She seemed to be listening, perhaps, but made no sign of it. Cecilia hesitated but eventually decided to press on.
“I imagine it must feel like a secret,” she continued, taking a slow step forward, careful not to crowd her. “A place no one else knows. I can see why you’d want to keep it all to yourself.”
Still nothing.
Cecilia glanced at the rustling long grasses near Abigail’s feet, then at the cluster of smooth stones lining the shore. “The water is so beautiful,” she said, almost in a whisper this time, taking in the ambiance. “I wish I could swim. I reckon a dip into the water would do so much for me right now.”
A soft, surprised sound, like a short huff of breath, almost a laugh came from Abigail’s direction. Abigail turned her head slightly, just enough that Cecilia could see the corner of her mouth lift with a trace of mischief. “You cannot swim?” she asked, the words quiet but laced with amusement, as though she couldn’t quite believe such a thing. “How are you unable to swim?”
Cecilia let out a soft laugh. “I know. It’s ridiculous, is it not?” she replied, pretending to look scandalized. “But no, I never learned. I suppose when I was little, it never seemed very important. My mama used to say girls had no business swimming unless theywere planning to run off to sea, which, as you can imagine, I never did.”
Abigail’s eyes flickered toward her more fully now, curiosity overtaking caution.
“I do regret it, though,” Cecilia added, looking back at the water. “It seems terribly unwise not to know how. Especially in a place like this. Besides…” She glanced at Abigail with a playful tease in her eye. “How am I ever to outswim a child if she gets cheeky and tries to escape by swimming away?”
That earned her a short giggle, stifled behind a small hand, but a giggle nonetheless. Then Abigail cleared her throat softly, and just as quickly as the moment had come, it slipped away. Her smile vanished, smoothed into a practiced frown, and she dropped her gaze to the damp earth beneath her feet. Whatever spark had briefly flickered was now shielded once more, tucked behind the guarded expression she wore like armor. Cecilia’s heart sank a little, but she tried not to show it.
“You know,” Cecilia continued, crouching to pluck a fallen leaf from a stone by the water’s edge “My sister Dorothy always said I talk too much. I suppose she had a point.” She offered Abigail a small smile, though the girl didn’t return it. “But I find that talking helps when I’m nervous or lonely.”
Cecilia tilted her head, her gaze steady though her voice wavered with a hint of vulnerability. “My point is, Abigail, I don’t know much about what I’m supposed to be doing here as Duchess. I wouldn’t even know how to begin. It’s all so new to me.Sometimes, it gets lonely, and I have no one to talk to. His Grace has nothing but praises to say about you, so I thought that perhaps–”
“That’s a lie!” Abigail’s voice cracked as she cut her off, her small fists clenched at her sides. “That’s not true. You’re not lonely. My papa has you now!”
The outburst startled Cecilia, but she didn’t flinch. Her breath caught in her throat as she stared.
Abigail’s lips trembled as she turned away again, kicking at a loose pebble near the water’s edge. “You’re his wife now,” she added quietly. “Who do I have?”
Cecilia took in a deep breath and rose from where she crouched and approached Abigail to crouch by her side instead. Surprisingly, Abigail didn’t step away from her. But she kept her eyes to the ground. “I am his wife, yes. But I am also my papa’s daughter. I am also the Duchess of Ashbourne. I am also Cecilia Price. I used to be Cecilia Lockhart, but here we are. I am many things, Abigail. As is your papa. I might be his wife, but what I cannot be is his only daughter. That is a special place. No one could ever replace you, Abigail. You are his precious one. That’s forever.”
Abigail didn’t respond at once, but her shoulders eased slightly.
“You don’t have to like me right away, Abigail,” Cecilia added quietly. “Or even soon. But I’d very much like to be someone you can talk to, if you ever need to. I am also here to be someone youcan turn to. Not to replace anyone, or to take what was already yours. But perhaps to be a person you can come to when the world feels too loud, or too quiet.”
Abigail didn’t move, but her fingers twitched at her side, as though unsure whether to hold onto her frown or let it slip. Her eyes stayed on the water, but Cecilia saw the shift. It was the barest tilt of her head in acknowledgment.
“Can you paint?” Abigail’s voice came quietly. “I like to paint.”
Cecilia blinked, then smiled as if the question had brightened something inside her. “Well, of course I can,” she replied gently. “Perhaps we could do it together sometime, if you’d like.”
She paused, letting the moment settle. “Also, maybe you can teach me how to swim one of these days. Provided you don’t laugh too much at how terrible I am.”
Abigail giggled despite herself, her cheeks flushing with the effort of holding back a smile. Cecilia chuckled, too, pleased by the small breakthrough.
“Well,” she said, rising to her feet and brushing off her skirts, “we should get back. Everyone is out looking for you.”
Abigail gave a small sigh and straightened, hesitating just a moment before falling in step beside her. The walk back was mostly quiet. Cecilia could hear Abigail’s footsteps padding softly on the grass beside her, occasionally brushing againstthe hem of her gown. The girl said nothing, but every so often, Cecilia caught her glancing up, as though reassessing this curious woman who had appeared so suddenly in her life.
When the manor came into view, Abigail’s pace slowed. Cecilia glanced down and offered a gentle smile. “Come along.”
This time, Abigail followed without a fuss. At the entrance, Miss Flaxman rushed toward them, her face lined with worry that softened instantly at the sight of the girl.
“Thank the heavens,” she breathed, kneeling beside Abigail to check her over. “Where did you go, young lady? We searched everywhere!”
“She’s quite well, Miss Flaxman,” Cecilia assured her, offering a small smile. “We just took a long walk.”
The governess looked up and quickly stood to her feet to give Cecilia a polite curtsy. “I’m grateful, Your Grace. Truly.”
“You don’t have to be.” She shook her head gently. “Abigail is my responsibility, too.”
