“You’re a bit of an idiot, aren’t you?”
Heath looked up from trying to wipe jelly off his youngest’s face, but all he managed to do was ruin a good handkerchief.
“I beg your pardon!” he said, not bothering to hide his temper from Miss Allen. The other ladies might be appalled by his hard tone, but she just shrugged.
“The only reason I agreed to this event was because I remembered the age of your girls. Only an idiot would bring two children—one still in nappies—to something like this. I assumed you knew better.”
“It’s their nap time,” he muttered.
“Exactly! And where did you get that nurse? She’s too young and hasn’t got a firm bone in her body. Little ones need strength.”
“I’ll not have anyone take a hand to my children!” he snapped. “I don’t know what you do in Scotland, but—”
“Not strike them, you idiot. Being firm doesn’t have to be violent. Especially at this age.”
“Then what would you have me do?”
Miss Allen shrugged. “There is not much to be done at this point. They’re overtired, and they want their Da. Pick them up and soothe them. Then take them home as soon as you can.”
It was exactly what he wanted to do, but propriety demanded that their nurse drag them away. He was supposed to look on with benign indulgence while ladies cooed over his progeny’s sweetness. Instead, he was squatting in the dirt, wiping jelly onhis waistcoat, and the child had just squirmed to her feet and run off, hoping he would chase her. It was a game they played at home, but it wasn’t supposed to happen here.
“Where’s your other one?” Miss Allen asked as she looked around.
Heath didn’t have to look to know the answer. “She’s climbed a tree.” The child had lately shown a fondness for climbing everything—trees, furniture…his body when he lay resting. “That one,” he said pointing. And sure enough, there stood the nurse with her hands on her hips as she implored his daughter to come down.
It wouldn’t work. His children were far too willful, and that was yet another reason he had to find a mother for them. Someone who could…
“Oh bother. She’s stuck, isn’t she?”
He jolted. “What? Oh good God.” And just as he was about to go get her, his younger daughter started calling to him from behind a bush.
“Daddy! Find me, Daddy! Daddy!” Her tone became more shrill with every “daddy.”
And the damned Scotswoman had the gall to laugh.
“You could help!” he growled.
“No need,” Miss Allen quipped. “There are lots of ladies trying to help your nurse. You go find the other before she pierces all our eardrums.”
He nodded, quickly stomping over to his younger child. Unfortunately, she didn’t understand his frustrated expression. This was a game they played every night to mutual delight. But this time he was trying to appear in control when he was obviously not.
“I’ve found you,” he said. And then because she was confused by his mood, he moderated his tone. “I’ve found you, you little scamp, and now I’m going to eat you.”
So saying, he swept her up in his arms and pretended to devour her belly. Again, it was what they did every night, and suddenly his daughter was restored to good humor. She squealed in delight as he bore her aloft. But once her squeals died down, he had to see about his other child.
“Daddy—”
“Hush, Minette. Let’s go see if your sister is in trouble.”
He didn’t need to see. He could already tell that Lacy wasn’t coming down anytime soon. The tree was surrounded by women offering her sweets while her nurse stood with her hands on her hips, wearing a furious expression.
“Lacy, come down!” the nurse hissed.
“Lacy, have a treat!”
“Lacy, you’ll dirty your dress!”
“Lacy, get down here this instant!” he bellowed.
