“That’ll be all.” Edmund dismissed him quickly, then rushed out of his own room, and right in the direction of the girls’ study.
He hoped he would find them inside, despite the fact that it was a lovely day, a day which Rosalie usually endeavored to spend outside. Edmund loved to silently take part in their lessons, enjoying in the obvious elevation of knowledge the girls would express. Their curiosity had blossomed, and so had they. He had Rosalie to thank for all that.
He reached their study room almost breathless. He felt a strange sensation of giddiness, one he had not been a victim of since he himself was a small child climbing trees or poking bees’ nests with his brother. Ever since his death, memories had been a painful effort for Edmund, but slowly, he had commenced to relish in them once more. Everything regarding Rosalie had also started to make him feel like a child in awe of the whole world around him.
Truth be told, Edmund was well aware of the fact that it had been only several months of Rosalie’s stay with them, but he felt as if he had known her all his life. Suddenly, he remembered that this was exactly what his late brother had shared once regarding his wife.
She’s everything I ever wanted in a woman. I feel like I’ve known her all my life.
When he had heard him say it, Edmund simply nodded. He didn’t even believe it completely. To him, it was one of those things people said when they were madly in love. Edmund could never imagine himself being madly in love.
But now he believed it. He believed it with all his heart because he felt it. His heart was full of joy, full of newfound vigor and he had her to thank for all that.
It seemed that when it came to the matters of the heart, time was of no essence, of no importance. It was all relative. A day could be as long as a year, or as quick as a single second. And, with Rosalie, time passed by quickly, and Edmund wished to grab at those invisible seconds and make them last longer. The only way to do that was to acknowledge the way he felt about her, and invite her to stay with them forever, not only as the girls’ governess, but as his wife.
The thought made him even more light-headed, almost drunk with happiness, but he had already knocked on the door, and he quickly managed to regain his composure. He opened the door and walked in once he was called.
“Uncle!” The girls smiled upon seeing him.
“Good morning.” Rosalie beamed as always when she saw him.
He felt amazed that he had such an effect on someone. It was utterly unbelievable, and yet, he could see it with his own eyes. Her heart belonged to him, as his did to her.
“Good morning to all,” he bowed cordially. “It seems that I interrupt you ladies often.”
“We don’t mind,” Madeline chirped.
“Not at all!” Cecilia echoed.
“I admit that I do enjoy doing that,” he smiled mischievously. “I also enjoy surprising you, which is exactly why I came here this morning.”
“There’s a surprise?” Madeline exclaimed, jumping from her seat.
“What is it, Uncle?” Cecilia followed suit. “Tell us! Tell us!”
They rushed over to him, and like little sparrows started jumping around him, pulling him by the waistcoat.
“Settle down,” he chuckled, overjoyed at this reaction. “I won’t tell you, no matter how much you plead.”
He had to admit, he did this play on words on purpose. Their little eyes saddened to such an extent that he almost regretted it. But he added the explanation immediately.
“Because I would rather show you the surprise instead,” he urged.
“Where is it?” Madeline wondered. “Have you hidden it?”
“Is it outside?” Cecilia was on the right track.
“Well, you tell me,” Edmund shrugged. “I do believe it has something to do with the puppies.”
But, before he could say anything else, the girls rushed outside, leaving him flabbergasted at the speed of their little feet. Within seconds, they were out of sight. He turned to Rosalie in surprise.
“I don’t remember the last time I saw them this excited,” Rosalie smiled, walking over to him.
He saw that she was wearing the brooch he had gifted her. The sight filled his heart with warmth that spread throughout his entire body. He took her by the hand and laid a gentle kiss on it. His thumb caressed the upper part of her palm, silky soft. She looked like she had been bathing in milk that morning, her beauty accentuated by the pale orange gown she was wearing and the small dainty hair clip that adorned her long braid. It was a daisy in bloom.
“What did you get them?” she wondered.
“Let us follow them and see,” he suggested.
