He raised his brow and started sternly. “Who am I?”
“Daddy. Will you take over for me, Daddy?”
His smile was brilliant. “Yes baby, now let us have tea and you will go for a nap.”
The maid entered the room just as Lilli responded. “I don’t need a nap.”
The maid froze in place.
Oliver waved in the young girl. “You do, my dear, and this young woman,” he turned to the maid, “what is your name?”
“Mattie, Your Grace.”
He nodded and smiled at her. “Mattie will go and turn down your bed. No less than an hour to rest. Mattie will go and fetch you in two if you have fallen asleep. We will ring for you Mattie, when Her Ladyship is ready.”
“Yes, Your Grace,” said Mattie as she bobbed a curtsey and left the room, closing the door behind her.
“She left you in the room without escort.”
“I am your guardian, my dear. They know your innocence is not at risk with me. Yet.”
“Oliver.”
He gave her a stern glare. “Do you need me to teach the lesson of who I am over my knee?”
“No! No, Daddy. It feels awkward. I haven’t ever had a father really, and never a Daddy.”
“And now you do. Finish your tea while I read these letters.”
Much to her chagrin, Lilli had fallen asleep and found herself reluctant to wake from that nap. She had shooed poor Mattie away several times and now the door had opened again.
“Lilliana, Daddy is here and it’s time to wake up. You have had a long nap, but it is time to wake up and talk about these letters.”
“I wasn’t asleep. I was merely resting my eyes.”
“Ah, yes, for three hours? I only required one hour. No lying is a rule that you may not break. Would you like to rethink your response?”
She gazed blearily at Oliver who, from her vantage point on her bed, seemed huge. His words breaking through the haze. “Three hours?” Lilli bolted upright, her hair tumbling loose around her shoulders. “That’s impossible. I only closed my eyes for a moment.”
Oliver sat on the edge of her bed, the mattress dipping beneath his weight. The proximity sent a rush of warmth through her body. He leaned down and kissed her leisurely. She felt wanton, but she wanted more. It was no guardian kiss.
Much to her chagrin, Lilli had fallen asleep and found herself reluctant to wake from that sleep. She had shooed poor Mattie away several times and now the door had opened again.
“Lilliana, Daddy is here and it’s time to wake up. You have had a long nap, but it is time to wake up and talk about these letters, among other things here since my last visit.”
“I wasn’t asleep. I was merely resting my eyes.”
“Ah, yes, for three hours? I only required one hour. No lying is a rule that you may not break. Would you like to rethink your response?”
She gazed blearily at Oliver who, from her vantage point on her bed, seemed huge. His words breaking through the “Three hours?” Lilli bolted upright, her hair tumbling loose aroundher shoulders. “That’s impossible. I only closed my eyes for a moment.”
Oliver smile as he sat on the edge of her bed, the mattress dipping beneath his weight. The proximity sent a rush of warmth through her body. He leaned down and kissed her leisurely. She felt wanton, but she wanted more and he gave it to her.
“I suppose you had better admit you were sleeping, then or I shall think you were hiding from me.”
“Very well, I was sleeping but it was the best sleep I have had in a long time.”
“Because I took over and you could relax. That is going to happen from this point on. No arguing. Only kissing.”
