little face. “I’m not certain what it means, but I think it means he’s strong so he can carry his lady.”
Susan frowned, too. “Why does he need to carry her? She’s got two legs and can walk on her own, can’t she?”
Daphne nodded as the two girls stuck their heads together. “Perhaps only when there’s mud so she doesn’t get her shoes dirty.”
“What about his shoes?” Susan threw in.
Daphne shrugged. “I don’t think men mind that much. They like mud.”
“How can anyone like mud?” A little shudder went through Susan.
Holding her breath, Charlaine had to fight to keep from laughing. Nathanial, too, had to turn away, his face a bright shade of red as he drew in deep breaths through his nose. “Aren’t they adorable?” Charlaine whispered once he returned to her side.
Nathanial nodded, his lips still pressed into a thin line…no doubt, as a precaution.
“Supper will be ready soon,” Charlaine told the girls, a little desperate to change the subject. “How about we return to the house now and come back here tomorrow and look for frogs?”
While the girls looked a bit disappointed, the promise of food soon had them racing back to the house, their little faces flushed once more from the exertion.
“Do you truly intend to look for frogs tomorrow?” Nathanial asked, his left brow raised in doubt as they followed in the girls’ wake.
Charlaine chuckled. “Why not? Don’t you think they deserve princes?”
Shaking his head at her, Nathanial laughed. “You’re impossible! What if those girls truly end up kissing a frog and then see that no prince materializes?”
Charlaine grinned at him. “What if one does?”
Chapter Twenty-Five
On the Hunt
Indeed, life at Markham Hall was quite informal as Nathanial came to see when he rose the next morning.
Breakfast not only included the lord and lady of the house as well as Charlaine and himself, but also Daphne and Susan as well as Miss Glass, the governess, and Caroline’s lady’s maid, Sarah. First names were used by all around, except for Miss Glass, who addressed Lord Markham—or Pierce—by his title, her pale eyes rather flitting, whispering of a certain unease. While she seemed utterly devoted to the family, the young woman appeared similarly taken aback by the lack of formality even after three years in the household.
Nathanial wondered if he would ever get used to it.
“What plan do you have for today?” Caroline asked Daphne and Susan, a warm smile upon her face. “I’ve been hearing whispers of an excursion to the lake.” She looked from one girl to the other.
Miss Glass dropped her gaze, a hint of red coming to her cheeks.
Apparently, the girls had successfully led the young woman on a wild goose chase the day before while they had sneaked off to the lake. Only when they had all returned to the house had she realized what had happened. Indeed, Miss Glass appeared much too tender-hearted to anticipate the devilish thoughts that currently ran through those mischief-makers’ little heads.
“We want to catch some frogs,” Susan reported proudly, which earned her yet another elbow jab from Daphne. The girl rubbed her side, frowning at her playmate. “What? We do.”
Pierce leaned forward, frowning, the look on his face a bit grim. “Daphne, I do not want you to treat Susan in this manner. If you disagree with what she does, then you are free to speak to her about it. However, there is never a good enough reason to harm a friend, do you understand?”
Daphne bowed her head. “Yes, Father.” Then she looked at Susan. “Sorry, Sue. I didn’t mean it, but you need to learn to hold your tongue.” Then she looked at Pierce.
Her father chuckled. “Better. Thank you.”
“Why do you want to catch frogs?” Caroline asked with great interest.
This time, however, Susan did hold her tongue, her wide eyes going to Daphne.
Daphne shrugged. “You might as well tell them now. The cat’s out of the bag anyhow.”
With a bit of a contrite look upon her face, Susan lay down their plans for securing themselves a prince each. “But first we need the frogs.” She sighed. “I’ve never even seen one even though their loud croaking sometimes keeps me up.”
“Have any of you ever caught one?” Daphne asked, looking at the adults seated around the table.
Miss Glass immediately shook her head while Pierce laughed. “As a boy, I sometimes did with my friend, Ash. Although he was by far better at it than me.”
“Why?” Daphne demanded.
Pierce smiled at her. “I never had the patience for it. You