“Oh my darling, I can’t help but feel sad sometimes. They were taken from us too soon,” Louisa’s tone fell as she let out a sigh.
Cecilia remained silent, feeling a familiar heaviness settle over her chest. Her grandmother’s expression softened, seeming to sense the shift in mood. “Oh, my sweet girl, I know it’s hard. But your parents loved deeply, and that love is in you. You have their spirit, their passion. Just like your father would say, ‘Life is an adventure, and love is the greatest journey of all.’”
“Another great adventure of his was forgetting to dust off the sand of his hands before eating, wasn’t it?” Cecilia teased lightly, trying to lighten the mood.
“Ah, yes!” Louisa laughed, her eyes twinkling. “He was hopeless at keeping clean, bless him. But you see, love is about accepting the quirks, the imperfections. Your mother knew this, you can’t expect perfection, my dear.”
As the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting a warm golden hue over the garden, Cecilia watched her grandmother’s eyes flutter. “You know, Grandmother,” Cecilia said softly, “I think you might need a nap. We’ve been talking for quite a while now.”
Louisa waved a hand dismissively, her laughter bubbling up. “Oh, nonsense! I’m just getting to the good part. Remember the time he tried to impress me with his horsemanship, and ended up falling into the pond?”
“Who?” Cecilia smiled, leaning in closer to support the old woman. “But yes, of course, you said you nearly drowned from laughing so hard. But really, you should rest. You’ve been up since dawn.”
“Dawn? Oh dear, I thought it was still evening!” Louisa’s brow furrowed in confusion, and Cecilia smiled once again at her grandmother’s forgetfulness.
“Why don’t we sit for a moment?” she suggested, guiding the Dowager Countess to a nearby bench. “Just for a bit.”
As Louisa settled down, she glanced around, admiring the sparkling white sight. “Such a lovely garden. It reminds me of the one we had back in the countryside. Do you remember, Cecilia? The roses were just as vibrant.”
Cecilia nodded, her heart swelling with affection. “I remember you teaching me how to prune them. You always said that a little care goes a long way.”
“Ah, yes! Pruning! Such a delicate art,” Louisa mused, her voice growing softer. “I must have taught you well. Your father did most of the work, however.”
Cecilia smiled, watching as Louisa’s eyelids grew heavier. “You did, Grandmother. You and him both. You taught me all I know about love and life.”
With a final yawn, Louisa leaned back against the bench, her breathing steadying. Cecilia gently took her hand, feeling a warmth that filled her with comfort. “Rest now, Grandmother. I’ll be around here.”
After finding help to return her mother back inside to rest properly in her chambers, Cecilia returned to her stroll through the garden. The soft crunch of snow beneath her boots breaking the serene silence of the winter landscape. As she walked, her breath formed small clouds that dissipated quickly, mirroring the thoughts racing through her mind.
Suddenly, a loud rustling noise followed by frightening loud barks broke the tranquility, sending a jolt of adrenaline through her veins.
Her heart raced as she turned to see a large, fierce-looking dog barreling toward her.
Its powerful frame and bared teeth made her instincts kick in, and she ran, but not long before stumbling on a branch, falling to the wet, soft ground in a panic.
“No, no!” she gasped, stretching out a hand in a futile attempt to ward off the approaching beast.
But to her astonishment, the dog skidded to a halt just inches from her, its expression shifting from fierce to playful. It dropped to its front paws, tail wagging furiously, and began to lick her hand affectionately. Cecilia blinked in disbelief, her fear melting away as she processed the animal’s intentions.
“Whoa, you scared me!” she laughed, her voice a mix of relief and amusement. The dog, a massive dark coated animal with a careless canine grin, seemed to sense her change in demeanor. It bounded closer, nudging her with its nose, begging for attention.
Cecilia’s heart warmed as she reached out, her apprehension replaced by curiosity. “All right, all right ! I see you just want to play,” she cooed, her laughter bubbling forth as she scratched behind its ears. The dog responded with a delighted bark, rolling onto its back, exposing its belly for more affection.
“Who’s a big, silly boy?” she asked, her voice filled with affection as she leaned down to cuddle with him. The dog wriggled with joy, licking her face as she giggled uncontrollably.
“Cerberus! Come back here!” A loud voice rang out suddenly,s a mix of exasperation and urgency. Cecilia’s head snapped up, her heart racing a little as she recognized the familiar tone.
Alistair appeared at the edge of the garden, his dark hair tousled and glistening with sweat. He was clearly out of breath, his broad shoulders rising and falling rapidly as he approached.
“Cerberus!” Cecilia realized quickly this to be the name of the dog as the duke called again, his blue eyes widening in disbelief as he spotted the animal sprawled on the ground beside her, tail wagging enthusiastically.
It seemed he’d been running a lot as Cecilia couldn’t help but notice the way the duke’s shirt beneath his heavy coat seemed drenched in sweat, accentuating the muscles that defined his torso. She blushed furiously and quickly shook her head, berating herself for getting distracted by his appearance.
“What are you doing?” Alistair’s surprise had been replaced with his familiar stoic, condescending stare and he remained where he stood as though Cecilia was the plague, his brow furrowed, trying to coax the dog back to him. “You’ve never run away like this before.”
Cecilia lifted a brow, her fingers buried in Cerberus’s fur as the dog rolled onto his back, clearly being disobedient to it’s master, enjoying the attention. “He seems to want to play, Your Grace,” she spoke carefully.
Alistair’s expression darkened slightly, hands on his hips, a picture of frustration. “I can’t believe you’re acting like this. Cerberus, come!”
