Page 39 of A Curse of Hope and Shadows: Part I
“You can’t tell me yet?”
“It’ll be funnier if I don't.”
Suspiciously, but without complaint, Dimitri allowed himself to be dressed. He struggled to fit into any of the waistcoats Adeline forced on him; he’d grown some since he’d last dressed properly. She was forced to leave it open, although he insisted on taking a cape; he didn’t want anyone ogling him on the journey.
“We’ll go the back route,” Adeline insisted. “And I’ll be sure to give any of Farmer Jones’ cows a thorough tongue-lashing if they’re rude to you.”
Dimitri was not convinced of the privacy of their trip, and kept tight beside her as they slipped from the estate, as if he could hide in her shadow. Adeline got a bit bored of this after a while, and slid her arm into his. “We look less strange like this, I assure you,” she said.
“I’m wearing a cloak.”
“Your choice.”
Thankfully, the hot weather had just broken, and he now felt the pleasant breeze that promised autumn was not far off. It was still far off cloak-wearing weather, but Adeline was right when she said that there was no one around to see them. They kept to a path beside fields and woodlands.
It occurred to Dimitri that they must be going to see her family, but he didn’t dare hope that the youth from yesterday was her brother rather than some lifelong friend who was secretly in love with her, because he was not accustomed to feeling relief. Nevertheless, he savoured the warmth of Adeline beside him, wishing he wasn’t sweating so dreadfully and that she’d grabbed his good arm instead.
Twenty minutes later, they stood outside a cottage beside a stream. It was small, a little rough around the edges, but the floral curtains, the messy flowerbeds, the washing on the line—all gave it a certain charm he’d never see within the walls of the manor.
The sound of laughter from within drifted on the warm breeze. Dimitri’s stomach quavered. “How... how can you be sure they won’t be repulsed?”
“Because,” she said, “I raised them. Children! Assemble!”
The laughter was cut short. A couple of surprised cries. “Adie? Adie!”
Two fair-haired boys around five and eight shot out of the house, chased by a young girl a few years older, with hair a few shades darker than Adeline’s. They screamed her name, racing out to embrace her with calls of ‘What are you doing here?’ and ‘Shouldn’t you be working?’ They acted like they hadn’t seen her in weeks rather than hours.
The tall, fair-haired boy from the other day followed the others outside.
“What are you doing here? It’s nice to see you, but—” He stopped, catching sight of Dimitri. He blinked, but didn’t flinch. “Ah, My Lord!” he uttered, dropping into a hasty bow.
“No need to be so formal, El,” Adeline grinned. “Elliott, this is Dimitri Von Mortimer. Dimitri, this is my brother, Elliott.”
Elliott held out his hand. “A pleasure.”
“What’s wrong with his face?” asked one of the younger boys.
“What’s wrong with your manners?” barked Adeline.
“Sorry…”
“This is Phillip, Louis and Leonie,” Adeline said, pointing to the younger boys and the girl. “Where’s Edie?”
“Pen,” said Elliott. “She was getting under everyone’s feet.”
Adeline sighed. “I'll go get her.”
She emerged a few minutes later with a small, chubby child with rosy cheeks and fair curls, lighter than Adeline’s but with the same strands of honey. She was easily the prettiest child Dimitri had ever seen, but he jerked back when her eyes widened, shuddering under his hood.
“It’s all right,” said Adeline softly. “She won’t mind.” She tugged his hood down.
Edie’s eyes widened to the point they could have fallen out of their tiny sockets.
“Doggie?” she questioned, and reached forward to grab his hair. “Doggie! Doggie soft!”
Before long, Dimitri found the child in his arms, trying to mount his shoulders and pull on his ear. Adeline fussed and twittered, but he didn’t mind. He’d never seen anyone look at him with such intense fascination and clear abandon.
Until his eyes fell on Leonie, Adeline’s other sister.
