Page 52 of A Touch of Charm
A thorn of frustration pricked Thea’s chest. Of course, a child of six could not yet untangle the delicate, relentless strands of social obligation. For Mary, all that mattered was the mother she rarely seemed to see—a mother who avoided goodnight kisses for the promise of brief exchanges in candlelit ballrooms.
“Sometimes,” Thea said slowly, “ladies must do things they’d rather not because it’s expected of them. You’d do well to remember that when you’re older.”
Mary snorted—an utterly unladylike sound that made Thea fight the urge to chuckle. “When I’m older, I’ll remember not to marry a man I don’t know. I want to be exactly like you!”
Surprise unfurled in Thea’s chest, warm and disarming. Oh dear! What she’d tried to teach Mary didn’t seem half as important as the example she set.
“Like me?” Thea asked, her voice softer than she intended. She leaned forward as if moving closer; she might better understand Mary’s bright, earnest expression.
Mary didn’t hesitate, her head bobbing with unwavering confidence. “Of course. You don’t have to do what anyone else says. You read all those books, and you know so many things. You’re brave, too. I can tell even when you’re in danger. And you use everything you know to follow your heart.”
Thea’s throat tightened, and she glanced down at the toy cat in Mary’s hands, the cluster of patterns on the rug underneath.
“Oh, Mary,” she murmured, searching for the right words. How could she explain that her bravery wasn’t a choice but a necessity? That her independence bore a cost that no child could—or should—envision? That she hadn’t followed her heart as much as run away from her fears?
If I followed my heart, I’d go to Andre.
“You know, Mary, it’s what you know and what your parents give you that you will take on any adventure in life.”
Mary blinked as if she didn’t understand. “My parents never take me with them on adventures. They left me with you.”
“Yes, and it could be much worse, you know.”
“I do. But they don’t know that I have my very own princess.” Mary rose and climbed onto Thea’s lap. “And I want to be a secret princess just like you.”
I wouldn’t wish that it upon anyone.
When Mary put her little hand on Thea’s cheek in such an honest gesture of affection and admiration, Thea nearly burst into tears. Stan had been right; she’d missed a chance to help her family secure their geopolitical standing. The girl’s usual bubbly enthusiasm was fleeting, though, and soon enough, her head rested heavily on Thea’s shoulder. “I can’t even remember the last time Mama stayed to hear about my lessons.” Her whisper was quiet, yet it carried across the room as if the walls bore witness.
Thea felt a familiar ache open in her chest whenever she made excuses for Mrs. White. She could not say what Mary wanted to hear, no matter how much she longed to put the girl’s mind at ease. And yet, Mary deserved honesty, or as much as Thea dared offer. She picked a blue coverlet that hung over the back of her chair and wrapped it around Mary.
“It’s not because you’ve done anything wrong,” Thea said when her voice felt steady enough. She reached out, brushing a stray curl from Mary’s temple. “Your lessons are perfectly fine. You’re clever, and your mother knows it. I keep a record, and she can read about your achievements when she returns.”
Mary nodded, sucking in her upper lip. “But you did something wrong. You scared me today.”
“Me?” Thea feigned ignorance, but it was plain to see that Mary was worried when Andre brought her back to Cloverdale House. Mary nestled against Thea, and even though it was more than her role as governess allowed, Thea hugged her little ward.
“Were you and my brother very worried about me?”
Mary nodded.
“Don’t tell anyone, but he worries too much. Our father always says that. He sent him to learn from the greatest military strategists, and when Stan came back, he came back with a deeper understanding of his worries than what Father had expected.”
“What did he expect?”
“Bravery, probably. A warrior spirit and courage.” Where to begin with a list of Father’s expectations that she and her siblings rarely lived up to.
“I think he’s wrong.” Mary straightened but remained on Thea’s lap.
“Prince Ferdinand is wrong?”How refreshing!Thea couldn’t stop the smile now. She would like to see her father’s face when Mary gave him one of her common-sense lessons. “Tell me.”
“For one, one should understand the dangers before going on an adventure. That’s what Mother said to me. She didn’t know where the business trips could take her and Father, so she didn’t want to take me along.”
That gave Thea pause, for it was uncanny, and yet she’d not even considered the consequences of running away herself. “What else do you think is wrong with it?”
“Something is missing.” Mary had her precocious tone again. “The room for love.”
“Room. For love.” Thea felt her eyebrows shoot up, but she couldn’t hide her surprise.
