“Curtsy,” the maid whispered.
Lully turned a scowl on her. “I know.” And then, gave her mother and Hattie a wobbly curtsy that almost landed her on her head. “Morning, Mama.”
“Good morning, Sprite.”
Finally, her baby let loose with a waterfall of giggles. “I’m not a sprite! I’m a girl!”
“I don’t know,” Georgie said with a frown. “A little girl would have already hugged her mama.”
And just like every other time they’d played the game, Lully cast herself into her mama’s arms and peppered her face with small kisses. Georgie held that little heart to hers, laughing and kissing back, tears welling in her eyes. No one would hurt her baby. No one. She had had far too much practice in protecting her own to allow it.
“You squeeze too tight!” Lully protested.
Georgie eased her grasp a little, knowing Lully was right. She felt frantic, suddenly, as if someone would come up and literally rip the little girl from her embrace. As if Jamie’s very handsome, very nice cousin would.
He would not. Shewouldkidnap her child and run if it came to that. She had done it before.
“He doesn’t understand,” she protested, her face against her daughter’s neck where she could catch that little girl scent she loved so much.
“Who, Mama?” Lully immediately asked.
Georgie pulled back and brushed the hair back from her little girl’s forehead. “I was speaking to Hattie, Sweet. Boring adult business.”
Her little duchess crinkled up her forehead. “Where is Jamie? I want Jamie.”
“What did we say? When does he come?”
Another moue of concentration. “Sat-day.”
“Saturday. Yes. And do you know what day this is?”
Lully shook her head with enough force to send her ribbon sliding over her left eye, which provoked more giggles.
“Today,” her mother said, repositioning the ribbon with tender hands, “is Monday. We have five more whole days until Jamie returns. You must be patient.”
“I shall get presents.”
Georgie gave her a tickle. “Mercenary. Of course you get presents.”
Lully crowed. “Sugarplums!!”
Georgie crowed right back. “Books!”
Hattie joined in. “Stockings!”
Lully was giggling. “Ewephants!”
Georgie grinned. “Elephants? Now, how is Uncle Jack to fit an elephant in his carriage? Where will Aunt Olivia and Jamie sit?”
Lully wasn’t deterred in the least. “On top!!”
Impulsively Georgie pulled her little Lully back into her arms for a series of smacking kisses that had the little girl squirming and squealing. It was so hard to stop. She almost felt as if she were storing up the sights and sounds of her child before someone took her away. Before Adam Marrick took her away and gave her to Jamie’s father. Or worse, her own parents.
“Mama!” Lully protested. “Cook has buns.”
Well, Georgie couldn’t argue with an afternoon in the warmth and yeasty comfort of the kitchen with Mrs. Prince. Giving Lully one last smacking kiss, she turned her back towards the grinning nursery maid and gave her a pat on the bottom. “Be good for Mrs. Prince and Sissy, now. I shall see you at tea.”
Lully begrudged her mother a final, perilous curtsy and then ran out, Murphy lumbering right on her heels, to bask in the splendor of Mrs. Prince’s kitchen.
