Page 24 of Love Me Forever

He wasn’t giving her up. He didn’t even know if he could trust an orphanage somewhere. There weren’t many, and they oftendidn’t have enough caretakers. Sometimes, kids ran away from them because the other children fought and brutalized each other. A couple of caretakers might be stretched too thin, and they wouldn’t be paying attention to what everyone was doing.

There was no way he could take her to one of those places. The caretakers themselves could be abusive. How could Sébastien place her in one of those places? What if something happened to her? He’d just promised she’d be safe, and he couldn’t go back on his word.

He’d have to worry about Remus in a bit. Maxime’s house was nearby. Sébastien had continued paying him the same amount per month even though there was no court for him to attend. Bored, Maxime had started taking in commoners for little or nothing.

Chapter Six

Maxime’s new servant answered the door when Sébastien knocked. Her eyes widened at the sight of him holding a little girl. “Did something happen?”

“Sort of. Is Maxime in?”

“He’s seeing someone, but I can get him right now-”

“No, no. If he’s with a patient, let them finish. It’s not an emergency.”

The servant let them in, and Sébastien asked if he could have a wet rag. The servant told them to come into the kitchen so Éloïse could sit by the hearth where it was warm.

She was rather quiet, and he guessed it was partly shock even if she didn’t understand everything the man had intended. After Sébastien got a wet cloth from the servant to dab at her red cheek, he asked her what happened after her Mother passed.

“A neighbor had Mama taken away. The landlady made me leave and said I didn't live there anymore. The door was locked. I just wanted to go to my flat, and she’d never been mean to me before. She kept yelling at me and telling me to go away, and when she caught me sleeping outback, she threatened to have guards arrest me.”

Unfortunately, children were often made to leave and left alone because no one knew what else to do with them. Homeless kids were in every city and Kingdom.

“Where’s this flat?”

“On Tamy corner.”

Sébastien had been by there before, although he’d never paid much attention to the dwelling. Anything left behind would be long gone by now. The landlady also sounded like a mean old biddy.

She kicked her dirty feet. “Why you take me here?”

“To see the physician. He’s busy at the moment.” Sébastien tried to give her a convincing smile even though earlier had dragged up things he’d prefer not thinking about if possible. Plus, he’d have to tell Remus now… “I need to make sure you’re well.”

“I’m not coughing and hot like Mama was.”

“I know. We still need to make sure you’re okay.” He gently wiped at her lower legs. “You’re going to come live with me.”

The servant, who had been quiet at stirring something at the work counter, made a faint noise of surprise. Sébastien with a kid. Many probably couldn’t imagine that too easily. Éloïse’s mouth made an O of surprise.

“You’re taking me to your Palace?”

“No. It’s gone. It was destroyed, and I have a house. You must remember when the werewolves were here?”

And the moon had turned red, not that he was bringing that up. Let everyone think it was simply a strange incident due to the sunlight reflecting off the clouds just so. It certainly hadn’t been because of Satan.

She squinted at him.

“Where do you think I live now?” he asked.

“Another Palace.”

“I don’t have Palaces all over to live in.” Arquous didn’t count as a home in his mind. “I’ve been staying in a house, and you’ll live there too.”

Remus might ask for the ring back with Sébastien dragging in an orphan. He’d said he’d be back after checking out the new scent shop. He’d only be getting bath oils and soaps if they had anything nice. Not a child.

“I get to stay with you?” She clapped her hands. “Forever?”

“Yes. You won’t have to eat from the middens anymore. Or beg. Nobody is going to force you to beg for them either.”

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