Page 20 of A Duke for Stealing
“A- a b-bee,” Diana sobbed, “It got caught in my hair!”
“Oh, no,” Rose sympathized, “That is a horrid turn, to be sure.”
She leaned up, combed her fingers through Diana’s blonde strands as she inspected her head.
“It is gone now, though. I promise,” Rose soothed.
“I fell trying to get away,” Diana huffed through her sobs. She pointed to the rip in her stockings right above her left knee. “It stings!”
“Oh, falls are never pleasant, are they?” Rose asked, then drew the little girl in for another embrace.
“Miss Diana!” Mrs. Mulberry’s voice shrilled.
Rose looked up to see the housekeeper look most displeased at them as she approached.
“What have I told you about playing in the garden alone? Where is your nurse?” Mrs. Mulberry scolded.
Diana whimpered as she huddled deeper into Rose’s arms. Mrs. Mulberry moved to snatch her away from the embrace, but Rose quickly turned them. The housekeeper’s reaching hand bounced off Rose’s shoulder, and she looked at them with alarm.
“I shall take care of this, Mrs. Mulberry,” Rose stated politely.
Mrs. Mulberry huffed, and when she spoke next, it was as if she were straining to be respectful.
“You are far too busy to be dealing with the children today, Your Grace. I kindly suggest that you allow me to take her back inside.”
“I have time for both the children and today’s responsibilities, Mrs. Mulberry,” Rose replied calmly. “I dropped my list by the lavender bushes. Do be so kind as to find it and have the gardeners begin their cutting.”
“But Your Grace, the time!” Mrs. Mulberry insisted.
“Is on my side,” Rose replied. “This will take but a moment, I assure you. Have the flowers laid out on the dining table, and I shall be there soon to help arrange the bouquets.”
Mrs. Mulberry pursed her lips together, as if trying to cut off the words she wanted to say, and gave a dutiful nod as she walked away.
“There now,” Rose said, pulling Diana back once they were alone. “Let us take a look at you.”
With a sniffle, Diana took a step back and let Rose inspect her skinned knee.
“It is not all bad,” Rose promised once she finished. “A bit of soap and water, and you shall be back to perfection. Why do we not go inside and have your nurse clean you up?”
“But cleaning cuts hurts worse than getting them!” Diana pouted.
“That can be true, can it not?” Rose asked, giving Diana an empathetic nod, “What if I read you a story whilst your nurse bandages you up?”
Some of the sadness left Diana’s eyes, and she nodded. Then, when Rose stood, Diana offered her her hand, much to her surprise. Smiling fondly down at the child, Rose took her hand, and the two of them walked inside. They soon found Diana’s nurse, and while she worked to clean and bandage the scrape, the little girl sat in Rose’s lap as she read another chapter of the storybook.
“You have come to slay me?” Rose read, making her voice deeper as she read the part of the dragon, “Foolish knight! I shall suck on your bones like those before you! You will not take the princess from me!”
Diana giggled in Rose’s arms. It was the first sign of happiness Rose had seen from the little girl, and it made her heart swell with hope.
“Are you laughing at me?” Rose asked, then tickled the little girl’s side.
“You sound terribly funny as a dragon,” Diana giggled.
Rose smiled, then tried to frown as she spoke again in a deep voice.
“I am not funny. I am ferocious. Roarrrr.”
Diana’s giggles grew louder, and Rose could not help but join her.
