Kendra stared at the pudding in horror.“How?”
“I don’t know.”Cait spooned moist, delicious pudding into her mouth and sighed in pleasure.Why did she usually avoid plum pudding?What was wrong with her when she wasn’t pregnant?“Maybe I’ll decorate the top?There has to be some way to make it look like nothing was taken.Somehow, I’ll fix it.”
It was Amy’s turn to snort.“It will be flaming when it’s carried into the dining room, then taken away to be cut and served with the hard sauce I brought.No one will notice you had a pudding crisis, I assure you.What did Jason say when you told him?”
“I haven’t.I’m a feartie.”
Violet cocked her head.“A what?”
“A feartie—a coward.Oops!”Cait spit a small silver object into her hand.“I forgot there would be tokens in here.”
“The wishbone, a sign of good luck.”Taking it from her, Amy walked over to rinse it off under the innovative taps Ford had installed in his kitchen.“Maybe tonight you’ll have better luck telling Jason.”
Kendra watched Cait swallow the last bite.“Why haven’t you told Jason?”
“I tried to, but…” Cait eyed the pudding.Sadly, another slice off the top would ruin it more obviously.She set down the spoon.“He was so happy, planning our journey to Scotland, imagining our days without children.I didn’t want to disappoint him.”
“He won’t be disappointed.”Amy carefully pushed the clean charm back inside the pudding for another family member to find.“Cait, you have to tell him.”She covered the pudding and returned it to the cupboard.“Tonight.”
“I will,” Cait said.“Tonight.Can we talk about you now?”
Amy closed the cupboard and whirled to face her.“Me?Why should we talk aboutme?”
Caithren met her gaze straight on.“Because your son cannot sleep.”
Amy narrowed her eyes as though she didn’t understand.Then she blinked.“Aidan, you mean?You’re talking about Aidan?Who told you he cannot sleep?”
“That doesn’t signify.”Cait didn’t want to put Colin in the middle of this.“What matters is that he’s having nightmares because he’s so worried about being sent away.Or maybeterrifiedis a more accurate word than worried.You’re not being fair to him.”
Amy crossed her arms.“Life isn’t fair.That shouldn’t be news to anyone inhabiting this world.And he may be terrified now, but once he’s apprenticed, he’ll learn it’s the life he’s always been destined for.Aidan issucha talented goldsmith; I am certain this pursuit will make him happy once he embraces it.”She paused for a breath.“And besides all of that, I vowed to my father that Goldsmith & Sons would not die with me.And Colin promised me it wouldn’t.”
“What Colin promised is beside the point.Aidan’s life belongs to—”
“May I?”Kendra interrupted.
Since Amy didn’t seem the least bit swayed, Cait was glad to nod her assent.
“Amy,” Kendra said gently.“Will you listen to me for a moment?Really listen?”
“I’m listening,”Amy all but snapped.
“Remember a long time ago, before the Great Fire of London?”
“Marry come up!Of course I remember.What of it?”
“I remember you telling me about your life with your father back then.How he loved you, but he didn’t understand you.How he insisted you wed—what was his name?That apprentice?”
“Robert Stanley.”Amy’s lips quirked, making her look a tad less impatient.“You punched him in the face.”
“That I did,” Kendra recalled with a faint smile.“Anyhow, I remember you telling me how unfair it was, that your father was forcing you to marry a man you didn’t like—a man you despised.How unfair it was that he was dictating your life instead of letting you live it.”
Kendra paused for a moment, apparently waiting for Amy to respond.
But Amy didn’t.
“Amy.”Kendra reached to touch her arm.“Please listen.What your father did to you, well…you’re doing the same thing to your own child—”
A sudden commotion erupted in the drawing room.
