Page 16 of Lost Starlight
She ducked her head.
Ah, yes that is why I say such things. I like to tease her.
“Perhaps, we will continue tomorrow?”
“It’s like you enjoy keeping me full of anticipation. Maybe I shall sneak the book and read the ending, myself,” I said with an impish smirk. She would not like that notion, I was certain.
“Your Highness! No! You will not. I forbid it!” she said with a passion rising in her blue eyes. I wanted to lean into them to examine them even closer–forfriendlyreasons, of course.
“Hmm, I am not sure. I have heard that if one knows the end of a story, they are more satisfied while reading.”
“Absolutely not!” she said, moving away and picking up her book, tucking it forcefully under her arm, covering its spine with her hand as if I had not already seen the title of the book.
She was so cute.
“I will ban you from the royal library,” she said with adorable force.
“It is my library,” I said, stepping closer to her.
Martha, come and stop me at any time! I am losing my mind!I wanted to shout at her.
“I shall keep him from the books, Lady Darling. Do not worry. He will do as I say, or I will tell his mother,” Martha called from her needlework at the far end of the room.
She finally interrupts and chooses that?
“My flesh and blood! A traitor!” I pretended to be offended.
“Martha is a relation?” Lady Darling asked.
“Yes, my late father’s sister. Mother asked her to be our chaperone.” He paused, “She insists on not accepting any title, and yet she bosses me about the castle ever since I was a lad,” I said with a side look to Martha that let her know my jest was all in good fun. I adored my aunt.
“Yes, Peter is my nephew, Lady Darling.”
“Oh, that is–a surprise,” Lady Darling said softly. “I should be going home now.” She backed up, looking from Martha to me.
I reached out my hands as if I would take the book from her, but she turned and walked across the room to the door.
Once the door was shut behind her, I collapsed onto the sette and just smiled up at the ceiling. I was sad she was gone, yet it was for the best. I was not behaving as I ought.
“Peter, how you tease the lady!” Martha said, surprising me with her closeness, and then again as she poked me in the side with her finger. I opened one eye to look at her. She was the only family I knew from my father’s side. She kept to herself when she wasn’t watching me. When mother told me that Martha would be acting as my chaperone, I was happy to be around her. I enjoyed the feeling of having part of my father still within the castle walls.
“She is fun.”
“Yes, and a gentle soul. Be kind to her, or Iwillhave to tell your mother—”
“Yes, sorry, Martha, I will be kind. I like her very much,” I said with a smirk.
“Peter,” she said, looking at me as if to scold. “She is a fine lady.”
“Very fine, which is unfortunate for me at times.”
“Or just what you need,” Martha said, sitting in the chair beside me and going back to her needlework. I turned my head to watch her careful and steady hands. They were old and wrinkled with time, but time had made her the expert she was at embroidery. On every one of my birthdays, she had embroidered something for me, and they were all treasures I cherished.
“The last thing I need,” I huffed.
She paused in her work and looked up at me.
“She is good for you, Peter.”
