Page 36 of A Duke's Overlooked Spinster
Sarah’s heart flipped over as the four, counting the little dog were walking back towards the picnic-goers and the lawn beyond.
Chapter 16
“Hush, now...It is all well, little fellow! Will you hold still a moment? There you are,” Sarah said with a chuckle. She placed a bowl of milk down in front of the excited puppy, who wagged his tail and stepped in the bowl, almost upending it. Sarah let out a delighted laugh, making him look up at her, startled.
“Shh,” she said gently. “It’s all well. Look. You’re meant to eat it,” she said gently, dabbing her finger in the milk to show him what it was.
The tiny puppy needed no further encouragement—no sooner had she directed his attention to it, then he bent down and started to lap the milk. His usually active form became still with acute concentration and Sarah stared in wonder. He seemed to grow when he ate; his little belly expanding as he lapped the food in.
“Look at you,” she breathed in delight.
“Miss! Miss!”
The door burst open and Sarah let out a gasp, then chuckled in delight as Henry cannoned into the room. It was nine o’ clock in the morning, but Sarah had risen and dressed hours before, since the puppy’s whimpers had alerted her that he might need to relieve himself. He had slept on her bed that night after a thorough wash in warm water from the kitchen and, to her surprise, he seemed to accept his surroundings with the same surprising tranquility with which he had accepted Henry’s help.
“Miss!” Henry repeated, running over to her. The puppy looked up, startled, then saw Henry and ran to him, whimpering in delight as Henry bent down and started to pat him. “Good morning. Easy, now,” Henry murmured, soothing the excited puppy.
“Henry!” Sarah said with a grin. “Are you supposed to be here?”
“Mrs. Wellman is having tea—she and the housekeeper always have tea together now,” Henry said with a shy glance at her. “Don’t tell her?”
“I would not think to do so,” Sarah said with a smile. “As far as I know, you are here with her blessing. Look at him! He likes you.” She watched as the puppy clambered onto Henry’s knee and tried to lick his face.
“He’s so sweet,” Henry said with a chuckle, then let out a shriek of delight as the puppy landed a wet lick on his nose. Henry tumbled backwards with the puppy on his chest, both of them flopping in a heap on the mat. The little boy was laughing.
As soon as Sarah heard the sound of happy laughter from Henry and saw how the puppy was delightedly licking him all over, she laughed too.
“Look at him! He likes you so much.”
“Is he a boy?” Henry asked with a confused look. “I think he’s a boy.”
Sarah, who had checked when she washed him, nodded. “He’s a boy,” she confirmed. She tilted her head thoughtfully. “He does need a name.”
“Yes! What’s his name?” Henry asked her.
“How about “Patches”, for the patches of brown on his fur?” Sarah suggested swiftly. He had two brown blotches—one near his right ear, the other on his side.
Henry crinkled his nose. “Can we call him something else?” he asked after considering.
“Of course,” Sarah agreed, tilting her head to one side. “How about “Flopsy”, since his ears flop?”
“I don’t like it,” Henry said. “It’s a bit girlish for a boy,” he added shyly.
Sarah chuckled. “Can you think of something?” she asked.
Henry sat and studied the dog, as if waiting for a name to make itself known.
“He has little black eyes like buttons,” Henry said after a long moment. “I like his eyes and how they sparkle.”
“Buttons!” Sarah repeated, enthused.
The little dog sat up as if he had heard her, and Sarah chuckled.
“That settles the matter. He likes it,” she said.
“I think so,” Henry agreed. He ruffled the little dog’s ears. “Are you Buttons?” he asked the puppy. The little creature tilted his head as if he was listening, and Sarah chuckled.
“I think he likes it,” Henry said solemnly.
