The Girl is Not For Christmas - Emma V Leech Page 0,67
and grabbing at his toes, almost toppling over backwards.
“Yes, yes, laugh at my misfortune why don’t you? The universe seems to enjoy the same sense of humour as you do, my lad,” he grumbled, reaching for the bricks again.
Walsh scuttled about the room too, gathering the bricks up and setting them down in front of King. Rather to King’s surprise, Walsh deigned to sit on the floor too, and the two of them rebuilt the tower while George looked on with anticipation shining in his eyes.
“So, how did you come to be babysitting?” Walsh asked.
King frowned. “I’m not entirely certain. The eldest girl, Susan, is it? She was carrying him about, but then that blasted piglet ran past, apparently wearing the sash of her new dress. Well, I shouldn’t like to be whoever was responsible for putting it on the creature, I can tell you. Set off like a little dervish, she did. So the next thing I know, George here is thrust at me, and she goes off in hot pursuit.”
Walsh gave a bark of laughter and then narrowed his eyes at King. “So, why didn’t you give him to one of the others or take him to the kitchen? Gelly would have taken the lad off your hands.”
“I don’t know,” King said with a huff. “I couldn’t be bothered. Besides, George has provided the most sensible conversation I’ve had since I got here.”
“Ing? Where is Libby?” George asked, his expression grave, a little frown on his sweetly rounded face.
“Yes, King, where’s Livvy?” Walsh asked, a knowing glint in his eyes.
King glowered at him. “Far from me, if she’s got an ounce of sense.”
“Where we find Libby, Lib, Lib?” George said, pointing at the door.
“I don’t know, George,” King replied, touching the child’s cheek and wondering at how soft it was. “Shall I take you to Gelly? She might know.”
“Gelly in the kitchen. Gelly got cake!” George said, grinning broadly and scrambling to his feet.
“That’s a yes, then,” King said, chuckling. He put out his hand to George, but George lifted both arms towards him.
“Up,” he said, a determined glint in his eyes.
King hesitated. “Oh, very well, but no tugging on my cravat, do you hear?”
“No vat,” George said solemnly, shaking his head.
King laughed and lifted the little boy up.
“Close enough, old man,” he said, a little startled when the child curled his arms about his neck, crushing his cravat, naturally. King stilled, an odd sensation kicking about behind his ribs.
“That suits you, my lord. If you don’t mind me observing it,” Walsh said, smiling.
“What?” King looked back at his valet, too distracted to have heard his comment.
“You’d make a good father, I reckon. Pity you dislike the idea so much.”
“Yes, well, I do,” King replied at once, almost angry now, frowning at Walsh.
“Ing?” George said, anxiety in his voice.
King let out a breath. “Sorry, George. Come along. Let’s go and find Gelly and have some cake.”
“Need to be quick, Miss. Those clouds….” Spargo nodded at the darkening sky overhead.
“I will,” Livvy nodded, jumping down from the dog cart.
She didn’t bother pointing out she didn’t have enough money to take long. Spargo knew it. As it was, having to spend coin on fripperies made her stomach turn, but she needed some ribbon and thread to finish making over Ceci’s old gowns, and so it was rather more imperative than perhaps it appeared.
The door to the haberdasher’s opened with a tinkling of the overhead bell, and Livvy smiled at Mrs Cardy.
“Miss Penrose,” the woman said, her rosy apple cheeks dimpling with pleasure at the sight of Livvy. “I swear, I thought you’d forgotten us it’s been so long.”
“As if I could do such a thing, Mrs Cardy, and it has been too long. I hope you can forgive me. What with the children and one thing and another… well, I don’t know where the time goes.”
Mrs Cardy laughed. “Oh, I know it, and that brood is surely a handful. His lordship is lucky to have such a sister, though no doubt he must get used to the lack of you soon enough.”
Livvy stilled, frowning in confusion. “Oh, whyever would he need to do that?”
“Oh.” Mrs Cardy’s rosy cheeks turned a slightly darker shade. “Forgive me, Miss Penrose, if I spoke out of turn only… well, it’s all anyone can speak of at present.”
“What is?” Livvy demanded, her stomach twisting with an unpleasant sense of certainty that she would not like Mrs Cardy’s next words at all.