh, no. I’m runnin’ away,” he dryly muttered under his breath.
Skeptically, I looked at him, unsure whether he was jesting or being honest. You could just never tell with him.
“Just go,” he grumbled. “I clearly can’t go far.”
I took off down the drive, my legs moved so fast the frilled yoke around my neckline flew around my face, momentarily covering my eyes. When I reached Belgrave, I hurried up the porch steps and burst through the front door. Momma stood in the foyer, arranging a floral bouquet with one of the servants. Her brown hair was pulled into a bun, but the heat caused tendrils to escape near her ears and temples. Even when Momma was only spending her day at Belgrave, she still took great care in her appearance. Her green dress matched the color of her eyes. The long sleeves were lined with lace. A golden tone organza silk encircled her waist, and mid-way up the full skirt was a bow of the same color.
Upon spotting me, her eyes widened. She dropped the flower in her hand and walked over to me. “Goodness, Nattie, what is the matter?”
Clutching one of my momma’s arms, I took a moment to catch my breath. My sprint was short, but I was now sweating profusely. The blue dress Momma had my maid put on me this morning was too heavy. The long sleeves especially.
“Momma, it’s Asa! His leg is causin’ him a lot of pain.”
Momma looked toward the driveway and squinted her eyes. “Where are the boys?”
I stood a bit straighter as I proudly declared, “They left him.”
“Hmm… of course they did, and so he walked up the driveway with you?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to see my brothers in trouble for leaving Asa behind.
By the time Momma and I made it down the steps, Asa had almost reached the circular drive. His face was contorted in pain with every step and little beads of sweat had gathered on his forehead.
“Asa, what are you doin’?” Momma asked as she hurried to his side.
“Walkin’, ma’am.”
“He needs to sit down,” I voiced. “He’s in pain.”
Momma looked at me from the corner of her eye before she turned her attention back to Asa. “Is that true?”
“No, ma’am.”
Momma wasn’t convinced. With her arms crossed, she regarded him closely. “Asa Calhoun. Tell me the truth.”
After a beat of silence, he dipped his head. “My foot is givin’ me trouble, and my arms are a bit sore from the crutches.”
“Very well. As I thought. Come inside. You can rest in the sittin’ room until my boys find their manners and come back home.”
“No ma’am, that’s not necessary.”
Momma arched a brow. All she heard in that sentence was the word ‘no.’ “Come to the sittin’ room,” she repeated, leaving no room to argue.
Asa knew there was no use fighting and nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
I knew Asa was embarrassed by the attention, but this was good. I did the right thing. He would feel better once he was off his foot.
As Momma helped him up the porch steps, he gave me a look of betrayal. Quickly, I looked away, feeling my cheeks turn hot.
But I did this for him!
Momma got Asa inside and settled on the settee. He profusely thanked the servant who took his crutches, laying them on the floor.
“Now, you sit there and relax. Miss Cecilia is wrappin’ ice in towels for your foot and arms. You let me know if you need anythin’ else.”
Asa tried his hardest to object but Momma wouldn’t hear anything of it. She left the room while Miss Cecilia bustled into the sitting room, hands filled with ice wrapped in towels.
She took one look at me and gestured to the open doorway. “Shoo Miss Nathalie. I have things to do, and I don’t be needin’ you under my feet.”
I wanted to help. I wanted to sit next to Asa and continue to talk for as long as I could, but Cecilia was not someone you disobeyed and lived to tell the tale.
Furtively, I looked at Asa from the corner of my eye before I walked out of the room. It wouldn’t have mattered anyways. Two more servants had come into the room and were surrounding him, insisting that it would be far more comfortable if he had his other boot off.
In the foyer, I looked at the front door. I could try and find Rainey. But she had likely climbed another tree, waiting for the perfect opportunity to attack Livingston once again. Hard to say where my brothers and Miles were.
I was better off waiting in the gardens until Cecilia was sure to be done, and then I would sit with Asa. I walked down the hall, toward the back entrance of the house, when I approached Daddy’s office and heard his voice along with Momma’s.
I knew I shouldn’t have snooped. Just last week I told Momma that Julian snooped anytime they had a private dinner party. She scolded him and prohibited him from riding his horse for a week.
But I heard the name Asa, and I couldn’t help myself. I stopped in my tracks and strained to hear their conversation. Stepping closer to the door, I peered inside the room.
Momma leaned against Daddy’s desk. He sat in his chair, staring up at her with a smirk while she described to him how I came to her, distressed about Asa.
Daddy shook his head. “Oh, Nattie. You know how protective she is of her Asa.”
The way Momma and Daddy softly laughed had me confused. What was amusing about me wanting to protect Asa?
“Nathalie can have her child infatuation for him as much as she wants, but I genuinely worry about that boy,” Momma said.
At that, I frowned. I didn’t know what child infatuation meant, but I didn’t care for the sound of it. Not at all.