Page 32 of Once Upon a Midnight Dream

He scanned the orderly office.

A screen in the far corner partially hid her bedding, folded neatly on the floor.

A mule kick to his gut would have hurt less.

She slept there because of him.

It was past time he let her return to her bed.

“Have a seat there, please.” She indicated a Pembroke table with one leaf lowered near a tall window. Indecision played across her features. “The children need stability. Once you remember who you are, Zander, you shall leave.”

Perhaps.

Perhaps not.

Perchance, this is what he was meant to do.

Again, the nagging sensation that fate or providence was in play teased him.

Without a jot of regret or remorse, he dismissed the notion as drivel.

He took a seat at the table and asked the question plaguing him since awakening without his memory.

“What if I never remember, Lilly?”

Eleven

Lilly’s office

Four grueling hours later—late afternoon

One hand pressed to her forehead and an elbow resting on the desk, Lilly scored the examination for the third time.

She had not made a mistake.

Zander had passed.

Not only had he passed, he had excelled in every subject.

Only an imbecile would reject a candidate as academically qualified as he was.

How could a man not remember his name but could remember polynomial equations and caloric theory?

Fingertips pressed to her lips, Lilly relaxed against the chair back, her attention still focused on the examination papers.

Every instinct she possessed as a headmistress fairly screamed, “Retain him now!”

Zander would be an excellent asset to the children’s home—at least academically.

Nevertheless, she could not shake the uneasiness that his leaving—and he would leave, of that she had no doubt—would cause gross disruption to the school, the students, the staff, and yes, if she were perfectly honest…to her life.

He was that kind of man.

One who made an extreme impression on everyone he met.

Charles could not stop raving about Zander’s intellect, humor, and military knowledge.

Mrs. B was half in love with Zander and had taken to baking extravagant delicacies for him besides finding numerous excuses to chat with him throughout the day.