“Brother.” Oliver took the hand he held out. “Hello, Leo.” He leaned in and made a foul noise on the boy’s cheek. The baby chuckled.
“Uncle Daniel, are you going that way?” He followed the hand his niece waved to the right, then nodded. She looked cute in her little white dress with her hair in curls beneath her bonnet. Iris was five and looked like her mother. He also knew that by day’s end she would be smeared in dirt and her shoe ribbons torn off.
“I am going that way, as it turns out.”
“I’m going with him then.” She took a firm grip on his free hand and dared her parents to challenge her decision.
“She just wants you to buy her food,” Oliver said, giving his daughter a steady look.
“No, she loves me, it’s proven. I’m her favorite. Isn’t that right, Iris?”
“Uncle Daniel is my favorite,” she said with a solemn look on her face.
“You’re not fooling anyone, you know. Your mother and I are fully aware that as soon as we are out of sight, you will bribe him into buying you whatever you wish,” her father said, bending to kiss her cheek. “Behave yourself.”
The little girl nodded, then tugged his hand to get them moving.
“Don’t feed her too much sugar,” Thea said, giving Daniel a look that should have him quaking in his boots—were he the sort to quake, that was.
“Of course. We’ll find a nice orange, or maybe they are serving gruel somewhere?”
She did the eye roll, Oliver laughed, and Daniel walked away, now with a niece and a nephew attached.
Iris chatted, as he’d noticed his nieces did far better than his nephews. Daniel made the appropriate noises, and Leo continued to slobber on his necktie. They studied flower displays, and with the honesty only a child had, Iris said in a loud voice which ones she thought were the best, and why.
The small shiver that ran down his spine had Daniel looking left, and there she was: Abby. In a pretty chipped bonnet, white dress, and gloves she was inspecting something on the table before her. Daniel couldn’t be absolutely certain but thought his heart sighed. He saw no sign of her employer however, so he advanced.
“Abby.”
She was clutching a bag to her chest when she turned.
“Daniel!” Her eyes shot left and right.
Daniel knew a bit about fabrics, and her dress was another of high quality, as was the bonnet. He felt a niggle of doubt, but couldn’t work out why or what had caused it.
“Is your employer here somewhere?”
“No. This is… ah, my day off.”
“Another one. She is indeed generous with you.”
“I—ah, I work long hours, as I read to her most evenings.”
The servants he knew all worked long hours, but as he did not know what the role of a companion looked like, he didn’t question her further.
Her eyes shot left and right again.
“Is everything all right, Abby?”
“Of course.”
“Can I introduce you to—”
“You’re married?” She actually took a step backward as she spoke.
“My niece and nephew,” he continued, as if he hadn’t noticed the shock on her face. Was her reaction due to the fact she was interested in him, as he was her? He hoped so. The woman was far too appealing. “Iris and Leo. Say good day to Abby.”
“Hello.” Iris had her eyes on the table behind Abby.
“Hello.” Abby bent to greet her. “That is a very pretty dress you have on today.”
“I don’t like to wear dresses, but my father says I must.”
“Not your mother?”
“She wears breeches sometimes and hits that bag.”
Abby looked up at Daniel.
“Her mother and father like to practice boxing.”
“Ah, now it makes sense. Well then, Iris, you should tell your father to have some breeches fitted just for you,” Abby said.
“Do you have toffee in that bag?”
“I don’t. Is that your favorite sweet?”
Iris nodded, now once again looking at the table behind Abby.
“I’ve been dismissed,” she said, straightening.
“Don’t feel bad. I am only her favorite today because I can get her what she wants.”
“Toffee?”
Daniel nodded as he ran his eyes over her face. She had a small gathering of freckles on her nose. He had the urge to kiss them.
“La La!” Leo sang.
“La La?” Abby leaned closer to Leo, and besotted fool that he’d become, he inhaled her scent. Subtle and alluring.
“Apparently Daniel sounds like La La.”
“Of course it does.” Abby touched Leo’s chin. The child clearly knew a pretty woman when he saw one and smiled back.
“Abby, I know we made plans to meet at the Duck and Goose, but will you allow me to take you to the theater also? I have tickets for a play.”
The smile fell away. “Daniel, I need to tell you something.”
“What?”
“I have not been entirely honest with you.”
“All right.” He was suddenly tense. “How about you clear that up now.”
“I…” Her words fell away as she looked over his shoulder. “I need to go, Daniel. Sorry, I, ah, just saw someone I must speak with.”
“Abby—” She turned away and headed left, weaving her way through the crowd, and he had no hope of reaching her with two small children to contend with. What had she wanted to tell him?
Chapter 8
“Women, Leo, are complex creatures.” Daniel headed to the sweets stall, pondering everything he knew about Abby, which wasn’t a great deal, and what she’d wanted to tell him.
I have not been entirely honest with you.
What could that mean? It couldn’t be good, he knew that much. But he also knew that whatever it was, it wouldn’t stop him from wanting her. Unless she was a princess, then he’d be annoyed. Or the daughter of a nobleman and her name was actually Lady Something-or-other. That wouldn’t be a good thing…
