Page 158 of A Duchess for his Family

Marjorie leaned down from above. “I can teach her.”

“Absolutely not,” he shook his head.

“I taught Amelia.”

“You did not teach me,” Amelia replied. “You pushed me onto a branch and told me not to fall.”

Benedict closed his eyes briefly. Sophia pressed her lips together. There had been a time when this conversation would already have ended. Benedict would have said no. Marjorie would have argued. Benedict would have become sterner. Marjorie would have become more inventive. Eventually someone would have climbed something in secret, and Benedict would have spent an evening wondering why his rules failed whenever children were involved.

Now he opened his eyes and looked at the lowest branch. Sophia watched the calculation happen. It was broad, barely three feet above the grass. His gaze moved to the ground beneath it, noticing soft earth and no stones. Then, he looked toward the distance between the branch and the trunk.

He glanced at Sophia. She lifted one eyebrow.

He sighed. “One branch.”

Marjorie nearly fell from hers. “What?”

“One,” Benedict repeated. “The lowest. She sits. She does not stand. I hold her the entire time.”

Sophia stared at him. Amelia stared at him. Even Eveline seemed impressed.

Marjorie’s face broke into a magnificent grin. “Uncle Benedict!”

He sighed heavily. “Do not make me regret this.”

Marjorie chuckled. “You already regret it.”

“Profoundly.”

Sophia kissed his cheek. Benedict looked suspicious.

“What was that for?”

“I was merely remembering someone who once declared trees were dangers, not invitations.”

Marjorie laughed from above. “I remember that!”

“Of course you do,” Benedict muttered.

“You also said safety and climbing were not natural companions,” Sophia reminded him.

Benedict looked at her. “You have maintained a disturbing record of my remarks.”

“Only the useful ones.”

“The ones which can later be used against me.”

“Those are generally the useful ones.”

Amelia smiled over the edge of her book. Benedict glanced at her.

“You need not encourage your aunt.”

“I did not say anything.”

“You smiled.”

“That is not against the rules.”