“Is that so?” she asked with a smile.
“Yes. I wanted to be a constable but Mama said that is not for us girls, so I shall be a princess instead.”
Charity felt sad that the girl’s initial dream was crushed and remembered that the same had happened to her when she was but a little girl. She’d wanted to be a shop merchant and sell fruits and vegetables, but her mother had told her that would not be possible. She would have to marry and have children.
She’d thought it terribly unfair at the time.
“I would like to be a merchant also. I would sell sweetmeats, that way I could eat them whenever I wanted.”
Charity let out a genuine laugh, and some people in the crowd turned to her with smiles.
“What a grand idea. “
“I think so,” the girl announced when Ambrose came to a stop. “If I have my own shop, you should come. You can have all the sweetmeats you’d like for free. And Ambrose also,” she said as the groom lifted her off again.
“A horse can’t eat too many sweets. A bit of sugar now and then but they prefer apples and carrots.”
“I know,” the girl said and giggled again. “You are nice.”
‘So are you,” she said and bent down to the child who unexpectedly wrapped her arms around her.
“Oh no,” the groom exclaimed, rushing forward to extract her from the hug.
“There is no need,” she said, holding the child closer. She smelled of lye soap and earth as if she’d been playing somewhere in the dirt and her mother had washed her quickly before coming here but had missed some. It felt nice, holding this little girl and she wondered if perhaps one day she might have a child also. Then she thought of her circumstances. She could have a child, of course. But it would be with Eammon.
And while she thought of him with far less hostility, she was not ready to go as far as imagining them as a true husband and wife with all that it entailed. Thus, she let go of the little girl, who returned to her family.
“You did well,” she whispered to Ambrose while feeding him another carrot. She ran her hand over his brown neck and then handed the lead over to the groom. “Let them both rest and water them before we walk back to the estate.”
“Yes, Your Grace,” he said, and Charity walked across the market square to where Eammon stood. The man he’d spoken to was gone, but the grim expression on his visage remained. It lightened for a second when he saw her.
“Charity, you did wonderfully with the children. And the tenants adore you,” he said, his eyes shining. She caught her reflection within them and realized her hair had come loose, and she looked a little less regal than when they’d left the house in the morning. Self-conscious, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Thank you, she said. “The children were all adorable, and the horses behaved so well. I am so glad the day was a success.”
His face darkened at this. “Not as successful as I would have liked.”
“Why? Pray, what has happened?” she asked, but to her dismay, he shook his head.
“Nothing. I will tend to the matter. Do not fret, all will be well.”
Somehow, his words had the opposite effect for she could not stop wondering just why she would be fretting. “Is it that man? Did he say something to you?” she asked.
He narrowed his eyes. “Which man? Did someone speak to you?” His tone was full of concern, not dismay.
“No, but I saw you speaking to a man a few minutes ago, someone dressed as if he were from town with a fedora. You looked displeased. Has he brought bad news?”
He gulped and opened his mouth “You need not…”
“Fret.” She finished his sentence for him, out of patience now. “I know it. You said so. But why do you believe I would fret? Pray, let us not argue once again nor go back to dishonesty and secrets.”
They had come far these past few days and the last thing she needed was for them to once more fall into the habit of lying to one another.
He gulped and looked around before taking her arm and leading her away from the crowd and to where the barouche was parked. He helped her in as the coachman approached in a hurry.
“Jones, close the top,” he instructed and sat down beside her, saying nothing while the coachman worked to close the vehicle.
CHAPTER22
