Clockwork Blue (52 page)

"About what?"

"That you've been hurt so badly."

"What are you talking about? I haven't been hurt."

"Deny it all you want. I know the truth."
How sad. Although she had been wallowing in misery and self-doubt, she realized how much more alone
Malcolm
w
as than she had ever been. W
ithout hope.
Without faith
. Without love.
She wanted to remedy that.
"
Someday you
'
ll change.
Someday you'll believe that there's good in the world, and that pixies really do exist.
"

"
So you are telling me you believe in pixies.
"

Somehow the pixies and love became interchangeable. In order to convince him of the existence of true love, she would have to persuade him to believe in magic.
"
I do.
"

"
And you were talking to a
pixie
just a moment ago?
"

"
Ye
s,
"
she admitted.

"
Ahhh. Does only one pixie exist, or are there many?
"

She knitted her brows at the notion.
"
I
'
m personally acquainted with only two.
"

"
Uh-huh. And do they have names?
"

His expression was calm but wary. She decided his interest was favorable. At least he wasn
'
t trying to haul her off to the asylum—and perhaps he was beginning to at least consider the
notion.
"
Allegro and
Glissando
.
"

"
Hmm,
"
he murmured.
"
Do they visit everyone, or just a select few?
"

"
You mean Allegro and
Glissando
? Or other
pixie
s?
"

"
Thunderation
, you
'
re telling me there are more?
"

"
Glissando
claims there
'
s a whole world of them in the sky, but I haven
'
t seen them. As far as Allegro and
Glissando
visiting other people, I
'
m not sure how it works. They allegedly visit me as well as every first-born female in my lineage. But I suppose they could call on others. Otherwise, what do they do in all the
ye
ars between generations?
"

She realized he was staring at her with growing consternation.
"
Why is it so hard to believe there are little magical creatures that only a few people can behold? Just because some things are not understood by science doesn
'
t mean they don
'
t exist. Some things, the beautiful things, are
just...
unexplainable.
"

"
Don
'
t waste any time trying to convince me of magic,
Nicola
. You need to concentrate on your hobby. You will have more success at that.
"

His comment brought her back to the problem at hand. She plopped down on a chair.
"
I
'
ve heard my hats are awful.
"

"
Is that what the pixie—which one was it—said? Bloody hell, I can
'
t believe I just asked you about your delusions.
"
He frowned as if she were dicked in the nob.

His criticism didn
'
t sit well. Her lower lip started to wobble, but she bit the inside of it and jutted out her chin, determined not to be intimidated by his skepticism.
"
It was
Glissando
, but he felt bad afterward.
"

Malcolm
scowled. He picked up a wide strand of ribbon.
"
I suppose
... well, I don
'
t know what to think about your imaginary creatures as
ye
t.
"
He rubbed the ribbon and stared at her.
"
Nicola
, did you start believing in
pixie
s because you were an only child?
"

She threw him a moody glance.
"
Quit trying to analyze my mind.
"

"
Did you hit your head last night when you went sailing across the room with my boot?
"

Was such interest better than dark indifference? She decided it was.
"
Forget about my unbalanced brain and the pixies, and tell me what I
'
m going to do now that this whole business is hopeless.
"

"
Your shop has only been open a few days,
Nicola
. It
'
s too soon to deem it a disaster.
"

"
It is a disaster if my products are awful.
"

He looked about to speak,
and then
shook his head.
"
I wouldn
'
t say your hats are that bad.
"

"
You wouldn
'
t …"
She couldn
'
t help the hope rising in her bosom.

He gave her a serious look.
"
I meant what I said at our wedding breakfast,
Nicola
. You are a true artist. But have you ever thought of writing
novels as an outlet to all your
... fantasies?
"

"
You
'
re trying to tell me my hats are horrendous!
"

"
No, I
'
m not.
"
He ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated.
"
The only problem with your hats is that you
'
re
not …
French. And you know the French dictate clothing styles right now.
"
He glanced out the window and rubbed his chin.
"
Howe
ver, we talked about it before—
your station may have an influence on changing the styles.
"

"
I don
'
t know,
"
Nicola
said. She sighed again, deciding there wasn
'
t any hope after all.

"
Don
'
t close your doors quite
ye
t. I
'
ll return in a few moments.
"
He walked outside.

Curious,
Nicola
followed. Lady Celeste was just emerging from the post office. The baroness had recently left the millinery with a purchase, one of her most expensive hats. Had Celeste merely purchased it to appease
Malcolm
? Perhaps. Or perhaps not. Perhaps she really liked it.

Malcolm
motioned to Lady Celeste, a determined look on his face.

"
My lord!
"
Nicola
called after him, suddenly realizing her husband
'
s intentions. He ignored her. Humiliated, she stepped back into her shop and began rearranging one of the displays, too edgy to watch.

Malcolm
approached the Viscountess. He knew she feared him, as most people did, so when she held out a gloved hand and smiled he felt momentarily off-balance.

"
Lord Falcon, how nice to see you.
"

He nodded, wondering if the woman were ill.
"
Have you been to my wife
'
s salon?
"

"
I have, and I just bought one of her creations.
"

"
Then, why aren
'
t you wearing it?
"

"
So impatient, just like a man.
"
She laughed, then tapped his arm.

He frowned. If he didn
'
t know better, he would say she was teasing him.

She cocked her head.
"
I will be perfectly blunt with you, my lord, though you must promise to spare
Nicola
'
s feelings.
"