Page 45 of Snowdrops and Winterberry
The lady crossed directly to her tiny houseguest and gave him a quick hug. “Oh, Adam. This is wonderful.”
He shuffled his feet, looking down at the tips of his shoes. But spots of pleased color touched his cheeks.
“What are we to begin with?” Lady Jonquil asked.
“The cake,” Adam said. “There’s a bean in it. We have to find the bean, or we don’t know who is in charge tonight.”
Lord Jonquil took up the task of cutting and distributing slices of cake. They were all soon in possession of their own. While cake was not quite the rare delicacy in their lives as it had been for many people, they all still took their time and savored the delicious treat.
Slowly, the slices disappeared and the bean had not been discovered. Robbie watched Adam, praying he would find it. She didn’t know when next he would get to celebrate Twelfth Night. She wanted this evening to be glorious and enjoyable and a memory he’d carry with him for years to come.
“Lord Jonquil knew where the bean was,” Howard whispered to her. “He made certain our little duke’s piece contained it.”
Aye. This was a family that would love her dear Adam.
Quite suddenly, Adam jumped to his feet. “I found it!” He actually bounced with excitement. “I found it!”
Lord Jonquil fetched the homemade crown and brought it over. He set the crown of evergreen branches and flowers and herbs on Adam’s head and offered a deep bow. “Your Majesty.”
Adam laughed a little.
“Your Majesty?” Howard also dipped a deferential bow. “May I make a request for the first undertaking of the night?”
Adam nodded, clearly curious.
“I have a gift for Miss Roberta MacGregor, and I’d like to give it to her.”
This was news to Robbie
“I think you should,” Adam said.
From a hiding place behind a wingback chair, Howard produced a small paper-wrapped parcel. He gave it to her and watched with apparent pleasure as she slowly unwrapped it.
Inside was a wooden brooch carved in the precise shape of a thistle. “You made this, didn’t you?”
“After I finished with a certain horse.”
Adam’shorse, he meant. The one the boy carried about in his pocket.
“Considering the song you sing to our king, here, I thought the thistle a perfect choice,” Howard said.
“It’s utterly perfect.” She clutched it to her heart. “I love it.”
He slipped an arm around her waist and kept her tight against him.
“Your Majesty,” Lady Jonquil said quite seriously, “it is time for you to select our next activity.”
“I decree that next will be shovegroat.” Adam played his part a bit too expertly. How easily one could picture him being a very authoritative, perhaps even frightening duke when he was grown. Robbie hoped that tendency would be tempered by his good and compassionate heart.
“We don’t have a shovegroat board,” Lady Jonquil said.
“Oh, but we do.” Howard fetched the board he, Robbie, andAdam had painted the day before.
“Where did this come from?” Lady Jonquil addressed the question to Adam, though her eyes darted to the others as well.
“We made it,” Adam said. “Yesterday. I painted the lines—Nurse Robbie said I had to, even though I didn’t want to. But she painted the holly and the ivy on it. We thought it would look more like Christmas.”
“You both did a fine job.” Lady Jonquil gave Adam a quick side hug. He’d refused to be embraced when they’d first arrived at Brier Hill. How much he’d changed in so short a time.
