He backed away and looked at my brothers with a terrified expression that made them laugh. “I assure you, on most occasions a lady will show gratitude.”
I let out a frustrated sigh. “I wouldn’t have even been trapped up there if you hadn’t tricked me into doing it.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t call it that. I simply gave you a challenge that you were unable to resist.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Well, then, I challengeyouto hold your head under the waterfall for sixty seconds,” I said, lifting my chin. “Unless you don’t think you are able.”
His eyes widened, lips twitching with amusement. “I would rather not.”
Charles giggled.
I sighed in defeat, locking eyes with Owen until we both burst into laughter. Peter and Charles joined in, and the four of us laughed until I was sure that whatever Owen had done to make me upset wasn’t at all important. I covered my face with one hand. I was always far too eager to prove myself. It was one of my greatest weaknesses. Owen hadn’t forced me into climbing up the waterfall, my pride had. When my laughter was finally diminishing, I looked up at Owen weakly. “Why are you so good at that?”
He looked confused for a moment. “At what?”
“Making me laugh when I’m angry.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “I think you laugh at yourself first.”
“I do not.”
“I think you do.” He tipped his head down to look at me more directly. “And something I have come to know about you, Annette, is that you can’t stay angry with anyone. It’s a strength of character I wish I possessed.”
“It’s more of a weakness, actually.”
He shook his head again. “No, because if you were able to stay angry with me, we wouldn’t still be friends, now would we?”
I looked up at him, a small smile curving my lips. “We most certainly wouldn’t.”
He laughed. “But thanks to you, your brothers were able to observe a very real situation of a gentleman rescuing a lady in distress. The lesson will be more memorable because of it.”
Distress?I opened my mouth to correct him, but he was already walking toward my brothers. They sat on the edge of a nearby fountain, splashing their fingers in the water. Owen caught their attention by sitting beside them.
Peter sat up straighter. Charles did the same, wiping his wet fingertips on his trousers.
“As you see,” Owen said, “it is a gentleman’s duty to offer his help when a lady is in need. Do you think you might be able to do that?”
They both nodded, but Charles wore a deep scowl. “But—but if Annette falls again, I think she is far too large and heavy for me to catch by myself.”
Owen laughed, tossing a glance in my direction. “You also must learn to never call a lady large and heavy.”
I bit back my laughter. Charles still looked deeply concerned.
Owen patted his arm. “Opportunities to help a lady in need with not always involve falling and catching, or rescuing her from danger. You might offer your help with small, simple tasksthat will make her day a little easier. As children, you might be obedient when your sister asks you to behave, help her carry something if her arms are full, or simply tell her how much you love her.”
Peter and Charles both peeked at me from around Owen. Charles gave a shy smile. “I love you very much, Annette.”
“I also love you very much,” Peter said, glancing at Owen for approval.
I laughed, moving to sit beside them. “And I love you both the very most.” I pinched Charles’s cheek and ruffled Peter’s hair.
They grinned, swinging their feet off the edge of the fountain. I realized that I hadn’t heard them say they loved me in a long time.No onehad said those words to me in a long time.
My heart warmed as I studied their faces. I told them how much I loved them every night, but they were often distracted or unaccustomed to returning the words. The absence of that reassurance had never bothered me, but hearing it now made me aware of the hollowness in my heart that had just been filled.
“Very good,” Owen said with an amused smile. “Don’t forget to tell her that every single day.”
Peter’s brows shot up. “Everyday?”
