“I saw them in the attic!” Davy volunteered. “May I come with you when you go up there to retrieve them?”
Like all children who dreamt of maps to pirate treasure and chests full of long forgotten toys, Davy was fascinated by the jumble of furniture in the attic. “Yes, you may accompany me both to the attic and to Mrs. Wainwright’s home when we take them to her.”
“If they’ve been in the attic, you won’t dare take them to her without allowing me to give them a good cleaning first.”
Cadoc nodded in agreement, because he knew better than to argue with his sister about household things. She was like their mother had been - if she wasn’t doing it or showing someone else how to do it the way she’d been taught, it wasn’t being done right.
“Can I come with you when you go see Miss Wainwright?”
No one in possession of a heart could say no to Ella’s woeful gaze. “You may come if you bundle up. That means mittens, hat, scarf, and your flannels.”
Ella complained about the long flannel pantaloons Caris forced her to wear under her skirts in the winter. She said it made her itch and peeled them off at every opportunity. “Fine,” she mumbled.
Cadoc quelled his grin at her mutinous expression because he didn’t want to hurt her tender feelings. “Then you are welcome to ride along as well.”
“But I don’t wanna go up in the attic with you. There’s a headless man up there.”
“A headless man?” Cadoc pinned his squirming nephew with a stern look.
“There’s a dressmaker’s form stashed in one of the far corners,” Caris explained.
Cad turned back to Davy. “And you told her it was a headless man? What have I told you about readingThe Legends of Sleepy Hollow, Davy? And scaring your younger sister with them?”
“It’s not real,” Davy flushed and protested.
“Then how would you like to spend the night locked in that room by yourself?” Cadoc would never subject the boy to terror like that, but his teasing of Ella could be mean-spirited, and he needed to fear the repercussions.
“I might be afraid of the headless man, but Davy’s afraid of spiders,” Ella volunteered. “He wouldn’t touch it and then he ran away when Miss Wainwright tried to bring it closer.”
“Perhaps wielding the broom in the corners of the pantry for your aunt would be a more fitting punishment.”
Davy visibly blanched. “I promise to stop teasing Ella,” he vowed.
Caris lifted her hand to cover a smile. Cadoc was finding it just as difficult to keep a straight face.
“I shall hold you to your promise, Davy. Since you and your sister demolished the lemon meringue, you may be excused.”
Ella yawned, as if on cue. She stopped at the head of the table on her way upstairs and grabbed his hand. “Uncle Cadoc, will you read one of the fairytales to us tonight?”
He patted her head. “Of course, poppet. Have Nurse put you in your nightclothes and I’ll be up shortly.”
As soon as the children were out of hearing distance, Cadoc and Caris both erupted into laughter.
“He was terrified,” Caris gasped between gusts of amusement.
“He needs to stop tormenting Ella. Perhaps the threat of arachnids will make that happen.”
“I think you’ve frightened him into compliance, brother.”
“One can hope. Ella’s nightmares are not inconsequential.”
Caris grimaced. “I agree. They only prolong the bedwetting.”
Cadoc lifted his glass. “I propose a toast to the end of bedwetting.”
“I’d prefer whisky to wine, but I accept your toast.”
They shared a look of commiseration over the rims of the goblets and he pondered how Miss Wainwright would handlethe sibling situation between Davy and Ella. If he wasn’t mistaken, she had as much experience as he did both bearing witness and playing the role of peacemaker.
