Chapter Fourteen

Lady Jonquil allowed Robbie to visit the circular sitting room each day and watch Howard as he worked below. Robbie didn’t remain for hours on end but did take advantage of a moment here and there. And, to her relief, Lady Jonquil didn’t tease her about it.

At the end of each day, when Adam was spending time with his host and hostess, Robbie slipped out to the garden corner to visit with Howard and talk about how his work was progressing. A handful of days since she’d first done so, she made her evening walk outside, and Howard was next to the garden wall, waiting for her.

He smiled as she approached. Her heart flipped around as it did whenever she found herself in his company.

“This is quickly becoming my favorite time of day,” he said. For someone who’d been so gruff when she’d first met him, Howard was proving rather romantic in his sensibilities.

She walked beside him and looked around. “The wall must be nearly finished.”

“There are only a few places here and there that still need attention,” he said. “But the bulk of the work is done. Lord Jonquil means to take a look tomorrow and give his approval or disapproval.”

“I can’t imagine he would disapprove.”

Her words didn’t seem to fully reassure Howard. “His is a generous nature, and I worry he’ll say he is pleased when, in reality, he isn’t entirely. I hope not. I need him to be ecstatic.”

She slipped her arm through his, continuing to walk at his side. Howard had told her of his hopes for this job. He’d explained that if someone with the influence and standing of Lord Jonquil bragged about his new garden to his friends or recommended that others employ Howard for similar projects, it’d be a boon to his livelihood. It was little wonder he’d been so concerned when he’d first learned a young boy with the potential to cause mischief was on the premises.

“I think even an ungenerous person must look at your work thus far and be pleased with it.”

He smiled at her, an expression that came easily and frequent of late. “The rowan arrived today. I mean to plant it tomorrow.”

“I’d love to see it,” she said.

They walked together back along the side of the wall and into the opening that would hold the gate. That placed them inside the newly enclosed garden wall. The bricks he’d been laying the day she’d helped turn over soil were now small retaining walls. The space didn’t yet have its stone walkway or benches or even any of the flowers or shrubs. But leaning a little against the long-established wall on one side of the garden was a small tree, its root ball wrapped in heavy burlap.

“Do trees always arrive this way?” she asked.

“If those doing the hauling know what they’re doing, yes. If they are moved about without any care given to the roots, the trees are more likely to die.”

“It seems even stately trees need protecting.”

Howard nodded. “Trees and shrubs and such can be very sturdy, but they need to be given some care. They need us to know what they require and what’ll help them thrive.”

Robbie slipped her hands free of his and moved to the area of the garden where she remembered the tree was meant to be planted. She stood there, her gaze moving from the yet-to-be-planted tree to the spot where it was meant to go.

“It looks a wee bit small for the space just now,” she said. “Is it a young tree, then, that still has a fair lot of growing to do?”

“Precisely. It will grow into the space it has been given, which is why I want to make certain it is planted well and has everything it needs to become what it can be.”

“It seems to me designing and planting a garden is nae entirely unlike being a nursemaid. We look after the children in our care, make ourselves aware of what they need and what it is that helps them thrive. By the time they leave our care, our hope is that we’ve placed them on the path and in the place where they have what they need to become the people they can become.”

Howard walked slowly over to her, his eyes studying her face. He set his hands on her arms, then slid them slowly until his fingers threaded through hers. “Perhaps that is why you so quickly and easily learned to work in a garden.”

“I’ve had a very good teacher.”

A sly little smile began pulling at his lips.

She couldn’t help herself and added, “The gardener at Falstone Castle.”

Howard laughed out loud, his head tilting backward and his eyes dancing about.

She didn’t consider herself an unhappy or somber person, but it had been a long time since she’d known someone who genuinely laughed with her and did so regularly. She loved that about him. She loved a lot of things about him.

From the direction of the wall opening came a small authoritative voice. “Nurse Robbie, I need to speak with you.”

She looked in that direction, as did Howard. There was no question who had spoken, and yet it was still odd to see Adam there. He hadn’t yet ventured near the garden. Perhaps he knew stonework could be dangerous. Perhaps it was yet another indicator that he struggled with his acceptance of Howard.

“What is it you need to say?” Robbie moved closer to him.

Before Adam could answer, Pooka came bursting past him, yelping and barking excitedly and running an energetic circle around the little boy. Adam sighed, his expression one of exasperation. When they’d first come to Brier Hill, he’d been afraid of the tiny dog. Lord Jonquil had taken time to show him how to interact with the rambunctious little thing, to help him not be afraid.

“Hush, Pooka,” he said in ringing tones of authority. The dog stopped circling and planted itself directly in front of Adam, looking up at him, wagging its little tail eagerly. To Robbie, Adam said, “He thinks I want only to play with him. He doesn’t know that I have important things to do.”

Her wee Adam sounded more grown-up with each passing day. Too grown-up at times.

“Well, he’ll sit there and watch you while you talk,” Robbie said. “Then you needn’t be prevented from telling me what you came to say.”

Adam nodded quite regally. “I wish to plan a party.”

A feather might have knocked Robbie clear over at that declaration. “A party?” She must’ve heard him wrong.

Another quick nod. “We had our Christmas celebration. After Christmas is Twelfth Night. I think we should have a Twelfth Night celebration. I think Lord and Lady Jonquil would enjoy it.” The last bit was spoken with hesitancy and a little uncertainty.

“I suspect they would fancy a Twelfth Night party,” Robbie said. “But you aren’t fond of gatherings or parties.”

“Neither was my father, but he still held them. He planned balls and gatherings and dinners because Mother liked them. Ladies like those things, I think.”

“You want to plan this one because Lady Jonquil would like it?”

Another quick nod. This time his brow pulled in a combination of embarrassment and uncertainty. He had all but perfected the unwaveringly confident mien that his father had so often exhibited, but Adam couldn’t hide the fact that, at his heart, he was still a little boy.

“Twelfth Night comes nearly twelve days after Christmas,” Robbie reminded him. “By the time we reach eleven days after our Christmas celebration, you’ll nae be here any longer.” She’d given him the explanation so he’d understand the obstacle he faced. But speaking it aloud drove home just how short her time at Brier Hill was. She would be here less than a fortnight longer. Less than a fortnight to walk with Howard and talk with him.

Howard must’ve sensed her distress. He stepped up beside her and silently took her hand, as he’d done in the pony cart several days earlier.

“We did not celebrate Christmas on Christmas Day,” Adam said. “Can’t we have our Twelfth Night celebration whenever we want? It isn’t a real one, after all.”

Howard entered the conversation for the first time. “That is a delightful idea, Your Grace. And I think, as an added special gift to Lord and Lady Jonquil, the three of us could do the work planning it. Lady Jonquil has looked a bit tired of late, as soon-to-be mothers often do. A little extra rest would be good for her.”

Adam watched him with a mixture of uncertainty and distrust. Spending some time with Howard might help Adam overcome his worries about him. On the other hand, it might simply solidify his suspicions that Howard was taking her away.

“I think you’ve a good plan,” Robbie said, hoping she was encouraging the right approach. “Which aspects of the celebration ought we to include?”

Adam shrugged, a little of his enthusiasm having drained from him. “I don’t know very much about it. Father and I had cake on Twelfth Night, but nothing more than that.”

The old duke hadn’t been one for celebrations, except when he thought they might bring his wife home.

“Twelfth Night was quite a raucous time at my house growing up,” Howard said. “I can tell you all about it.”

All of a sudden, Adam’s posture turned unyielding and ramrod straight. “You can tell Nurse Robbie, and she can tell me. I don’t need you to tell me anything.” With that, he spun around, and rather than walk away with palpable dignity, he ran. Pooka ran after him.

“I hadn’t meant to upset the boy,” Howard said.

“I do nae think you did.” She leaned her head against his shoulder. With-out hesitation he slipped his arms around her and held her in a tender embrace. He’d held her many times since their rainy-afternoon encounter. The experience usually sent her heart fluttering and her mind spinning. This time it brought a sense of peace and calm.

“I think he realizes my time as his nursemaid is drawing to an end. He doesn’t know a great deal of the world, but he’s a bright boy. And while he does a fine job of appearing as if nothing bothers him or hurts or scares him, underneath that mask, he’s terrified.”

“And anything or anyone who contributes to his worries of losing you gets pushed away.”

“Aye.”

Howard bent his head enough to whisper into her ear, “He loves you, Robbie—it is not a difficult thing to do—but he feels torn.”

“I do as well,” she whispered.

He pressed a kiss to her temple. “I know.”

She lifted her chin to look into his deep, earth-colored eyes, so full of compassion and concern. “And do you also know that I love you?”

“I’ve had my suspicions, but it’s nice to hear it. Does my heart a whole heap of good.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “I love you too. Amazing how quickly and fully that happened, i’n’ it?”

“Wonderfully amazing.”

Howard bent a bit more, enough to press his lips to hers. The kiss was delicate and faint and yet still heart-stopping. She brushed her fingers over the stubble on his jaw, reveling in the simple pleasure of being near enough to touch him.

“We may not have the answers just now, Robbie, but I’m a patient man. And I’m not easily discouraged. We’ll sort an answer. I know we will.”