Harriet sighed. “If the servants came with us, I know you would not relax. You are their duke; you think they expect you to behave with dignity and decorum at every hour of the day. We are doing this, and you are going to have fun and that will be much easier if it is just the three of us.”
Theodore opened his mouth as though to object and shook his head. Harriet took a step towards him, her fingers stretching towards his, but she stopped herself, clasping her hands together instead. “Tell me I am wrong.”
“We both know you are not.” Theodore grumbled. “But that does not mean I have to like it. When you suggested this, I thought you meant to do things over time, not everything at once.”
“It is hardly everything at once. There is far more we could do, but I thought we should start small.” Harriet gave him an impish grin, the wind nipping gently at her heels.
She felt as though something wild was growing within her, and she shifted her feet, the muddy ground squelching beneath her.
“This is your idea of small?” His eyes widened.
“Yes. A day together, away from the servants and out of doors.” Harriet gestured towards the house where she saw the doors opening, and a small shape running towards them. “I used to love doing this sort of thing with my family. And Phoebe has been desperate to do this ever since she found me planning the picnic with Cook.”
“I still think you meant for her to find you.” Theodore’s eyes narrowed, but she could see the hint of a smile on his face. “You are quite the puppet master when you wish to be.”
“How dare you! I assure you, Sir, it was quite by chance that she found us.” She clapped a hand to her chest and gave him what she hoped was a mock-affronted look.
It was hard to do as she looked up into his face, sunlight catching in his dark hair, making him look like some sort of Greek god made mortal.
He has no right to be so handsome.
Theodore let out an earthy chuckle and shook his head. Harriet smiled at him. “It will be good for us to get a little silly. And if you really hate it, we can always come back. But promise me you will at least try.”
Theodore hesitated, but only for a moment and then he nodded. “Very well.”
“Good.” Harriet turned just in time for Phoebe to screech to a halt in front of her.
She was wearing a plain pink dress and a matching sun hat. Her dress was already speckled with mud and Harriet shot Theodore a look, not wanting him to draw attention to it. He shrugged his shoulders slightly and Harriet took it as assent.
“Are you ready to go?” Harriet adjusted the hat on Phoebe’s head. “Do you have everything you need?”
Phoebe nodded, practically hopping up and down on the spot, her journal clutched tightly to her chest. Theodore had put several things back on the ground while he tried to adjust everything so he could carry it all at once.
An idea struck Harriet and she leaned towards Phoebe. “Your uncle is not going to let us carry anything, but that hardly seems fair to me.”
Phoebe glanced at the things and then back at Harriet, her head tilted to one side. Harriet whispered her plan and as she finished, Theodore began reaching for the rest of the things.
“You remember where we are having the picnic?” Harriet asked as she and Phoebe moved closer to him.
Theodore frowned. “Of course. Just over that hill.”
“Excellent.” She exchanged a look with Phoebe. “In that case, last one there is a big girl’s blouse!”
She dove forward and grabbed the basket of coats, Phoebe grabbed the picnic blanket, and they both took off, running as fast as they could towards the meadow.
“That is hardly sportsmanlike behavior!” She heard the laughter in Theodore’s voice and his footsteps behind them.
She glanced back. “Then it is lucky we are women!”
Phoebe giggled beside her, her little legs working furiously as she steadily drew ahead of Harriet. Harriet let her; she was not the most competitive person and suspected Phoebe would enjoy winning. They reached the meadow, breathless and with cheeks as red as apples. A moment later, Theodore appeared, picnic basket, games bag and parasol tucked under his enormous arms.
He was barely out of breath, but his trouser legs were spattered with mud. He smiled when he saw them, though Harriet could see he was trying to affect a mock serious face.
“We win.” Harriet laughed as Phoebe clapped her hands.
“You mean you cheated.” Theodore ran his free hand through his hair, leaving a streak of mud in it. “Hardly what I would call a victory.”
“I prefer to think of it as levelling the playing field. After all, you have far longer legs than either of us.” Harriet unrolled the blanket and sat down, patting the ground beside her. “Come on, after all that running, I could use a snack.”
