by Wendy Vella
“Mr. Whiskers?”
“My dog,” the girl said, smiling, which showed her little white teeth. “He spends most of his time with me, so you have probably not met him yet. James does not like him to run everywhere because he still chews and does naughty things, so I only let him loose when he's out.” The last was said with a cheeky smile which Lilly felt herself responding to. “We call him Whisky most of the time, which James says suits him as he forces him to drink when he has chewed another of his neckties.”
Two weeks had passed since Lilly had returned to her house after the abduction, and every day when she woke, it was to find her brother had indeed changed. He now shared his meals with her and Aunt Vi, and a great deal of his time. The household was happier, and for that Lilly could not fault him. He had also allowed James to help him with his debts, but had said he would be repaying every cent.
For the first time in many years, Lilly was happy, and it was a wonderful feeling.
“James said a notice appeared in the papers announcing your betrothal to Devon yesterday, Lilly. Dorrie and Somer are excited that they get to be bridesmaids again.”
“Yes, I believe they want pink dresses.”
“I enjoyed being James's bridesmaid and everyone said that three little girls looked better than two.”
“Did they now?” Lilly was not fooled by the winsome expression on Samantha's face.”
“Yes, and we were so very well-behaved, unlike Warwick.”
“What did Warwick do?”
Placing both hands on her hips, the girl narrowed her eyes, making her look like a ferocious pixie. “He tied the laces of my pretty blue boots together so I fell on my face in front of all the guests.”
Lilly pressed her lips together to stop from laughing. “What did you do to him?” she asked, knowing there would have been retribution.
“Dorrie kept him talking while I sprinkled some of Essie's herbs that Somer got me on his meal. He had a troubled tummy for two days after.”
“Oooh, you're clever,” Lilly said in awe.
“What color are they going to wear?”
“Who?” Lilly blinked at the change in conversation.
“Your bridesmaids.”
“I believe I have already mentioned they will be in pink.”
“That's my favorite color.”
Lilly laughed. “Would you do me the honor, Lady Samantha, of becoming one of my bridesmaids?”
“Yes!” Samantha squealed, throwing herself at Lilly. “Will you come for a walk with me and Emily now, while Eden tends the sick person?”
“If you wish for me to accompany you, then yes, I should love to go walking with you both.”
“We shall meet you in the entranceway in five minutes.”
Samantha then left as quickly as she had arrived, so Lilly drank her tea, and then found her bonnet and gloves. After slipping them on, she went to find the girls.
“Is anyone down there, Lilly?”
“Pardon?” Lilly looked to the top of the stairs, where Samantha peeked over the banister. Emily stood behind her, carrying a small, white scruffy dog with lopsided ears and a spectacular set of whiskers.
“Is anyone waiting in the entranceway, Lilly?”
“Ah, no, not that I can see.” Lilly looked around.
“Quick, Emily, there is no one about!”
“Samantha, we will be caught one day, and I'm not sure we should. Imagine if we fall the other way. It is a very long drop,” Emily said, looking anxious.
“Emily, we go through this every time we do it, and after the first attempt it is you who wants to do it again.”
Lilly made her way up the stairs, wondering what was going on. When she arrived, Mr. Whiskers’s lead was handed to her by an anxious-faced Emily.
“If you could hold him please, Lilly.”
She then watched as Emily and Samantha climbed onto the railing.
“Good Lord!” Fascinated, she watched as the very proper and shy Emily flew down the banister behind her sister, both making gleeful noises as they went. Lilly held her breath as they reached the bottom and flew off the end to land nimbly on their feet. Giggling, they both picked up their skirts and ran back up the stairs.
“Just drop his lead, Lilly, and he will follow us down if you wish to try also,” Samantha panted as she reached the top.
“Yes, do try, Lilly, it is so much fun,” Emily said, her smile transforming her face.
“Oh, I.... No, I don't think—” Before she had finished the sentence they were off again, flying down to the bottom once more. At her feet the dog was watching the progress with his button eyes, trying to work out what was happening.
“I have not done such a thing since my childhood, Mr. Whiskers, and even then I am not entirely sure I did something like this. Do you think I should try?”
Hearing his name, the scruffy dog looked up at Lilly and yipped, which seemed to be confirmation enough.
“Come on, Lilly, this will be our last run or someone will see us,” Samantha wheezed as she once again reached the top of the stairs.
“You have to lift your skirts and straddle it,” Emily directed.
“Emily was scared the first time, weren't you, Em?”
“Indeed I was.”
“I am not scared, precisely,” Lilly said, eying the gleaming banister. “It is just not something I have contemplated doing.”
“Buttles has it polished with his special mixture, which makes you fly down.”
Samantha gave her a wide smile once again, and Lilly felt herself weakening. She would have to be very careful around this child; she obviously had the ability to manipulate a person into doing any number of things.
“It’s fun, Lilly, and Em and I didn't have much fun until James came into our lives.”
“I didn't have much fun in my household either,” Lilly surprised herself by saying.
“Well then,” Emily said, gently taking her hand. “Let's have some fun.”
Nodding, Lilly followed the directions they gave her and swung her leg over the shiny wood. Her stomach did a small flip as she straddled the railing, and then she let go. Nearing the bottom, she heard an outraged shout. She flew through the air, then landed in a pair of strong arms.
“Oomph!”
She heard Devon grunt as he staggered backward several steps.
“What the bloody hell are you doing, woman!”
“Devon, don't swear in front of Samantha,” Lilly scolded him as she slapped down her skirts and righted her bonnet. “Put me down, please.”
He did, but kept an arm around her waist.
“You could have hurt yourself. What were you thinking, to behave in such a reckless manner?”
He was growling at her now. Brows lowered, he was attempting to intimidate her; however, she was onto him. He was all bluster around those he cared for.
“Don't be cross, Dev,” a little voice said below him. “Emily and I were teaching Lilly how to have fun.”
“I fear my heart will never recover,” he muttered before releasing Lilly to look down at the little girl.
“We never hurt ourselves, Dev.”
“You do this often, Samantha?”
She nodded.
“Well, well, well, Miss Emily, it seems you have been hiding your mischievous streak under that prim exterior. Who would have thought—”
“I will thank you to keep the rest of your comments firmly in your mouth, Cambridge Sinclair.”
“Are you telling me that you have never slid down a shiny banister, Lord Sinclair?” Lilly said, ignoring Emily and Cam as they continued bickering.
“Of course I have. I was not, however, an adult.”
“Not entirely true, brother. You and the children slid down our uncle's banister when we first arrived in London.”
“Shut up, Cam,” Dev snapped.
“You're not going to tell James, are you, Dev?”
Samantha was now tugging on Devon's jacket.
“Of course not, Sa
mantha. I was just concerned for you, darling. You know what we older brothers are like.”
Dev followed his words by kissing the little girl on the top of her head.
“You however, madam,” he then said, lifting Lilly's chin, “should know better.” Closing the distance between them, he kissed her softly.
“I enjoyed sliding down James's banister. In fact, I think we should do it again soon, Samantha,” Lilly added, giving him a cheeky smile.
“Why is there a gathering in my entranceway?”
“The lord and master has returned,” Cam drawled as James walked in through his front door.
“We were just going to take Mr. Whiskers for a walk, James,” Samantha said, shooting Dev a pleading look that suggested her brother had no idea what she got up to when he was not there.
“And who is walking with you?”
“Two footmen and a maid, and Lilly!” Samantha said loudly.
“Make that four footmen, and I may allow it,” Devon said before James could speak.
“We would look ridiculous with four footmen trailing after us, Devon. Be reasonable,” Lilly said. “Furthermore, it is not up to you to allow me to do anything. I am an adult and have been making my own decisions for years—”
“And I'm your future husband who recently rescued you from someone intent on harming you.”
“With a protective streak two ax handles wide,” Cam added.
“Much as I hate agreeing with Sinclair, cousin, I'm afraid in this he is correct. You will not leave this house without an assurance people are watching over you and my sisters.”
“Why is everyone standing in the entranceway?” Nicholas questioned, walking through the still-open door.
Lilly seized him by the arm—much to his surprise, as they were still wary around each other.
“Nicholas shall accompany us if that is all right with you, Lord Sinclair?”
Devon's eyes narrowed at her use of his title. Lilly was deliberately baiting him.
“You shall not leave her side, Braithwaite, until you return to this house,” he said, glaring from one sibling to the other.
“I shall let nothing happen to my sister, Sinclair, and I will thank you to remember that before you start issuing orders.”
“It seems both you and your sister have a dislike for taking orders,” he added, which made Lilly smile.
“I can't imagine it is something you respond to either, Sinclair,” Nicholas said.
Devon nodded, his smile rueful, and at that moment, if possible, her love for him increased. He was angry with Nicholas and had told her it would take time to forgive him for his treatment of her, but he would not show that grudge outwardly.
“In that you are correct, Braithwaite.”
“Obey your brother, minx.”
Lilly lifted her face for another kiss, then they left the house.
It was crisp and clear as the small party walked to the park. Emily and Samantha chatted, and Mr. Whiskers went from side to side on his long lead, sniffing everything he could get his nose near. Lilly thought about Cam, imagining him doing the same.
“Danderfield visited me again last night. He blustered and threatened, but there is nothing he can do, as I signed no documents. It was merely my word that I gave, and we both know that was worth nothing then.”
“I'm sorry, Nicholas, and yet very glad I am not to wed such a man.”
He patted her hand where it rested on his sleeve. “It was to be expected. He is not a man who likes being thwarted, but there is little he can do. I have come to realize after doing a bit of investigating that he has a smoky past and is linked to several underhand dealings, and once again I must beg your forgiveness for wanting to see you married to him.”
Lilly waved his words away. “No more apologies, that is in the past. However, I would like to know why are you investigating him?”
He threw her a look, and she could read nothing in his expression.
“Because I cannot rule out that he will create further trouble for you. Plus, I am looking into many people after what happened to you. I want to help Sinclair and Raven, to find out what is going on. Also, there is the matter of those missing children that needs to be sorted.”
“I don't know what to say.” Lilly looked to where Samantha skipped before them, swinging Emily's hand.
“Did you think I would simply sit back and let James and Sinclair deal with this? You are my sister, Lilliana. I love you, and I may not have always shown you that, but now I want to protect you and support you in what you care for. Those children mean a great deal to you, therefore we need to find out what is happening.”
She felt ridiculously close to tears. She had received too many shocks to this point, but this one seemed to have tipped her over the edge, as she started to sniff.
“I have also told James that when the time comes I too shall acknowledge Emily as my family,” Nicholas said, his eyes on the straight back of their cousin.
Now that, Lilly hadn't expected. Looking up at her brother, she wondered how it was possible that a man could change so much in such a short space of time.
“Emily is not keen on stepping into society, yet James is eager to see that she does. Of course he has already acknowledged she is his sister openly, but as yet she has not met anyone who would challenge her.”
“It won't be easy for her, that much is true. However, with our support and that of the Sinclairs and Lord and Lady Wynburg, I think in time she will be accepted.”
“We go to the quieter part of the park, where Emily feels comfortable,” Samantha said, looking at Nicholas.
“Lead the way then, Samantha, and your cousins shall follow,” Nicholas said, producing a gentle smile for the girl.
“You really have changed, haven't you, Nicholas?” Lilly's words were quiet, but he heard them.
“Yes.”
Nothing further was said, but it was enough for now that she had acknowledged what he was trying to do.
They found a pond with ducks that Mr. Whiskers wanted to jump in and play with. Nicholas took his lead, as the little dog was quite insistent.
“Buttles has given us some bread and James told me that as I cannot yet swim, I am not to follow the bread into the water,” Samantha said, taking a small bundle from one of the footmen.
“That child could murder someone and that smile would get her off,” Nicholas muttered as he watched the footman blush as the little girl beamed up at him.
“Yes, she is a delight.” Lilly laughed.
“It's strange how we have inherited two cousins. Yet I like it, and also this closeness we have with James, even though he is usually lecturing me.”
“Yes,” Lilly agreed. “Strange and yet comfortable.”
They went to the water’s edge and proceeded to throw the bread for the ducks, who swam around in circles quacking loudly in gratitude. Nicholas and Samantha soon found a small island which they were convinced they could reach with their pieces of stale bread, and a competition immediately arose.
“Excellent shot, Nicholas!” Samantha squealed as a plume of water indicated the force with which he had hurled his piece of stale bread, even though it fell short of its mark.
“Are you patronizing me, Samantha Raven?”
“I am too young to understand that word!” Samantha cried, hurling her piece with enough force that she had to lunge to the side to stop herself following it into the water.
Nicholas's laugh made Lilly smile. It was unrestrained and a thing of joy, and she could not remember a time when she had heard it before.
“Good shot, Samantha!”
Sending his sister a ferocious scowl, which she ignored, Nicholas picked up another piece of bread.
“Well, well, well, what a lovely scene. Miss Braithwaite, Lord Braithwaite.”
Lilly shot Emily a look as the Duchess of Abernathy walked toward them. The woman was a notorious gossip, and Emily was not yet ready to face society and most especially not this venomous harpy.
Swallowing a snort, Lilly watched the Duchess preen under Nicholas's compliments.
“La, Miss Braithwaite, I see quite a change in you. No longer wearing glasses, and finding a modiste who makes clothes that actually fit you, in colors more befitting your age.”
Lilly gritted her teeth. Of course she had known that changing her appearance would draw attention, but she had no wish to be the topic of discussion for this woman. She said nothing, simply nodded, as she had no wish for the Duchess to linger. The sooner she left, the sooner Emily would feel comfortable once again.
“And now, my lord, you must tell me who this beautiful child is? Her governess I obviously have no need of meeting,” the Duchess said, dismissing Emily.
“This is Lady Samantha and Miss Tolly,” Nicholas acknowledged Emily. “They are the Duke of Raven’s sisters, Duchess,” Nicholas said.
“Ah yes, the little bastard daughter.”
Bitch, Lilly thought looking at Emily. She was now standing beside Samantha, her face composed. No one looking at her would realize the turmoil she was no doubt experiencing from the Duchess’s cutting words.
Samantha opened her mouth to protest, but one look from Lilly stopped her. Intelligent child that she was, she knew not to create a scene that would embarrass her sister any further. Executing the perfect curtsey, the child then took Mr. Whiskers from the groom who now held him, and with a sweet smile on her face, she dropped his lead. Excited to be introduced to someone he did not already know, the dog immediately jumped up and put both his dirty paws on the Duchess's skirts.
“Oh, you beastly animal!”
“It's because he likes you,” Samantha said, her features schooled into an innocent look.
“Well, I don't like him! And I will thank you not to laugh,” she added, glaring at Lilly. “You would do well to study your brother's manners, Miss Braithwaite. It seems yours are sadly lacking!”
“I would thank you not to speak to my sister that way ever again, Duchess.”
Nicholas said the words quietly, and Lilly felt ridiculously happy that he had championed her.
“I am a Duchess, I can speak as I like,” the woman snapped.
