Page 30 of The Lord who Captured Her Innocent Heart
What was this? The first inkling of what might come afterwards, in their relationship? Ella glanced towards Peter, seemingly noticing the same thing. She lent him a half-shrug, just as Frederick knocked his croquet ball towards the archway — knocking it too quickly, causing it to flash from the arch and back again.
“Drat,” Frederick whispered.
Ella sprung forward, gripping the croquet mallet. Her face was scrunched, showing her anxiety. She drew the croquet mallet towards the ball, biting her bottom lip. Her posture was entirely wonky, her shoulders drawn too far forward.
Peter itched with the desire to go to fix her, whisper in her ear that she could adjust just-so to slip the ball into place. He imagined his hand upon her shoulder, guiding it back. His fingers burned with this image, this want.
Where on earth was it coming from?
Just as he expected, Ella’s posture and timing rendered a horrific shot. Tatiana scoffed a bit, showing her disapproval. Peter cast her another glance, yearning to tell her that her own shot hadn’t been anything to brag about. But he kept the opinion to himself.
Peter’s shot was the first to go in of the group. Ella smacked her hands together wildly, her eyes electric with celebration. He bowed his head, sensing his cheeks growing bright red.
“Stellar show, darling,” Tatiana said, her voice sarcastic. She gripped the mallet in his hand and pulled it out, shuffling into position. She reared back with the mallet, then sprung forward, knocking the mallet directly into the side of her foot, rather than the ball!
Immediately, she shrieked, hobbling up and down on a single foot, flinging the mallet to the ground. Tears sprung to her eyes. Ella sprung forward, gripping her sister’s elbow.
“MY GOODNESS!” Tatiana shrieked, her words lined with rage. “LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO!”
Ella looked flustered. She gaped at her, then searched for Peter, furrowing her brow. Tatiana continued to hobble up and down, reaching for the foot she’d whacked.
“Darling, it was only an accident…” Ella began.
“You messed me up, what with all your clapping for Peter,” Tatiana scoffed. She shook her head, the motions violent, and tore herself from Ella. She began to limp away from them, staggering back and forth. “No. I dare say this isn’t the sort of game I wish to play. The three of you are very clearly cheating, and I can’t abide by it.”
Frederick bumbled forward, reaching for Tatiana. But she sprung back, pointing a finger at him. “If you follow me, Frederick, I declare–”
The vague warning hung in the air between all of them. Ella’s lips parted, confusion simmering upon them. Within seconds, Tatiana had stalked the rest of the way to the side of the party, her shoulders pulled back, her entire body charged and erect.
Peter and Ella shrugged at one another, neither sure of what to say. Frederick’s face glowed green. Peter reached forward, willing to say something kind to Frederick, something to ensure he didn’t fall into a pit of anxiety. But instead, Frederick raced forward, towards Tatiana. The motion was so unexpected, so completely out of character, that Ella and Peter gaped at one another.
From where they stood, they watched as Frederick reached Tatiana, tapped her on the shoulder, forced her to turn around. Her face was scrunched with terror, with the rage of a child. But within seconds, Frederick seemed to whisper several kind, considerate things to her, things that made her face smooth, her laugh return. It was the fastest transition Peter had ever seen. It was as though Frederick was some sort of soothe sayer.
Frederick gripped Tatiana’s hand and led her back through the crowd. Slowly, colour returned to both of their faces. Tatiana leaned forward, muttering something in Frederick’s ear, something that forced his head back with volatile laughter. Again, they simmered with the love they evoked earlier.
How had that happened so quickly?
“Right, then,” Frederick said, returning to the croquet field. “Whose turn was it? Mine?”
Without wasting another moment, he reached for the mallet and swept the ball towards the archway, narrowly missing.
“I dare say you’re getting better, darling!” Tatiana said, clapping her hands.
Frederick beamed at her.
Tatiana slipped towards Peter now, allowing Ella her turn with the mallet. Gripped with a sudden desire to learn, to understand, Peter knelt towards Tatiana, saying, “Say, Tatiana. I hope you don’t think I’m prying. But what just happened? What was it Frederick said to you to calm you so? I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Peter was frightened that Tatiana might spin on him, tell him that this was none of his business. But instead, she blinked bright eyes towards him, saying, “Frederick simply has a way of putting everything in perspective, don’t you think? He reminds me of where I am on this earth. You know I’m conscious that my emotional outbursts are — a great deal to handle. But he learned long ago to help me down. A remarkable partner, wouldn’t you agree?”
Peter gaped at her. He hadn’t imagined this portion of his desired relationship with Tatiana. Rather, Peter, himself, was generally more volatile than not, occasionally falling into his own outbursts.
“That’s quite a way to put it, Tatiana,” he said. He turned his eyes towards Ella, who’d shot her ball towards the little archway, again missing. She gave no outburst, no emotion at all besides a little giggle. Perhaps Ella, like Frederick, was a bit more even-keel? Certainly when it came to such games.
“It’s what I love about him. I’m not sure it’s what I love the most,” Tatiana continued, overflowing with light. “It’s a difficult thing to name, isn’t it — what you could possibly love about someone the most.” She paused for a long time, reaching towards the ground, where they’d collected their various glasses of wine. She sipped a small bit of hers, rolling it about on her tongue.
Peter paused, marvelling at the silence that brewed within him. How could he possibly respond to such a well-meant sentiment? Now, he felt what Ella had said a bit more intimately. Perhaps they were striding down an inappropriate path. Perhaps Tatiana and Frederick were — dare he phrase it this way — meant to be.
“What about you?” Tatiana asked. She gave him a child-like smile. “Regarding my sister. I sense something between the two of you. Of course, I don’t want to assume anything, and I do apologise if I’m far off-base.”
