Chapter 9 #2
Amelia put her letters in her pocket under her gown and knelt to examine the boy’s scrape. “But the little ones hurt, don’t they?”
Adam nodded, hiccupping in his sister’s arms. They were such a close pair, and Amelia never wanted that to end. But she had to find her place in their lives if they were to be a family.
The wound was not serious, and she was relieved. She sat back, smiling at him. “You know, I ended up with a scar from a fall like yours. Just about the same spot, too.”
Lucy squinted at her and whispered to her brother, “She’s fibbing.”
Adam pushed out of his sister’s arms. “Show me?”
“Well, ladies are not supposed to raise their skirts in public,” she whispered to him, looking around in case anyone was watching. “Remember, I wouldn’t do this for anyone at all but you.”
She inched her gown up over her knee and showed him the rough, slightly reddened skin that had never gone away.
The boy immediately touched the long-healed wound. “Ooh, did you fall over too?”
“Yes, in a fashion. My sister ran into me, standing by a garden bed, and my skin was scraped by the edging.”
That was not quite the whole of the story.
Caroline had attempted to destroy Amelia’s hard work in the garden in a fit of pique over her success and had pushed her to the ground, out of her way.
But there was no need to tell the children about sibling squabbles and being bullied relentlessly.
Not when she hoped to peacefully share the tending of a garden with them one day.
It would only give Lucy ideas on how to strike back if she were ever inclined to spitefulness.
Amelia had other small blemishes that couldn’t be seen.
Caroline had done a thorough job of scarring her.
Her actions frequently forced Amelia out of the garden, back to her bedchamber, which meant her sister could be the center of attention when she claimed credit for the pretty spring planting.
It had been difficult growing up with a sister determined to destroy you while becoming the darling of everyone else.
Chatham suddenly knelt beside her, his fingers skimming over the healed wound, too. “This is recent?”
“No. Years old. It healed badly.”
“It seems fresh.” He touched the scar again, frowning. “Do you carry other injuries caused by your sister?”
Amelia heard a touch of anger in his voice and flipped her gown over her knees again. “Yes.”
“From what?”
She shivered, remembering the burning pain of hot wax dripped down her back and her sister’s smirk when she’d looked at her. Chatham might not like to see it. “It’s not important.”
She stood swiftly, rubbing her hands together. She forced a smile for the children’s sake and put her hands on her hips. “Well, we had better have Cook clean and smooth some ointment over that wound, or would you prefer me to do it for you, Adam?”
“Cook can look after us,” Lucy announced, mimicking Amelia’s posture exactly and glaring. Then Lucy grabbed her brother’s hand and yanked him away before he could say who he wanted to look after the wound.
Amelia sighed as a servant took charge of Adam at the kitchen door, and they disappeared inside together, where Amelia didn’t dare follow yet.
Chatham remained by her side. “What more did she do to you?”
Amelia’s cheeks heated.
“I never cared for your sister before, and I like her even less now, after that snide letter she wrote and the harm she did to you as a girl,” Chatham murmured, eyes lingering on her upper back. “She always pushed herself forward when I visited.”
“My family expected great things for her, and you would have been high on their list of potential husbands had you not been married before she was brought out.” Amelia chuckled softly when Chatham scowled.
“I am happy to wait for the children alone by the kitchen door, if you have somewhere else to be.”
Chatham shook his head. “There is no where else I’d rather be than here protecting you.”
Amelia’s heart gave a little flip. “What about your brother? You said you wanted to speak with him today. Or have you reconsidered interfering?”
“No, I have not reconsidered, but I wondered if it would be best if my brother sees us together. I’ll not have you pushed to the background by anyone anymore, least of all me. What do you say to a long walk through the estate with me?”
Amelia glanced at him, startled by the tone of his words. She’d never had a champion before, but he seemed to want the position. She did not quite know how to respond other than to nod.
“We’ll take the children with us,” he announced. After a moment, he glanced her way. “If you agree, that is, Lady Chatham?”
She was pleased by the speed of his correction. At least he was trying to include her. “I do not disagree, Lord Chatham.”
He sighed. “Good.”
He stretched out his hand, and Amelia gave him hers. They shook, and his grip was firm around her slender fingers. His warmth seemed to seep through her glove as he kept hold of her hand.
Amelia hugged the feeling of belonging to her. It was nice, holding hands with someone she admired again. But she suspected that if there were to be any further intimacies between them, it might always be up to her to initiate the encounters.