But now more than ever, he couldn’t risk the girls well–being.
She nodded.
And then the girls were running across the grass and the dog jumped up to greet them.
“Now may we partake of our tea, Miss Fortune?” Eloise smoothed her pale blue dress. “Althea is simply starving after all this exercise.”
“Do you want to eat, Peaches?” Jasper loved the sound of Althea’s voice as she addressed Miss Fortune’s dog. It was a little higher sounding than Eloise’s. He’d heard it so rarely…
“Won’t you join us, my lord?” Miss Fortune was already opening the basket and handing each of the girls a napkin. Jasper took the one she handed him and crawled onto all fours so that he could assist her.
“What have we here? Crumpets and tea?”
“Biscuits and lemonade.” A smiled danced on Miss Fortune’s lips as she withdrew a handful of small glasses. “And fruit. Nothing fancy, I’m afraid.” And then she handed him the tin of cookies to divvy up amongst their party.
“You know what, Papa?” Eloise nibbled on her cookie. “I don’t think ducks like little girls.”
“It’s not the little girls that they swim away from, sweetheart. It is loud, very high-pitched noises that causes them to retreat.”
“Like when I screamed?”
Miss Fortune met his smile with one of her own.
“Like when you scream.”
Midnight happenings
Tilde sat up at the scream from the room next door. Was it Eloise or Althea?
She fumbled her way through the dark to the adjoining door. She’d so hoped the nightmares had gone away completely.
With only a hint of moonlight shining through the window, she saw Althea had curled into tiny ball and was crying uncontrollably. The sight was enough to draw tears to Tilde’s own eyes, but she knew that would not bring any calm to the situation.
Tilde maneuvered herself over to the girl’s side. As Tilde wrapped her arms around Althea, she heard a sniffle from across the room. Eloise was watching from the other bed with her arms wrapped around her tiny knees,.
“It’s all right, little Thea. Wake up love. It isn’t real. Can you wake up for me, love?” Perspiration drenched Althea’s tiny body, and she trembled uncontrollably. Tilde rocked her back and forth.
So intent was Tilde on the child that she hadn’t realized the door opened until flickering candlelight caught her eye.
“When did it start?” Jasper’s voice took Tilde’s concern down a notch.
She had been caring for children for what felt like most of her life, and yet relief swept through her at the knowledge that she was not to cope with such troubling emotions alone.
“Not long ago. I came as soon as it began.”
After setting the candle on one of the bedside tables, he dropped onto the other side of the bed and stroked his daughter’s hair. “I’m here, little one. And so is Miss Fortune. You’ve nothing to be afraid of, you know?”
“Peaches.” Althea mumbled into Tilde’s nightgown.
“Was the monster lady hurting Peaches?” Eloise’s eyes resembled large saucers.
“Yes, the monster lady.” Althea confirmed.
The girls’ exchange sent shivers racing down Tilde’s spine. “Go to your Papa, sweetie and I’ll be right back.”
Jasper reached forward. While taking Althea from her, he brushed his hands along her Tilde’s front and arms. She ought not to crave something so selfish, especially at a time such as this. She lurched off the bed as though burned and returned to her own room to search beneath the covers.
Of course, Peaches was cozily curled in a ball beneath the thick counterpane. She didn’t stay asleep for long. Apparently, Tilde’s distress, and the sounds coming from next door was enough to wake her. Peaches jumped into Tilde’s arms and the two of them returned to the nursery to offer more comfort. As soon as Peaches hopped into Althea’s lap, the little girl’s trembling eased.
