“Now I’m ready,” Liliana said, her face glowing as she took a step back and reached for Caspian’s arm.
“Well, then, right this way, my lady,” he said, offering his arm, having to bend over a bit for her to reach it.
Kellan and Gideon smirked at him as he hobbled away with Liliana and he made a rude gesture behind his back, which sent both of them into peals of laughter.
“I’m so excited for our tea party,” Liliana said as they made their way to the kitchen. When they arrived, they were greeted with the welcome sight of a picnic basket, complete with a blanket on top of it.
“Thank you,” Caspian called to Cook. He snagged the basket as Liliana towed him out of the kitchen at a breakneck pace. “Slow down, Little Bit. You’re gonna wreck us.”
Liliana must not have heard him, because as they stepped into the courtyard and she saw Mollie, she only moved faster.
Caspian smiled at the image of Sophia in the courtyard with Mollie, attempting to hold the baby goat, who only wanted to get down. When she heard Liliana coming, she let Mollie go with a sigh of relief, and the goat ran to Liliana.
“Hello,” Caspian said to Sophia, as if he hadn’t just seen her less than an hour ago.
“Hello,” she replied, her cheeks turning a delicious shade of pink.
“We’re going to have a tea party,” Liliana told Sophia, bounding up to her and grabbing her arm. “Thank you so much for bringing Mollie.”
“Of course,” Sophia said, watching as Caspian spread the blanket on the grass in the courtyard. “I suppose we should help set out the party, shouldn’t we?”
“Of course, that’s my job as the hostess,” Liliana said matter-of-factly, and Caspian and Sophia looked at each other with laughter in their eyes.
“Such a serious eight-year-old hostess,” he said.
“I’m almost nine,” she protested.
“Keep telling yourself that, Little Bit,” he said, reaching over to rub her hair.
“Don’t touch,” she said, glaring at him.
“Sorry, I won’t touch,” he said, raising his hands in innocence as they sat down on the blanket. “Do you want to serve, or should we let Sophia be the hostess?”
“Sophia can do it,” Liliana said begrudgingly, reaching over to pet Mollie.
Sophia reached into the basket, pulling out a flask of tea, three metal mugs, and a wrapped plate. When she unwrapped the plate, it revealed an arrangement of meat, cheese, bread, fruits, and vegetables. A delicious spread, all on one manageable plate.
“Cook outdid herself,” Caspian said as Liliana immediately took a piece of cheese and bread.
Sophia poured the tea into each mug and when he took his from her, his fingers brushed against hers. She gave him a tiny smile, as if she was hoping Liliana wouldn’t see it, and he wanted to do it again.
Alas, it wouldn’t make sense to hand his mug back and take it again so he could brush his hand against hers…but he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t considering it.
Sophia reached for a red apple slice, and he smiled as he took a green one, remembering their discussion on the best types of apples.
“What do you suppose we should talk about at a tea party with a goat?” Caspian asked, turning to his little sister.
“We could talk about how perfectly normal it is to eat food with a goat,” Sophia teased with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
“Or we could discuss how said baby goat completely wandered away from us?” he told her, tilting his head.
Sophia’s eyes widened and she turned to see Hopkins approaching with Mollie under one arm. “Oh, thank you for getting her,” she said. “I got distracted pouring the tea.”
Caspian smirked.
“Of course, miss,” Hopkins said.
“Are you hungry, Hopkins?” Liliana asked, staring up at him. “Won’t you join us?”
