A rainbow in the sky:
So was it when my life began;
So it is now I am a man;
So be it when I shall grow old,
Or let me die!
The Child is Father of the Man;
And I could wish my days to be
Bound each to each by natural piety.”
“Wordsworth!” the duchess spat when he finished the poem.
“Come now, Duchess.” Lady Levermarch blew her nose loudly in a handkerchief. No dainty eye dabbing for her. “Even you cannot deny the beauty of those words and delivery. Lord Raine spoke those words from his soul. Surely even your black heart must admit to that.”
“Oh, yes.” The Duchess of Raven sighed.
“And far better than dreary oldLucan,” Alex said.
“I beg your pardon!” the Duchess of Yardly roared.
And the debate began.
“It was lovely,” Dimity and Abby said. Gabe bowed to them.
“Well said.” Cam fished out his handkerchief and patted his eyes.
“Our father’s favorite poem,” Michael said with bright eyes. “Gabe read it to him a great deal in his last days.”
He saw the understanding in Dimity’s eyes. She knew what it was like to lose someone she loved. A father. They shared a glance, and then Walter broke the moment by climbing up to Gabe on the chair. There was of course no room, the chair wobbled, and in seconds he was plummeting toward the floor, his moment of glory well and truly behind him.
Chapter Fifteen
“Walter!” Dimity shrieked as she ran toward Lord Raine. He hit the floor with a resounding thud. “My lord, are you all right?”
He was on his back, Walter standing on his chest, and Romulus yapped about his head thinking the entire incident a great game.
“I can’t breathe,” he wheezed, looking up at her.
“Walter, get off.” She tugged the dog to one side.
“All right, Raine?” Cambridge Sinclair stood on the opposite side now, attempting to contain his laugher. “Nothing broken?”
“Merely my pride, Sinclair.” Lord Raine took the hand offered and rose to his feet.
“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about pride. I gave up on that years ago. Makes life far easier if you don’t mind making a cake of yourself occasionally… speaking of cake….” Mr. Sinclair wandered away again.
“I’m sorry, my lord. He did not mean you any harm.”
“I am well, Dimity. Don’t fuss.”
Her heart still thudded hard inside her chest. She’d been terrified when she watched Lord Raine fall.
“He… ah, he appears to like you.” Walter was now sitting on his foot, as if to apologize for his bad manners.
