“Are you hurt?” Blake asked, offering the boy his hand and helping him to his feet.
“No, I don’t think so.” The boy gave himself a cursory glance and then nodded in satisfaction. “Did I hurt you?”
Blake smiled at the boy and shook his head. “I am made of rather strong stuff.”
The boy looked crestfallen. “Oh. I thought… with how fast I was moving…”
“You were indeed moving very fast, but shall I tell you a secret?” Blake glanced around and then knelt in front of the boy.
The child nodded, his eyes wide with excitement. “Yes, please.”
“You see, the reason it did not hurt is that my shins are exceptionally strong. And were I a ‘normal’ man, then I would have most assuredly been in some great pain.”
“Is that why you are so tall?”
“Yes, I suppose so. Also because I ate everything I was given.”
“I shall eat a lot so I can grow as strong as you.”
“An honorable ambition.”
“My name is Quentin.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Quentin. You may call me Blake.” Blake held out his hand to the small child.
“Mr. Blake.” The child sounded out the name, seeming to puzzle over it. “Do you know my mother?”
“Perhaps. Is that where you were running? To find her?” Blake asked.
Quentin blushed and shook his head, but as he opened his mouth to reply, he immediately shut it, his eyes fixed on something behind Blake. Blake rose and whirled around, standing protectively in front of the child.
To his surprise, he found himself face-to-face with Jane’s sister, Miss Emily Pembleton.
“Ah, Miss Emily, I did not expect to see you. Allow me to introduce my new friend, Quentin.”
“Please, call me Miss Emily.” She smiled at Blake and then faced Quentin. “A pleasure to meet you, Quentin.”
“And you, Miss Emily.” Quentin attempted a clumsy bow. “Are you a friend of Mr. Blake’s too?”
Emily glanced at Blake, raising an eyebrow at him. Blake knew that she was commenting on the child calling him “Mr.” without saying so directly. After all, he was a member of the peerage, but the child did not know that.
And I see no reason to tell him.
“Yes, I suppose I am,” Emily replied.
“Quentin was just about to tell me if he was running to find his mother.” Blake gestured to the small boy.
Quentin flushed with embarrassment and shifted from foot to foot. “I was actually hiding from her. But then I got lost, and well… Now I cannot remember how to get back to where I left her. This estate is so huge.”
“Well, where did you see your mother last?” Emily asked kindly, bending down.
“She was counting down from ten by a really, really big tree. I think it is the biggest tree I have ever seen.” The small boy sounded awestruck.
Blake wondered who his parents were. His clothes were too nice to be a servant’s. Perhaps a baron’s son? He assumed they were not members of the main wedding party but were perhaps staying for a day or two. It is getting rather hard to keep track of all the comings and goings.
“And do you recall what the leaves looked like?” Blake asked.
“They were green and sort of long with rounded bits.” Quentin drew a vague shape in the air.
