His lower lip trembled. "Mamadidread The Golden Goose to me. But she can't anymore, can she?"
Louisa's breath caught in her throat. She could feel her heart cracking beneath her ribs, full of sorrow for the tiny child. "No Kenneth, I'm afraid she cannot," she said gently, pulling him into her arms, grateful that he came to her so willingly. "But how would you like me to read it to you instead? I know it couldn't possibly be as good as when you read with your mama, but I would love to read the book also."
Kenneth sniffed hard. "You can't. I don't have the book. It was at home and we're not at home anymore, are we?"
Louisa was saved from answering this hardest of questions by the patter of small feet running across the hard ground towards them. Kenneth's eyes cleared and he beamed over her shoulder. "Hello Abigail! We're playing maze, do you want to join in?"
Abigail regarded Louisa with that serious stare of hers. Clearly, Louisa thought, she had a long way to go to win over the little girl even if her brother seemed to be enjoying Louisa's company.
"Abigail, darling, you're most welcome to join us. We were about to try and find the center, we could really use your help you know."
Abigail skirted around Louisa and took her brother's hand. "You can't play anymore, Lady St Vincent."
"Abigail!" Kenneth sounded outraged on Louisa's part, which truth be told she found very touching.
"Well she can't! Uncle said so. Uncle said to tell Lady St Vincent that she has to stop playing and go to his study because he wants to talk to her." She stared at Louisa expectantly.
Louisa groaned inwardly. She knew this happy, carefree feeling was too good to last. Still, she put on a cheerful expression and rose to her feet. "Well then, I should go and talk to your uncle, shouldn't I?"
She turned to leave, but a moment later turned back to Kenneth. "If you would like, I can find a new copy of The Golden Gooseand we can read it together. Or, how about this? We shall look for a new fairy tale to read. Then The Golden Goose will always be yours and your mama's, and we will have a new story to enjoy together?"
Kenneth blinked up at her. "Does it have to be scary?"
Louisa laughed. "Absolutely not. On my honor, it will not be scary at all."
He thought for a moment while Abigail stood impatiently beside him, then finally nodded. "All right then." He waved as his sister pulled him back into the maze, and Louisa waved back happily. One down, one to go.
Then, she turned back to the house and looked up at the window she knew to be Cedric's study.Well, two to go I suppose. I can't help but think that Abigail will surely be easier to win over than he will.
Cedric was surprised when Louisa knocked on his study door, half expecting her to burst in as she had done days before. He called for her to enter and she did so, standing before his desk with her head high and hands clasped loosely in front of her. He waited a moment, but she seemed determined for him to speak first.
"My lady. I wanted to ask you a question if I may."
"You may do as you wish, Lord St Vincent."
Her response surprised him slightly. It was bolder than he was used to from the meek girl, and he half wondered where this boldness had been hiding in her. "I saw you in the garden, with Kenneth."
She smiled at him, eyes lighting up. "That's not exactly a question. But yes, we were exploring together. We were getting to know each other, and our new home."
"I see. And tell me Louisa, was it purely to spite me that you decided to disregard my instructions regarding the welfare of my wards today?"
The smile fell instantly from her face, and to his surprise he regretted the words that had caused this change. Her face was shuttered now, guarded against him.
"My lord, I can assure you that you were the last thing on my mind when I saw a young, frightened, upset child, a child I was brought to this estate to care for, and I decided to do just that. You can be upset with me should you choose to be, but if you are waiting for an apology, I'm afraid it simply will not be forthcoming. Kenneth needed comforting. I comforted him. He is now happier than he was earlier today. I believe that deserves praise rather than scolding."
Cedric sat silently for several moments, shocked at the change that had come across his bride. Much as he wanted to feel otherwise however, he had to admit to himself that he wasdrawn to this new, bold Louisa. Her eyes were full of fire as she stared him down, waiting for him to make his next move.
He rose slowly from his desk, eyes never leaving hers, and crossed the room to stand in front of her. She stiffened slightly as he approached but held her ground, chin tipped up defiantly. He stopped just short of her, resisting the sudden urge to stroke her cheek with one finger.
"Well, well. It looks as though my lamb has turned into something of a lion, doesn't it?"
Louisa opened her mouth but no sound came out. She blushed furiously across her cheekbones and all the way up to her hairline. Cedric smirked triumphantly.
"I'm afraid I'm not quite sure what to do with you, my sweet wife. My charms don't seem to work on you at all."
"Perhaps that is a good experience for you, sir," she said pertly, the blush still staining her delicate skin. "It will teach you that you cannot sweep every woman you see off her feet."
"I would be content if I could sweep you into listening to my instructions," he said drolly, tucking a loose curl behind her ear. "Truly it seems I have never fully appreciated my powers of persuasion except in this instance where they simply do not work."
