Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 107756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Hearing Mother’s name felt as if someone were trying to open a door within me that I had long since shut and never wished to expose again. I said nothing, nodded to those who addressed me, and allowed Aphrodite to take charge as she wished. The longer we stayed, the more the door cracked. And as Emeline played with the other children I remembered how my mother spent so much time talking with everyone that I ended up playing with the children.
* * *
“Did you have fun, Emeline?” Aphrodite asked, brushing the girl’s hair from her face inside the wagon. I walked beside them as the horse moved slowly.
Emeline nodded.
“Good, we shall come more often, and you can play with the children. You worked very hard today, and I am proud of you.” Though Emeline did not respond, Aphrodite seemed unbothered by it. Instead, she shifted her gaze to me, her eyes narrowing.
“Yes?” I questioned.
“Twenty-one years, Evander?”
I knew she would bring that up. “I did not realize so much time had passed.”
She sighed, shaking her head. “When Eleanor told me that the tenants were displeased, I was so worried as to what it could be and how to rectify it. I never expected it to be our neglect.”
“Neglect?” I scoffed. “All their needs are met, any issues of land or farming or housing are always addressed. They are paid fairly and—”
“You speak merely of work, Evander.”
“What else is there to speak of but work?”
“Community,” she replied, adjusting Emeline’s dress. “It is very good to have a stable estate and lord who seriously cares about those matters. However, it is equally important to maintain a sense of community. We are the duke and duchess here, their master and mistress. We need to show ourselves among them so that we do not become out of touch. Or worse, be deemed uncaring.”
I shook my head, not understanding in the least. “I was always taught that as long as they were treated fairly, their basic needs provided for, that was enough.”
“Who taught you that?” She laughed at me. “It is a very cold manner of thought.”
“My father,” I muttered.
She fell silent, and I focused only on the road. We had nearly reached the house when she spoke again.
“Forgive me, I did not mean to laugh. I should remember all estates are different.”
“You are not exactly wrong. My father’s lessons were always quite cold,” I said as I helped Emeline out before extending my hand to Aphrodite.
I truly disliked when she looked at me like that. It felt as though she had found that door and were about to yank it open.
“You never speak about your father. What—”
“Emeline!” We both jumped slightly at the sight of Mrs. Watson rushing down the stairs to where Emeline stood before us. She dropped to her knees, dusting off the child’s dress. “Why are you covered in so much dirt?”
“Oh, Mrs. Watson, it’s from the walk.” Aphrodite giggled, lifting the hem on her own dress, which was covered in dirt as well. “Nothing a good wash cannot cure. Other than that, we are all fine.”
“Yes, Your Grace,” she replied, standing straight up. “I shall take her in to have her lunch.”
Emeline was already holding her hand.
“Thank you, Mrs. Watson.” Aphrodite waved to Emeline, who waved back before following her nanny inside. When she was beyond hearing, Aphrodite said, “Emeline is becoming warmer with me. I hope she will come to depend on me more than she does Mrs. Watson one day. Like her own mama. I always had a nanny, but my mama was very involved with us.”
“Yes, I recall,” I replied, giving her my arm as we walked up the stairs. “All in due time. Emeline smiled more today than I have ever seen. Especially after…”
“After?”
“After her mother died,” I answered.
“Oh, how was she then?”
“She was…I was…” I did not know because I sought not to think of that as well. I hung my head. “It was a hard time for her, I am sure.”
“Did you speak to her?”
“No, Mrs. Watson—”
“Evander, please tell me you spoke to her after she lost her mother.”
“Of course, I did,” I said quickly. “I told her what happened, and she said okay. And that was all.”
“That she did not cry was not odd to you?”
“She is a quiet child, as you have seen. Not everyone weeps at the loss of a parent. I did not,” I muttered, and there it was, another slip, and she pounced upon it.
“What did you do then?”
“I do not remember.” I kissed her forehead. “I have work to do. I shall see you later.”
I did not wait, as I feared something more would slip. I had done my best not to speak of the past. There was no point since there was no changing any of it. Instead, I sought my future, seeking to create my refuge there. And I was closer now to that life than I ever thought I would be. I did not wish to mar it. However, I’d found myself thinking more about the past over the last few days. And now she had me thinking of Emeline. I truly could not recall her reaction after her mother passed, and I had not focused much on her at the time. Instead, I had left her to Mrs. Watson’s care.