His son again nodded slowly.
“She will need some time to gather the courage to meet you and your sister. Can you help me contain your sister’s excitement in order to give her this time?”
“Yes, Papa,” Christophe whispered.
“Thank you, son,” Apollo murmured, lifting a hand and cupping it on the side of his son’s neck. “Now, go to your bath. I’ll see you at breakfast tomorrow.”
“Al’right, Papa.”
Apollo watched him jump from the sofa and he got no hugs from his son. Even at eight (nearly nine), Christophe was far too old for that.
But he still turned at the door and called, “When you see her, will you tell her Élan’s excited to meet her?”
This meant something else entirely.
Apollo felt the tightness in his gut loosen and he answered, “I will.”
Christophe nodded and dashed out of the room.
Apollo took in a deep breath and let it out. He then straightened out of the sofa and moved from the room. He found a servant and ordered a horse to be brought around. He then found Laures and told him of Nathaniel. He also ordered him to find Nathaniel, discover all he’d seen, extract a promise he would cease talking about it as well as another he wouldn’t do anything as foolish again.
Finally, Apollo went to his cloak and swung it on, left the house and moved to the horse saddled and waiting for him at the front of the house.
It was not a sedate walk at which he rode to the dower house.
But when he came into the small clearing, he pulled back the reins at what he saw.
Two torches outside lighting the front door and casting a glow on the glade.
And in that glade were not one, not two, but three snowmen.
He peered closer and saw he stood corrected.
Two snowmen and a snowwoman.
Maddie clearly had found a way to keep herself occupied that day.
His lips twitched before he clicked his tongue against his teeth and led the horse to the stables. But when he went to stall his horse for the night, he saw three stalls were taken.
This meant when he walked into the front room, he saw Remi, Alek and Draven lounging on his dead mother’s furniture. Maddie was sitting on the floor. And a game of tuble was in progress on the low table they were all seated around.
All the men had mugs of ale. Maddie had a glass of wine.
He also walked in on them all laughing.
Remi saw him first and immediately shared, “Maddie has mastered the art of the cheat.”
Apollo crossed his arms on his chest and asked, “Indeed?”
“She’s taken every hand!” Alek exclaimed and went on. “She has very nimble fingers.”
His eyes went to Madeleine to see her head tipped back and hers on him and his voice was much changed when he repeated, “Indeed?”
Pink crept in her cheeks as she looked away.
“Sit for a hand?” Draven asked, gathering the cards to shuffle them.
“I would like nothing more, but, you see, my lady and I were set upon only two nights’ past and my children last night, so I’m afraid I won’t have my mind on the cards.”