Page 24 of The Thief
“Well, I don’t travel with it on because I am notorious about losing things. I always have to make sure I have everything before I leave or I will leave something behind.”
They both nodded, the statement making sense to them.
“You know my name, but I don’t know yours. Can you help me out?” she asked, looking from little girl to little girl.
“My name is Sally,” the little redhead said,
“My name is Mellie,” the blonde said.
“Well, Mellie and Sally, can you show me where you play?” she asked, their faces lighting up and each one of them grabbing a hand.
They pulled her over to a small table and showed them where they had been playing with blocks, their small dolls they had been placed carefully in nearby chairs to watch.
Alastair smiled when Scarlett looked up at him, their eyes connecting for a brief moment before her attention was pulled back to the little girls. Alastair herded the other children back to their playing tables, drawn into a game of blocks, helping to build a castle just like Ashaven.
A few hours later, Alastair and Scarlett waved goodbye to the children, promising to come back to see them when they could.
Scarlett took Alastair’s arm and he escorted her out of the building, waving goodbye to all the nurses and staff on their way out.
“Did you have a good time?” he asked, handing her up into the carriage.
“I did. It was so lovely to spend time with them. They are so positive all the time and I can’t explain how happy that makes me feel. Even when they are not feeling well, they still are happy and positive and energized. I honestly am a little bit jealous.”
Alastair laughed. “I completely understand. Sometimes when I feel frustrated by something, I come here and spend time with them. They make a bad day into a good day again.”
“Where are their parents?” she asked.
“They stay in a set of housing behind the hospital. They can come and see their children whenever they want to and every few days, they get to spend time with their families. We try to limit their contact with other children in their families because they are sick and we want them to get better and not make the other children sick. Once they are better, they are on their way again and can go home.”
He looked out the window and then back at her.
“Sometimes there are children who have been orphaned. Those children are hardest to see because they have lost everything, but have a positive outlook for things. We locate homes for them and while they wait for a forever home, they stay with a group of nurses in the homes. We have occasionally had a nurse take a child into their care. I have never had a child come back.”
Scarlett felt his pride in his work and knew that this was what he was supposed to be doing.
“That is amazing. Has it always been this way?” she asked.
He shook his head.
“My father implicated a lot of these policies when he took over from my grandfather. I am ashamed to say that my grandfather didn’t really care to be a prince for what it really meant. He just wanted to be able to call himself a prince and take advantage of all the luxuries that went with it.”
He sighed and rubbed his hand over his face, his irritation growing just talking about his grandfather.
“I never really had a relationship with him, which was fine with both my father and me. When my grandfather became too ill to rule, my father eagerly took up the throne and changed things for the better. He taught me many things and brought this island back from where it was. I am very thankful for that and now strive to be half the man my father is.”
Scarlett rested her hand on his. “I am sure your father is very proud of you.”
“Thank you. I hope so.”
“Thank you for coming to the hospital with me today. The children are glad you came. I’m glad you came as well,” Alastair said, squeezing her hand in his.
“I am very glad I came. It was so much fun to spend time with them. When are you coming back?” she asked, pulling her hand out of his and leaning back in her seat.
“I wasn’t sure when to come back. The hospital is doing some repairs right now, and I told Petunia if they need me to let me know. I am sure though that they wouldn’t mind having us come back though. Would you like me to ask Petunia and see if we can plan another visit soon?” he asked her, smiling at the happiness that made her amber eyes sparkle.
“I would like that,” she replied.
“When we get back to Ashaven, I will send out a message and let you know what she said. Are you going to take dinner in the dining room or upstairs?”
She didn’t even have to think about it when she said, “The dining room.”
“Then I will join you if you don’t mind.”
She chuckled.
“I wouldn’t mind at all.”
