answered firmly, holding his gaze. If he didn’t know better, he’d believe the boy was sizing him up, maybe even warning him to proceed cautiously.
“And these two troublemakers are my twins, Rafe and Beltran,” Julianna continued.
Aiden repeated the bow and shook the boys’ hands. They were possibly eleven or twelve years of age.
“Boys, this is my dear friend, Lord Aiden Martin.”
“Lord Martin, what’s in the box?” Winter asked boldly, knocking a chuckle from Aiden’s lips.
Aiden looked over at Julianna for permission, and she smirked as she said, “He has generously brought you a surprise, but I think we should first give him the surprise you’ve prepared.”
The older boys quickly hurried to the other side of the room, Marcus hopping up on the piano bench. But Winter remained in front of his mother, his hands behind his back.
“May I go first, Mother? Please.”
Julianna gently touched his cheek, smiling warmly at him. “Of course, darling.”
While Winter scurried over to a box on a small table, Julianna led Aiden to a nearby settee to sit. When they were settled, Winter stood in the center of the room with a flute raised to his lips. He looked to his mother, who gave an encouraging nod before he played his first note. It was a simple song, but his notes were sharp and clear, the dance of his small fingers so perfect. Aiden was in awe of the child. To stand there so composed, playing for the intimate audience, one of them a complete stranger.
At the end of the song, Aiden loudly clapped as he jumped to his feet. The boy beamed up at him, his chest out and cheeks red while his blue eyes sparkled. The little boy placed his flute on the table and ran over to the settee, practically diving between Aiden and Julianna. His mother gathered him close, peppering his face with kisses and comments on how proud she was of him.
“Marvelous. Simply marvelous!” Aiden added when Winter turned his gaze up at him.
Winter snuggled between them, his smile so wide. “Thank you. I hope to get as good as they are,” he replied, pointing across the room.
Aiden followed his finger and his heart stopped to see the other three boys poised and waiting. Marcus was behind the piano while Beltran sat behind a cello nearly taller than himself. Rafe stood close to his twin, a violin tucked under his chin.
With a small nod from their mother, they started to play, and Aiden was transfixed. He was transported to the heavens. He’d heard countless professional concerts in his lifetime, but none of them compared to the beauty that filled that room. And these were just boys. Children! Their small fingers moved with an expert grace across strings and keys.
Time stopped. The world around them fell away. He was simply existing in this perfect bubble with the most amazing woman he’d ever known and four wonderful children. He didn’t want this to ever end.
But the song did, and Aiden sucked in a deep breath. He jumped to his feet with Winter and Julianna, enthusiastically applauding the performance.
The second the applause stopped, Winter grabbed his hand. “May we see what’s in the box now?”
“Of course, but I fear it is nowhere as good as the performance from you or your brothers.”
With a pounding heart and fresh doubts, Aiden turned and picked up the large box from where he’d placed it next to the settee. He set it on the floor before all the boys and motioned for Winter to open it. There was a soft gasp as the lid was lifted away to reveal what looked to be intricately painted tin soldiers, but they were actually—
“Knights!” Rafe cried as he pulled one out of the box. “They’re knights like King Arthur and his round table.”
“Is there a wizard?” Winter asked. “King Arthur had Merlin.”
“Oh! Do you think there’s a dragon? I really wish there was a dragon. Aiden—Lord Martin,” Beltran correctly sharply. Aiden’s head popped up and his heart melted a little more at Bel’s blush. “Do you think there are such things as dragons?”
“I don’t know if dragons ever existed. And unfortunately, I don’t think this set comes with one, but I will try very hard to find one.” He then turned his attention to Winter. “And a wizard.”
“Two, please,” Rafe chimed in.
“Rafe!” Julianna broke in, sounding quite horrified.
Rafe looked up at his mother, his chin up. “It’s not fair if one king as a wizard and the other doesn’t.”
“He’s quite right,