Page 41 of Snowdrops and Winterberry
Howard gently curved the evergreen branches, holding them together while Robbie and Adam took turns using twine to tie them. Once they created a full circle of branches, the task turned to beautifying the thing.
“I don’t know where this is supposed to go,” Adam said, holding up a sprig of rosemary.
“There isn’t a proper place,” Howard said. “You can put it wherever you’d like.”
Adam shook his head. “There are proper ways to do things.”
“The proper way, in this instance,” Robbie said, “is however the person creating the crown chooses.”
“I don’t think that should be a proper way. Someone might make a mistake and he wouldn’t even know.”
Howard had realized fairly early on that Adam was a bit shy. He was beginning to realize this tiny duke was quite a lot anxious.
Robbie showed herself adept at reassuring him while not allowing him to rest on his laurels. She helped him have confidence without encouraging him to be arrogant or overbearing. Howard doubted many people could manage the balance.
Ever since Robbie had explained her dilemma, Howard had assumed their difficulty was finding a way to convince Adam that all would be well if Robbie left. He’d begun to fear he had misunderstood the problem. Rather than preparing Adam forRobbie’s departure, it might very well be that Howard needed to wraphismind around the necessity of her remaining.
Chapter Seventeen
Robbie used to change Adaminto his nightclothes and tuck him into his bed after warming it with a warming pan. She used to sing to him every night, almost always the song about the wee boy as small as a thistle. He’d not asked that of her since returning from Harrow. He prepared himself for bed, tucked himself in, and laid down to sleep without music or hugs or the slew of questions he used to ask.
Mothers must experience this as well: their children growing up, and being left trying to determine what their changing role is.
Robbie pulled the door closed as she stepped out into the corridor. Howard was waiting there. She’d not even needed to ask him to.
He took her hand and kissed it, very much the way a gallant gentleman would with the hand of a fine lady.
“Do you have to rush out, or can you jaw with me a spell?” Robbie asked.
“I’ve all the time in the world for you.” He often said tender things like that. She loved that about him.
They wandered a bit down the corridor, farther from the room where Adam would soon be asleep.
“A few days ago,” Robbie said, “Lady Jonquil wrote to the Duchess of Kielder asking that Adam visit them during every term break he is able to do so. The castle is a lonely place for him. Here, at Brier Hill, he is more than merely welcomed; he’s...” She searched about for the right word.
“Family,” Howard supplied. “I’ve seen that myself.”
“A response from the duchess arrived today.”
They stopped walking, and Howard, without hesitation, set his arms around her.
“She did agree that Adam could come visit Lord and Lady Jonquil,” Robbie said.
“Why does that not sound like the good news it ought to be?”
Every inch of her felt heavy and tired. “She pushed back at the idea of him coming here on every term break or even on most of them. She insists he needs to spend time at Falstone Castle so he doesn’t grow distant from it and the responsibilities he has there. She says the people there and those he will oversee when he is of age need to know him and be known to him.”
Howard’s expression was hesitant, as was his tone when he spoke. “I don’t think Her Grace is entirely wrong on that score.”
Robbie nodded. “I know. But it breaks my heart that Adam is, once again, being sacrificed for the sake of the title he inherited far too young.”
Howard kissed her temple, softly and tenderly.
“The duchess also said she would be looking to hire a governess,” Robbie said.
“Oh, dearest.” No matter that this wasn’t a surprise, Howard seemed to realize that the inarguable proof of her time at Falstone Castle coming to a close had dealt her a blow.
“Lady Jonquil will write back and offer to help with the search. She hopes that, in light of the duchess’s indifferent approach to Adam and the running of the castle, the duchess might allow Lady Jonquil to choose a governess. Then she can find someone who’ll understand Adam and be kind to him, someone who’ll bring him to Brier Hill as often as his mother will allow.”
