“They are uncomfortable,” her grandmother replied.
“Then at least put your hands under the blanket to keep warm,” Gemma said. Lothar watched as she went to her grandfather next.
“If you move the black rook three spaces line six, you will havecheck. If you move your knight, then checkmate for sure,” Gemma said. Her grandfather shook his head and looked up at her.
“How do you always do that?” he asked, with a mixture of awe and fondness.
“It must be because I learned from the best,” Gemma replied.
“I may have taught you too well, my girl. I have not been able to win a game against you in weeks,” her grandfather replied. “Do you play, young man?” He said looking a Lothar.
“Yes sir, I do enjoy the game occasionally,” Lothar replied.
“Good. I hope you have better fortune than I do,” he said getting up from his chair. He moved to sit next to Gemma’s father. Gemma took her grandfather’s seat and looked up at Lothar.
“What do you say, Your Grace. Would you care for a quick game ofchess?”
Lothar was delighted to play a game with Gemma. He had been playing against himself since his father had passed. He took a chair from nearby and took his seat at the opposite side of the table.
“I would be delighted, My Lady,” Lothar replied.
Gemma quickly had Lothar cornered and that one game turned into rematch after rematch. Lothar did not care if he won or lost, he was enjoying having another person to play against.
We have so much in common that this union could be something special.Lotharthought as he examined the chess board. This was the fourth time in a row that he had lost.
She is remarkable!Lothar smiled at her triumphant face. He was disappointed though, when his mother said it was time for them to leave. Lothar looked out the window that overlooked part of the garden and the patio.
The trees and flowers he could usually see there were gone as it had grown dark outside. He grew hopeful when Gemma’s parents offered them to stay the night for safety. His mother felt too strongly that they were imposing and so he found himself having to saygoodbyeto Gemma.
Chapter 15
Gemma watched as Lothar left. She felt the absence of his presence the second she could no longer see him. Lothar and his mother had arrived in the morning and had left at nightfall, yet it had felt as though they had only been there for a few hours. And Lothar had been so natural with the children.
Not something one saw very often,Gemma thought, as she stood back from the plants she had been moving to be closer to the window in the conservatory for the winter. Even her grandparents liked to move—to the other side of the house—during winter. Once the frost started to settle in, then they would have rooms cleaned and prepared as soon as was possible.
Her grandmother had a love of plants that Gemma had inherited. She had noticed that the pot plants were started to suffer with damage from frost and decided to move them where they would get more sun. Her grandmother also insisted that her chair be moved closer to theflowers. Gemma gladly helped and adored seeing her grandmother happy.
“That one needs to be further, dear,” her grandmother said, and Gemma obliged.
“Do you think that will be suitable, Grandmama?” Gemma asked.
“Yes, thank you, dear. Now, how are things between you and this Lothar fellow? I know you have been adamant that you do not want to marry. Though I think this young man seems a good match for you.”
Again with being a good match. Are they all conspiring against me? Lothar said the exact same words and it seems I am alone in not seeing what they see.
“He does seem like a good man, Grandmama. What do you believe makes us a good fit?” Gemma asked needing to know what they saw that she did not.
“It seems the two of you have a few things in common, and you two are comfortable in eachother’s company to start with,” her grandmother replied with a smile.
“Surely it takes more than comfort to make a union work,” Gemma said.
“So you are considering marriage?” Her grandmother beamed at her.
“It is not a certainty, Grandmama,” Gemma replied.
“No matter. It is a vast improvement on your attitude towards marriage not that long ago,” her grandmother said.
“It was a pleasant visit,” Gemma replied.
