To Wed a Viscount by Adrienne Basso

Author:Adrienne Basso [Basso, Adrienne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2013-12-01T20:27:10+00:00

* * * *

“Look how swiftly she sails,” Faith cried out with excitement. She hitched up the skirt of her

gown and ran along the uneven ground on the bank of the pond. “I think we've finally put those

pesky sails to rights, Georgie. The boat barely tips at all. Why, at this rate she'll be across to

the other side in no time."

“Hurry!” Georgie called out in delight. The little boy eagerly grabbed Faith's hand and tugged. “I

want to catch the ship before it smashes into the ground."

Breathless and laughing, Faith let herself be swept along through the high grass, weeds, and

muddy soil, as the two raced to beat the toy ship. The child's joy was contagious, and it did her

sore heart a world of good to be carefree and relaxed for a few brief moments.

She and young Georgie had been coming to this very place for an entire week, and it had been

the one bright spot in her otherwise trying daily routine.

It had also been the secret part of her morning ritual. Only the nursemaid who cared for the boy

knew of these special outings, and Faith jealously guarded this rare, private time alone with the

child.

“Here it comes!” With a squeal of delight, Georgie crouched low and snatched the boat out of

the shallow water.

He held it close against his chest, and rivulets of dirty pond water trailed down the front of his

formerly clean shirt and knickers.

“Shall we send it across again?” Faith asked as she gently tugged the toy from the child's arm.

She pulled the lace handkerchief from her pocket and made a feeble attempt at brushing him

clean. The boy tolerated her fussing with good humor, but her efforts only smeared the dirt

further. With a resigned smile, Faith put away the handkerchief.

Georgie knelt in the mud and tried launching the boat. It moved a few feet away from shore,

then bobbed its way back.

“Why doesn't it work? Is it broken?"

Faith pushed the hair out of her eyes and stared across the small pond. “We are trying to sail

her against the wind. That's why the boat keeps coming back. We'd best walk around and

launch her from the same spot."

“I'm tired of walking. Let's go in the big boat."

Faith turned to where the child was pointing and saw that an old rowboat had been pulled high

on the small bank and tucked behind a clump of bushes.

“Oh, dear.” Faith could instantly understand the allure of the small craft. To a young boy, it

represented adventure and excitement. To her it posed only a safety hazard. “I don't think we

are allowed to use the boat, Georgie. After all, it isn't ours."

But the child wasn't listening to her halfhearted protests. He bounded toward the small boat

with all the enthusiasm of a puppy let loose from the kennel. By the time Faith joined him,

Georgie had scrambled inside and was trying to hoist one of the solid oars.

“There are two benches. One for each of us to sit on,” he announced with enthusiasm. “Look, I

can do the rowing.” He won his struggle with the clumsy oar and raised it triumphantly.

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