Caught in the Storm of a Duke's - Abby Ayles Page 0,102

rush them. I know you’re excited, but you’ll be able to meet the baby soon.”

Benjamin still wasn’t completely satisfied. The day passed as usual, but so many thoughts ran through his mind. Despite what his parents had told him, he continued to hope that this child would come tomorrow, ready to play. Benjamin would show him around the gardens, including the secret hidey-hole among the flowers that his parents didn’t know about.

A week passed, and, just as Benjamin and his mother were performing a piano piece for Lord Longford, the butler entered and announced Lord and Lady Rutmont’s arrival.

Benjamin was so excited that he simply grinned and completely forgot his manners, until his mother gave him a pointed look and gestured for him to stand. Benjamin stumbled to his feet and watched as Lord and Lady Rutmont walked into the music room.

Confusion immediately overtook his mind. There was no child to be seen. Yet his mother rushed forward and hugged Lady Rutmont carefully, peering down at something she held in her arms.

“What is it?” Benjamin asked.

His father put a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Be polite, Benjamin,” he murmured.

Lord Rutmont, standing next to his wife, simply laughed heartily. “He must be confused. I don’t think he’s ever seen a baby before.”

Lady Rutmont walked over to him and sat down on the piano bench. She smiled, allowing Benjamin to see the bundle in her arms.

It was a strange thing with closed eyes and a tiny mouth that yawned. Impossibly small hands stretched out and a short, cracked cry came from its mouth.

Benjamin’s face crumpled in disappointment. This was not the playmate he had imagined.

“Meet your new friend,” Lady Rutmont said. Her voice had a different cadence than most people Benjamin knew; his parents had told him it was an accent from a place called France. “Her name is Annette.”

Her? This just kept getting worse and worse.

“What’s wrong, Benjamin?” his father asked with concern, no doubt reading his expression easily.

“How can I play with that?” he asked, feeling tears sting at his eyes. He had been so excited at the thought of playing with his new friend, but it didn’t even look like this baby could walk or talk.

And she was a girl. All of those things Benjamin had planned to do with his new friend now seemed impossible.

All four of the adults burst into laughter, which made Benjamin even more melancholy. How could they laugh when all his dreams were dashed?

“Don’t worry, dear,” Lady Rutmont said, reaching out a hand to gently stroke his hair. “When Annette grows up a little, she’ll be able to play with you all the time.”

Benjamin wanted to say, “But she’s a girl!” but he also didn’t want them all to laugh again. So, instead, he simply nodded, trying not to look as dejected as he felt.

“She’s beautiful, Paulette,” Lady Longford said as she walked over, putting a hand on her friend’s shoulder.

Beautiful? As Benjamin looked at the tiny, wrinkled baby in Lady Rutmont’s arms. He thought it was the ugliest thing he had ever seen.

***

His parents spent more time with Lord and Lady Rutmont than they had before Annette was born, if that was even possible. Though Benjamin’s disappointment in the baby’s lack of abilities remained for a long time, he soon found he enjoyed making her laugh by pulling silly faces.

The first time he was allowed to hold Annette, a happy feeling washed over him and he asked to hold her more and more often. Lord and Lady Rutmont claimed that the first word from their baby’s mouth was “Ben.”

Once Annette was four years old and Benjamin eight, the fun really started. Just as Benjamin had imagined when he was four, he took Annette out into the garden and showed her the hidey-hole that adults couldn’t fit into.

Though Annette said nothing, Benjamin could tell by her wide eyes and the worried crease on her forehead, that she was scared. He got onto his hands and knees and crawled in the dirt underneath the overhang of greenery and flowers, urging her after him. It took only a moment for Annette to follow.

Once they were well into the hiding place, surrounded by floral smells and scratchy leaves, Annette thought it was marvelous. She giggled, looking awestruck at all the different plants around her. Benjamin began to instruct her on which ones were which, having her repeat their names after him. It occurred to him that maybe he could make this girl into the perfect playmate after