Chapter 17
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“They are all soooo pretty!” Adeline gushed.
Cedric and Deborah stood behind the happy little girl, staring at the copious buckets of vibrant flowers that now took up much of the hallway. Cedric had offered to buy her a single flower from the picked ones the conservatory was selling. Then one turned into two. Two turned into three, and, well…
“I suggested you come along to bond,” Deborah whispered by his side, “Not buy every flower available.”
Cedric shot her a narrowed glance and found her struggling to stifle her laughter.
“I panicked,” Cedric grumbled. “She has never trusted me enough to ask me for anything before, so when she did, I could not stop saying yes.”
The laughter Deborah was attempting to stifle burst out of her plump lips, echoing not just through the house but his heart.
He closed his eyes, shook his head, and found himself chuckling alongside her.
He had teased Deborah for all of the dresses and accessories she had bought Adeline, but now he had done precisely the same thing.
“What is so amusing?” Adeline asked, turning away from the flower and toward them with a wary brow raised.
“Just the day,” Deborah answered, still trembling with laughter. “It was a lovely day, was it not?”
Adeline’s cautious look shifted into a smile, and she relaxed.
“It was,” she sighed, picking up a bright pink Lily from the nearby bucket, “Thank you so much for all of the flowers, Uncle Cedric. I love them all. Now Deborah and I can arrange them and we can make the entire house even prettier!”
Cedric’s heart swelled and filled with hope as he beamed down at his niece.
“You are so welcome, darling,” he replied, hunkering down to meet her eyes. “Are you still disappointed that I came in Grace’s stead?”
Earlier that morning, as the three of them were having breakfast together, Deborah had broken the news that he was coming along instead of Grace.
Adeline had frowned with obvious disappointment, and during the carriage ride to the conservatory and gardens, she had said little, her face turned toward the window and her arms crossed over her chest.
However, once they arrived and began their adventure, Adeline slowly stopped her pouting and genuinely seemed to start enjoying the day as they walked along the paths through the copious flower beds.
By the end of the day, she had even reached for his hand, and he’d held it tightly and with honor as she chattered excitedly about all of the pretty blooms.
“I was disappointed at first, but I still very much enjoyed this day,” Adeline said, answering his question as she twirled the lily in her fingers.
“I am so very glad you did,” Cedric replied earnestly, “I enjoyed spending time with you as well, Adeline. Truly. Thank you for giving me a chance.”
Adeline’s smile was small as a contemplative look took over her youthful features.
“What is it, darling?” Deborah asked from behind Cedric. “Are you not feeling well? You had a long day, perhaps it is time for a rest?”
“No, please,” Adeline quickly replied, drawing her gaze first to Deborah, then to Cedric, “I feel quite well, I promise. Does our day have to end?”
Cedric shook his head.
“It does not have to,” he answered. “Is there something else you want to do?”
Her contemplative expression intensified, and after a moment of nibbling on her lip, she nodded.
“Yes, I think there is,” she replied, twirling the flower faster.
“Tell us,” Cedric urged. For a moment, he hesitated, then, feeling emboldened by their good day, he tentatively reached out and gently squeezed Adeline’s shoulder. To his relief, she did not shrink from his touch, but instead stepped closer as she raised her dark eyes to his.
“I was wondering…I was wondering if you would tell me about my parents.”
Cedric and Adeline were both quiet as Deborah poured their tea. She wanted to know about her parents- and Cedric wanted to tell her, but he was worried. Worried he would disappoint her and ruin all of the progress they had made in the last few days.
“I shall leave you two to talk,” Deborah said, her tone gentle and quiet as she set the teapot down.
“Wait,” Cedric said, reaching for her wrist before he could think or she could take a step.
She turned her vivid green eyes toward him, and his breath hitched. God, how easily it was for him to get lost in those beautiful eyes. Cedric cleared his throat, willing his body and mind to work again.
“Stay?” He requested.
Deborah’s brows tensed as she looked from him to Adeline.
“Oh. Well, I unfortunately did not know your parents, Adeline, so there is not much I could say,” she said, her tone apologetic.
“That is alright,” Adeline replied, scooting over on the couch and patting the space, “I should like you to stay too, please. We like you near, do we not, Uncle Cedric?”
Cedric let out a soft chuckle.
“We certainly do,” he agreed, turning his gaze back to Deborah.
After a brief look of hesitation, Deborah smiled and nodded.
Cedric released her wrist, noting how he immediately missed the touch of her skin against his, and settled back into his seat as he watched Deborah take one beside Adeline.
His heart performed another strange flip as he watched his niece lay her head on Deborah’s shoulder, as if they had always known one another.
Deborah, in turn, leaned down and kissed the top of Adeline’s head, causing a small smile to break out on the little girl’s face.
“The story, Uncle,” Adeline prompted, “Please?”
“Right,” Cedric muttered, snapping out of his moment of awe. “Well, my darling, I am afraid I do not know much about your father. What I can tell you about him though is that he loved your Mama very, very much.”
Adeline’s dark eyes sparkled as her smile grew bigger.
“He did?” She asked, her tone hopeful. “It was not some fairytale Mama told me?”
“Oh, no,” Cedric chuckled as he shook his head, “Their love was quite deep. Not just for your mama, but for you as well.”
“Hmm,” Adeline hummed happily, “I am so happy to hear that. Mama had told me as much.”
“And you did not believe her?” Cedric asked.
Adeline shrugged.
“He died when I was little, so I do not remember much of him. But I remember when Mama would take me to her friends’ houses afterward. I remember that those couples argued openly. All of them. So I always wondered if Mama was just telling me that to make me feel better.”
Cedric glanced toward Deborah and saw the sympathy in her eyes as she looked at Adeline.
“It is true that in our time, love matches have become quite rare,” he confessed, “But your parents were blessed enough to have found one. It is a shame that they only had a short time with one another. Truly.”
Adeline snuggled closer to Deborah, who lifted her arm and wrapped it around the little girl for added comfort.
“Keep going?” Adeline urged, settling into Deborah’s side.
“Ah, yes, your Mama,” Cedric said, then chuckled. “Gosh, she was a force. A beautiful, intelligent force, even when she was as young as you. Our father…”
Cedric paused, his heart aching with sadness.
“Our father wanted certain things for your mother,” he said after a while, “But she cared not for his plans. Stood up to him. Made her own claims for her life, and when she married your father, she proved to our father once and for all that he could not and would not control her.”
“Did that make him angry?” Adeline asked, “My grandfather, I mean?”
“Oh yes,” Cedric replied, clasping his hands tightly together as harsh memories pushed into his mind. He took a breath and centered himself. There were some things Adeline did not need to know.
“He is not important to this story, though,” he added hastily, “What is important was that your mother got the life she had always wanted. With your father. With you. She loved you both very much, and it is very clear to me that she passed that strength of hers right into you.”
“And my darling,” he said after pausing to catch his breath and clock his racing heartbeat, “My darling, you look so much like her. So very much of her beauty reflects in you. In your features. In your stubbornness. In your want to have the life you see in your mind.”
He drew in a heavy breath, feeling a sadness he was usually able to keep at bay close in.
“So. Much. Beauty.” He rasped, looking into Adeline’s shining eyes.
At his ankle, he felt a small brush of something. He glanced down, and his heart skipped a beat as he found that while Deborah was holding Adeline, she had stretched her foot under the knee-high table between them and was gently caressing it over his ankle.
A small touch, but in the moment it felt more intimate than the tightest hug. He met her eyes and found a kindness in her green pools that nearly undid him.
He cleared his throat, suddenly finding himself far more emotional than he ever intended to be, and forced a grin.
“That is what I know, sweet Adeline,” he said in his normal deep timbre. “I am sorry I do not have more.”
Adeline said nothing as she swiped a few tears from her cheeks and nuzzled into Deborah’s embrace.
“I for one think that is plenty,” Deborah said softly, and Adeline nodded in agreement.
“Yes,” Adeline sniffled, sitting up straight, “Thank you, Uncle.”
She offered him a small, sad smile, and he returned it along with a nod.
“You are most welcome,” he replied earnestly, “And thank you for allowing me to be a part of your day.”
Adeline’s smile brightened and widened at the reminder, and she hopped down from the couch.
“I think I am going to have some of the maids help me carry some of the flowers to my room. I want to sleep in my own field of color tonight.”
Deborah and Cedric both chuckled.
“I think that is a splendid idea,” Cedric replied.
“And if you like, tomorrow we can arrange them all together and make ourselves some lovely bouquets. Maybe take a few to Grace and Frances,” Deborah added.
Adeline readily agreed, turning to Deborah and giving her a kiss on the cheek. Deborah murmured her goodnights as Adeline began to walk toward the parlor door, but after a few steps, she turned around and hurried back to Cedric.
“Yes, dear?” He asked, but as he turned his head to look at her, her little lips brushed a kiss against his cheek as well, and as his mouth drew agape with shock at the display of affection, Adeline grinned and blushed before hurrying away again.
Cedric clamped his mouth shut as he touched the spot on his cheek, in disbelief that Adeline, who not very long ago would have thrown things at him if he attempted to speak with her, was now giving him a kiss goodnight.