Star's Crossing

Epilogue 8: Fox, All Mischief

She walked the familiar road, turning the letter and its talk of burning over and over in her hands. 

The bur oak stood stoic as always, an institution with roots stuck to the bottom of time. A week had passed since the engagement and the release of From Far-Away, and Mare, who imagined she'd be content and satisfied and buoying along, found herself restless instead.

Teddy was wrapped up in city work, which he still managed from a distance while writing his own books. They'd long been put on hold, but soon, living on Mare's income and the generous pension that came from Matilde and Antony's business these days, he'd be allowed to pour all of his focus into the pages, as he'd dreamed. Mare's heart hurt with the joy of it. All of it, their future, suddenly so close and attainable.

But in this day-to-day, Mare was returned to missing him. She'd be compelled to start another book soon, and what would it detail? What story would the blank page conjure? Who would her heroine be, and where might her adventures lead? The possibility was endless.

"Quite the stride on you."

Mare turned, beaming when she met the eyes of an old friend. "Hello, stranger."

Geoffrey slung an arm around her shoulders, and they continued down the path. It was rich with fallen leaves. They rained down with the slightest breeze. One caught in Mare's hair, and Geoffrey plucked it free, letting it fall from his fingers.

"How is town's most eligible bachelor?" Mare asked, smirking up at him. His tousled waves were lighter now than they were all those years ago, but his eyes had only brightened. He still wore that cocky, crooked smile. Fox, Mare thought. All mischief. "I heard you were to be off to Oxford."

He cast his eyes skyward. "If the family's got any say, I'll be on a ship come spring."

"You sound less than enthused."

"I'll make a confession, if you promise to keep it safe." He released her in favor of strolling backward, hands in his pockets. "What do say, old friend?"

"I'd say you and I are just about the best people in Star's Crossing at keeping secrets." Mare arched a brow, winning a chuckle.

"Fine, then. If you must know, I'm a bit envious of you and my brother." Geoffrey tipped his chin back, appraising the sun that filtered in starbursts through the autumn-clad boughs. "I fancy myself a bit of a nomad. Or, I'd like to. There was a boy in school I quite took a liking to. A chap from Greece who said he was going to see the whole world. He invited me to visit."

Mare was struck with envy herself. Her tour of Europe had not taken her so far as Greece. "Oh, but you must go. Why wouldn't you?"

"I am the servant of duty."

"Hardly." Mare hooked her arm through his when he offered, and they resumed their promenade. "You've got Teddy and Camden to handle the heavy lifting in family business. You've got some money stashed away. And the war clearly didn't break your spirit."

His smile softened, eyes touched by grief. Youngest of the three, Geoffrey had escaped the call of war until the very last year of it. A hard, grueling, bloody year, which had left his countenance a little softer at the edges, and his aspect a bit wiser. He'd lost a friend made out there, on a day when the heat was devastating and infection set deep in the bones of the wounded. It had altered him, but he said sharing the stories with Mare, watching her inscribe them in ink and immortality, had aided his healing.

Still. Mare sometimes found herself missing the slouching, easy-going boy he'd been. Violence took much more than blood and pounds of flesh. The scars it left were very deep, and often, she now knew, invisible to the naked eye.

"Go." Mare stopped on the path and took Geoffrey's hands, looking up into his eyes. "Go out there and see the world."

Geoffrey's smile was crooked. "Who's the bad influence now, hm?" He touched her chin briefly with two fingers, a little admonishment. "He's a writer, my Greek friend. A poet, actually. And he sings like a bird."

"You sound fond of him."

"I am. Quite. I think you'd like him, too."

"Perhaps Teddy and I will be compelled to meet you out in the broad world on your journey."

Geoffrey's smile faltered, doubt flashing in those cat-like amber eyes. "And Oxford?"

"Oxford," Mare said, squeezing his hand, "will wait."