Chapter Five #2
“Oh, yes.” Mrs. Torbett practically jumped from her chair.
“We shall start preparing right away.” The woman started for the open double doors then stopped and turned back.
“Thank you, my lady. This is just what this old house needs.” Then, not waiting to be dismissed, she scurried off at her usual pace.
That interview had gone much better than Ellie had hoped. It had also given her much to think upon…and to investigate.
But first it was time to bring the children outside. Rising, Ellie brushed out her maroon dress before heading for her room. As Beacham had mentioned, it was cold outside, and her red pelisse would keep her warmer than her blue wool cloak.
Once donning her preferred outerwear, she descended the staircase to find the children and nursemaid waiting for her, all dressed for outside. “Anna, thank you for preparing the children. You may take the time to tidy up the nursery and have tea.”
The woman’s brows lowered. “Are you sure, my lady? I wouldn’t want Peter to run off and get lost.”
What an odd thing to say. “I do not believe that Peter would misbehave in such a way. I’m sure he wants me to report only good behavior to Lord Ferncroft.”
“Yes, my lady. But he’s prone to colds and such.”
“Not to worry. We will only be out half an hour and no more. Now off you go.”
Anna appeared to want to argue more but thought better of it. “Yes, my lady.”
Ellie almost wished the young woman had argued. It had been a while since she’d had a good debate. Maybe Darius would humor her when he arrived home. “Come, children. Let us go exploring like Christopher Columbus or Ponce de León.”
Maggie immediately took her hand, while Peter stalked off toward the now-open door in the parlor.
At the feel of the cold air brushing her face, Ellie started forward, anxious to share her knowledge with the two under her care. “Today, we are on the hunt for evergreen plants. Do you know what those are?”
“Are they plants that stay green all winter?” Maggie looked up at her.
“Indeed, they are. You are very bright.”
“Daft plants,” Peter grumbled as they reached the bottom of the terrace steps.
Ellie ignored him. “This way.” She pointed to the far-right pathway. “This is my favorite path so far, as it gives the best view of the stars.”
“You come out here at night?”
At Maggie’s question, even Peter stopped to hear the answer.
“I do. Did you know the stars in the winter are different than the stars we see in the summer?”
Maggie looked up at the overcast sky. “Is that because the Earth turns?”
“That’s a very good guess. Do you have a guess, Peter?”
The boy shook his head.
“It’s actually because of the Earth’s oblong orbit around the sun.” At Maggie’s confused look, Ellie remembered how Lissa had taught her about the ancient phalanx formation. “Let’s go to the fish fountain and I’ll show you what I mean.”
“Fish fountain?” Maggie looked up at her. “I don’t think there’s any water in the fountains for fish at this time of year.”
“We only have fish in the lake.” Peter shook his head as if Ellie were daft.
“Well then, you’ll just have to tell me what you call this particular fountain.” Ellie led them along, surreptitiously checking every few minutes to be sure Peter followed.
“Oh, you mean Neptune’s fountain.” Maggie let go of her hand and ran to sit on the side of the dry fountain. She put her hand on one of the fishes. “I thought you meant there were fishes in the fountain.”
Ellie laughed, pleased that the children were so invested in what she had to say. “That makes sense. I should have been more precise in my wording and said ‘the fountain with five concrete fish on the edges and a baby on the top.’”
Peter pointed to the baby. “Neptune.” His tone made it very clear he thought she was not very intelligent.
She studied the sculpture in the daylight. Now she could see where that the water would come out of three spires of a trident the baby leaned back against. “This must be when Neptune was just born. What a clever fountain.”
“Mother said that he was born of the Earth and the stars.”
Ellie glanced over Maggie’s head to see Peter bending down and looking at something.
“You’re correct. He’s supposed to be the son of Saturn, who represented the universe, and Terra, who was considered the Earth.
No wonder I am able to see the stars so well from here.
It’s as if whoever placed it had stargazing in mind. ”
Maggie looked over her shoulder. “Peter, where are your mitts? Put them on right now, or you’ll catch a cold.”
“No.”
Ellie walked around the fountain to see what had Peter so enthralled. “I’m sure not having his mitts on for a few minutes won’t hurt.”
Maggie jumped down from the fountain. “He was born too early. Nursemaid says he will get sick before anyone else.”
“Will not.” Peter rose, a black ground beetle in his hand.
“Will too.”
Ellie bit down on a smile. “I’m not so sure, Maggie. Peter looks rather sturdy to me, and he’s almost as tall as you already.”
Peter stood straighter, and his little chest puffed out. “I’m hardy. That’s what Mrs. Torbett said.”
“Indeed, you are. What is it you have there, Peter?” Ellie lifted her brows as if she had no idea.
He thrust his hand out toward her and Maggie. “Beetle.”
“Eek!” Maggie scrambled behind Ellie.
Peter’s shoulders fell.
Ellie’s heart squeezed at his disappointment. “That’s quite a brave fellow to be out here in this cold. He’s braver than Maggie.”
That seemed to make Peter feel a little better, but the bond between the siblings was strong.
“Come, Maggie. Have a look. Beetles move slow in winter, so it won’t jump on you or anything.” Ellie looked behind her. “If this little beetle can brave the cold, surely you can be brave enough to look at it.”
Maggie grabbed on to Ellie’s arm and slowly stepped around her to peer at the beetle. “It’s not very big, is it?”
Peter shook his head. “No. I think he’s little. I’ll put him back so he can go home to his family.”
Ellie barely kept herself from sighing. The child was such a sweet boy who just needed some love and affection.
After depositing the beetle where he found him, Peter stood.
“Don’t forget your mitts,” Ellie pointed to the ground.
Peter’s eyes widened—he had obviously forgotten them already—and he bent down to retrieve them.
“I’ll help you.” Maggie stepped forward.
“I can do it.” Peter stepped back and managed to don one of his mitts, but getting the second one on while wearing the other was proving difficult.
Ellie gave Maggie a nudge, and the girl looked at her. Nodding toward Peter, Ellie turned her back and strolled slowly around the fountain again.
Within moments, the two children had joined her, both with their mitts on.
“I see there’s quite a bit of laurel on this side of the garden, but with such a nicely laid-out plan, I doubt the gardener would appreciate having any of it cut.”
“Why would we cut it?”
Maggie’s question reminded Ellie of why they were there. She faced both the children. “We will need to cut some greenery to bring in on Christmas Eve, of course.”
Both children’s eyes lit up with excitement, but Maggie spoke first. “Mother and nursemaid always decorated the nursery. I’m so glad we get to do that again.”
“Oh, I plan to decorate more than the nursery. I’m going to have the whole house decorated.” Ellie threw her arms out wide, smacking her fingers on a stone fish. “Ouch!” She curled in her fingers and pressed her hand against her chest.
“Are you all right?”
Maggie’s furrowed brow had Ellie fighting the pain. She swallowed hard. “I’ll be fine.” The sting in her fingers began to throb. “Let us return to the house now. I promised we wouldn’t be outside more than half an hour, and surely it must have been that by now.”
“Must we?” Peter was back to being petulant.
“I’m afraid we must. But if you like, we can come out again in a few days.
” He shrugged his shoulders as if it didn’t matter to him, but she knew it did.
Still, it was quite cold, and even if her fingers weren’t throbbing, she wouldn’t want the children to become ill.
“I know I, for one, am ready for a cup of warm tea and some rout cakes.”
As they started back, Maggie launched into a tale of one of the neighbors, who had a very bad cook and had gifted them with a failed trifle.
Despite the pain in her fingers, Ellie felt more at home in that moment than she had her whole life. She’d finally found her place, and she couldn’t be happier.