Page 30 of The Best-Kept Secrets
“Like she is my own sister.”
She released a slow breath but a steady one this time. “That will help me worry less about her, though I will still miss her terribly when she’s in London.”
“We will miss you.” He silently added,AndIwill miss you.
Chapter Twelve
Duke had never before playeda game of “move all” with someone as young as the Marlows’ little girl. None of the families who lived near Writtlestone ever spent time there—at least not twice—and he hadn’t any siblings or any cousins younger than he was, so his opportunities to interact with children had been very limited. He found it an unexpected relief to discover he was not entirely horrible at it.
When the time came for running from one chair to another in an attempt to reach it before anyone else claimed it—the entire substance of the game—the sweet child would giggle as her tiny legs moved as quickly as they could. Duke, taking his cues from her parents, would run past a chair or attempt to sit in it and land on the floor instead. Little Sophia would laugh so much she could hardly continue the game. And as she had four adults happily indulging her with repeated failed attempts at sitting, she never seemed to stop laughing.
Nia proved particularly good with the little girl, likely the result of having grown up with siblings younger than herself. But she was also the first to be eliminated each time they began anew, not only failing to reach a chair before Sophia but also proving slower than all the adults as well. Perhaps that was part of her strategy: quickly place oneself in the position of onlooker and joyful encourager.
The game had been ongoing for nearly thirty minutes when one of Duke’s intentionally poor attempts at claiming a chair left him sprawled on the floor and the chair he’d been aiming for toppled. He’d miscalculated a bit.
Little Sophia rushed over to him, concern on her sweet face. “Are you hurt?”
“No, sweeting. I’m not hurt.”
She gave him a hug, though her small arms didn’t come close to encircling him. And she leaned her cheek against his chest.
Duke wrapped his arms around her. “Do your parents hug you when you’re hurt?”
“Yes, to make the hurt feel better.”
“It works like a miracle, Sophia,” he said.
Across the large public room, Duke spied Eve peeking out from behind the slightly ajar kitchen door. It was a shame she’d spent so much of their time at this inn isolated in the kitchen. He understood her difficulty, but he still wished she could have enjoyed the lighter moments they’d had. He wished she’d been with them more. Withhimmore.
And though he was touched by Sophia’s sweet little hug, he longed for another embrace from Eve.
Mrs. Marlow scooped up her daughter. “I think it’s time for bed, dear. Your eyelids are growing heavy.”
Sophia objected but halfheartedly. She wanted to keep playing but was quite obviously sleepy.
“We’ll help you put everything to rights in the morning before we all depart,” Mr. Marlow said to Duke and Nia. They’d received word that the bridge had been deemed crossable. “And thank you both for all you’ve done. We would have been in dire straits without you.”
Thank you both.Eve had told no one about her baking abilities beyond her family, himself, and one other unnamed person. That likely meant she was seldom thanked or complimented for her offerings. She was being denied that again.
“Our pleasure,” Nia said. “I hope the remainder of your journey is less eventful than this bit.”
“We will wish you the same,” Mr. Marlow said.
“And we’re sorry to have not met your grandmother,” Mrs. Marlow said to Duke. “I hope she is feeling well enough to travel in the morning.”
They’d told the Marlows that Grandmother was feeling poorly rather than inform them that she remained in her room because she felt that keeping company with the young family would constitute an indignity.
The Marlows made their way up the stairs.
“I’m meaning to go offer Eve a good night,” Nia said.
Duke nodded. Though he knew the Marlows would keep to their word and help him straighten up the inn before setting off in the morning, he still set himself to the task of returning tables and chairs to where they’d been before they’d arranged them to accommodate the game of move all. Everyone would want an early start. Doing this now would save them time in the morning.
He’d nearly finished when Nia slipped back out of the kitchen and up the stairs. Duke put the last chair back in its place, then crossed to the kitchen himself. If Eve had already retired to her bedchamber, then he’d go upstairs and settle in for the night. Then he would, no doubt, lie there for hours thinking about her, just as he’d done the night before.
She was still in the kitchen doing her utmost to slip a pot onto a shelf the tiniest bit out of reach.
“I can put that up for you,” he said.
