Page 58 of Yours Truly, the Duke
Bella folded her arms over her chest defiantly, pouted, and declared, “Charles and Elise won’t play with me.”
“Of course they will,” Fredericka insisted, lifting Bella’s chin with one hand and running the other over the top of Elise’s hair to tame the windblown curls. “You’ve been playing together half an hour already. Your hair is damp from running and Elise’s face is red.”
“It’s not fair I don’t ever get to win, Auntie,” Bella grumbled. “I want you to play with me.”
“She’s upset because she’s little and can’t catch us,” Elise bragged.
“I want to tag them now,” Bella huffed out, and then in the blink of an eye transformed her pout into a charming smile, gazing up at Wyatt with adoring eyes. “Will you play chase with me again?”
The girls were having a tiff and Fredericka washandling it with patience that Wyatt wasn’t sure he’d have under the circumstances. He could see that she truly cared and wanted to please them. Wyatt would have told the little ones to go settle their own differences.
Fredericka reached over and started tying the sash on Bella’s dress as Charles joined them.
Wyatt looked around and saw they weren’t far from the Serpentine, where there was a line of tents and vendors selling their sweets and wares.
Wyatt knelt in front of Elise. Thankfully, she didn’t shrink away from him or try to hide behind Fredericka. “Do you know how to count money?”
“Yes,” she answered, warily.
“Good. See that refreshment stand over there?” he asked, pulling some coins from his pocket. “The one with the red-striped awning? There are several people waiting in line.”
She nodded and let go of Fredericka.
“I noticed them unloading a tray of fruit tarts, sweet cakes, and pies.” He picked up Elise’s gloved hand and dropped the coins into her palm. “Take your brother and sister and buy whatever you want.”
Elise looked at the coins and then quickly to Fredericka, who pursed her lips and considered her answer before finally nodding.
Wyatt gave Elise a light touch on the shoulder as he rose. “Take Charles and Bella and go.”
The children took off running.
Fredericka started to follow, but he gently took hold of her arm and stopped her. “Let them go alone.”
Her eyes signaled protest before she uttered the words, “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Elise is responsible. She needs to do something without your help. Give her the chance to prove she can manage.”
Studying the distance between her and the refreshment stand, Fredericka countered, “But it’s too far for them to be away from us.”
“We’ll walk closer. They won’t be out of sight, and we can hear if they call to us. Tell me,” he encouraged, eager to change the subject. “What’s wrong with Charles?”
She stiffened. “What do you mean?”
Wyatt held up his hands, palms opened in front of him. “Before we get into a disagreement, I’m not being critical. I only want to understand. The first time I heard Charles speak I thought he was just excited. But now I know he has a problem with his speech.”
“Do you think it might be because of me?” she asked, concern washing across her face.
“No, Fredericka,” Wyatt said calmly, shaking his head and filling his tone and expression with sincerity. “How could you leap to that conclusion?”
She folded her arms tightly across her chest and lowered her lashes over her eyes. “I feel guilty I haven’t been able to do more to help him.”
“Fredericka,” he whispered softly. “I asked because I’m concerned too. At Eton there were boys who stuttered. Some worse than others, but all were mocked and treated harshly. Not only by the headmaster and other teachers but by other boys. I wouldn’t want that to happen to Charles.”
“I’ve worried about that,” she admitted, looking at the backs of the children marching toward the refreshment stand. “I keep hoping it will stop as quickly as it began and he’ll speak normally again. It started shortly after his parents’ deaths. There hasn’t been improvement.”
“So, he hasn’t always stuttered?” He stepped closer, wanting to take hold of her hand and offer comfort, but refrained. Any show of affection in public was judged harshly. Even if the couple was married. Wyatt didn’t want to add to the gossip already swirling about them.
“No. Miss Litchfield has worked with him and tried to get him to slow down and say every word properly, but she hasn’t made notable progress. I’ve tried a few times, but whenever I mention his speech, it seems to embarrass him and he refuses to say anything to anyone for hours. I’m forced to remain quiet about it.”
