Her blush deepened at his reminder. “Of course, I do.”
“Then pray tell, Frances, what is it that you would like for us to do, as a family?”
Frances could feel the weight of his gaze as he eagerly awaited an answer. But somehow, it did not make her nervous. His words were reassuring, and it was just what she had needed to build her confidence.
“I believe that we should go to the park.”
Christopher burst out laughing at that, and she glared at him again.
“What is so funny?”
He shook his head, wiping the corner of his eye lightly. “Is that it? Is that what you have been having so much trouble telling me?”
“You cannot blame me. I was not sure what your reaction would be.”
“Oh, Frances. What am I going to do with you?” he teased in a singing voice. “Yes, of course, we can go to the park.”
She lit up immediately. “Today?”
“Yes. We can go today.”
She wanted to jump into his arms and hug him tightly. Thank him. But she knew that being close to him was always more trouble than it was worth, so she controlled herself.
“Thank you.”
Later in the day, Christopher made good on this promise to visit the park. The sun was out, a great change from the usual gray weather that they had had all week.
Frances guided the twins down the front steps of Huntington Manor. Edwin and Ernest, dressed in matching navy jackets and polished boots, clutched her hands tightly.
Their excitement about the outing was palpable, but their little faces betrayed a hint of nervousness. It would be their first time leaving the estate since arriving.
“Look how beautiful the sky is today,” Frances said softly, pointing towards the horizon. She squeezed their hands gently. “We’re going to have a wonderful adventure.”
Christopher leaned down, his deep blue eyes twinkling with reassurance. “And we’re all here together as a family. There’s nothing to worry about.”
It sent a shiver down Frances’s spine when he said that. Did he know how much it meant to her whenever he referred to them as his family?
The twins exchanged tentative glances before nodding, their grip on Frances’s hands easing slightly.
“We’re ready,” Ernest, the bolder of the two, declared, his voice tinged with determination and curiosity.
They all climbed into the carriage.
“You know, I have a little surprise for you waiting at the park,” Christopher whispered to Frances, making sure that the twins did not hear him.
Her eyes lit up. “What is it?”
“Well, it won’t be much of a surprise if I just told you, would it?”
“Yes, but now my mind will race, and I will think of all the possibilities,” she pressed.
She did not like surprises much and instead preferred to know about things beforehand.
He grinned, seeming amused by her reaction. “How about you take a guess?”
“Christopher,” she warned, narrowing her eyes slightly.
“Yes, that is my name.”
