Winterberry Spark_A Silver Foxes of Westminster Novella by Merry Farmer

Author:Merry Farmer [Farmer, Merry]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-04-10T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6

Another day passed without any word of a new position for Ruby. She wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or anxious. The longer it took to find another position for her, the more she worried no one would be willing to take her at all. But at least the delay meant she could spend time with James.

“And I sing in three songs,” he told her as they descended the stairs from the nursery to the library, where Mr. and Mrs. Croydon were waiting to spend time with their son.

“Three? Well, Master James, that is impressive,” Ruby told him with a smile.

“In one of them, I’m a knight,” he went on, holding her hand with one hand and the railing with other, and jumping down two stairs at a time.

Ruby gripped his hand hard enough to lift him up if he stumbled, while cradling Faith in her sling with her other hand. Annie was supposed to be minding Faith in the servant’s hall, as she usually did, but a sudden increase in her duties meant that Ruby had to carry her restless darling around with her. It wasn’t an accident, she was sure, but whoever had manipulated the situation so that Ruby was forced to enter Mr. and Mrs. Croydon’s presence with her baby clinging to her hadn’t accounted for Mrs. Croydon’s feelings about babies.

“She’s growing so big,” Mrs. Croydon said with a bright smile, meeting Ruby as she entered the library. “Can I hold her?”

“Certainly, ma’am.” Ruby managed a curtsy as she untangled Faith from her sling and handed her to Mrs. Croydon.

Faith was as fond of Mrs. Croydon as she was of her and went willingly into the elegant woman’s arms. “She’s how old now?”

“Fourteen months, ma’am,” Ruby answered.

“My, what a big girl.”

“Macky, I’m singing three songs in the concert tomorrow,” James said, rushing across the room to his father. “Are you coming?”

“Of course, I’m coming,” Mr. Croydon laughed, lifting James and hugging him. “And you know who else is coming?”

“No?”

“Uncle Edward and your soon-to-be Aunt Evangeline.”

“Hurrah!”

Ruby couldn’t help but smile over the domestic scene. Everyone was so happy. At the same time, her heart ached to see it all. The wistful look in Mrs. Croydon’s eyes as she cuddled Faith hinted at how much the woman would have loved a child of her own, but that wasn’t meant to be. Just as Ruby keeping her place as a tiny part of this outpouring of love and family wasn’t meant to be either. She drew in a breath, wanting to capture the moment and bottle it forever.

“If you’re ready, ma’am, I’ll take Faith so that you can have your time with Master James,” Ruby said, reaching for her daughter.

“Thank you.” Mrs. Croydon smiled at her with such kindness that a lump formed in Ruby’s throat. “She really is a darling.”

“Mari, Macky says Uncle Edward is coming today,” James called from across the room.

Mrs. Croydon turned to James and her husband. “Yes, he is. He should be here soon.”

Just like that, Ruby was no longer part of the picture.

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