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“One has nothing to do with the other. Pierce is a wonderful, compelling man. The bandit is…” Her voice trailed off.
“Yes?”
“I was going to say the bandit is a savior. But in his own way, so is Pierce. The difference is the bandit rescues many; Pierce has only to rescue me.”
“Both roles are indispensable.”
Daphne smiled. “Thank you.” Absently, she studied the doll she’d cautiously removed from her wardrobe and transported to the church at dawn, stroking the pink satin gown. “Let’s hurry, Vicar,” she urged suddenly, picking up her pace as they neared the schoolhouse. “As it is, we’ll miss the older children. They’ve doubtless gone home to do their chores. But I so want to see the little ones.”
Miss Redmund opened the door moments later, a surprised expression on her face. “Vicar, Lady Daphne. I didn’t expect you today.” She cast a quick look over her shoulder, her brow furrowed. “Our lessons are over. Half the children have already taken their leave.”
“Are the younger ones still about?” Daphne asked eagerly. “Timmy? William? Prudence? I apologize for arriving so late and without any notice but there truly wasn’t a choice, and I so want to see them. We won’t stay but a few minutes, I promise.”
“You’d be wise to agree, Miss Redmund,” the vicar added with pointed authority. “Lady Daphne has a miraculous gift to share with all of you.”
“Gift?” The schoolmistress’s speculative gaze fell on the doll in Daphne’s hands. “Very well.” She shrugged, evidently unimpressed by what she saw. “Come in.”
“Daphne!” Timmy fairly flew to the door, his eyes wide with delight. “See, William? I told ye she’d be back.”
“Of course I’m back.” Daphne ruffled Timmy’s hair. “Did you doubt it?”
“Well, ye said ye’d be back sooner, and William thought maybe ye didn’t like us much.”
“I apologize for my tardiness,” Daphne said solemnly, her gaze meeting William’s. “But I was needed at home and couldn’t get away. Then I wasted a great deal of time trying to coax Russet into joining me.”
“Did ye bring him?” Timmy interrupted, looking expectantly about.
“No, I’m afraid not.” Daphne sighed. “As I’m sure you’ve discovered with your lizard, animals often have minds of their own.”
“Yeah.” Timmy’s nod was sympathetic. “ ’enry won’t stay in the bed, I made ’im, even though I put lots of grass ’n bugs ’n stuff in there, ’e keeps crawlin’ out at night. The other day ’e was in my mum’s basin when she went to wash. Boy, was she mad.”
Daphne fought her smile. “Thank you for understanding. I promise to keep trying to soften Russet’s attitude.”
“Is it true ye was robbed? That the Tin Cup Bandit was at yer ’ouse?” Timmy demanded.
Daphne exchanged glances with the vicar.
“Yes, it’s true.”
“Tell us,” William urged, his reticence vanishing in a heartbeat.
“There isn’t much to tell. ’Twas the night after my last visit here. He took all our valuables and, evidently, donated the money to a Leicester workhouse.”
“Wow! Did ye see ’im? Did ye talk to ’im? Did ye—”
“I believe Lady Daphne has something for us,” Miss Redraund broke in, unknowingly sparing Daphne the strain of evading Timmy’s inflammatory questions.
“Yes, I do. The first part is for Prudence.” Smiling, Daphne gestured toward the child, who was hiding behind William, her eyes glued to the doll in Daphne’s hands. “I see you’re wearing your lovely new dress,” Daphne encouraged, as Prudence took a tentative step in her direction. “Did you guess I’d be visiting today?”
“No.” Prudence’s reply was a barely audible whisper. “I just wear it all the time—hoping.”
Emotion constricted Daphne’s throat. “Well, your hoping must be magic. Because it helped bring me here today. And what’s more, I’ve brought along a new friend.” She held out her arms. “Here is that lonely doll I mentioned to you. She was ecstatic when I told her she would be getting a home and someone to love her.”
“Dolls don’t talk,” Timmy protested. “Ow!” He glared at William, rubbing his ribs where the other boy had poked him.
“They only talk to those who listen,” Daphne amended with a conspiratorial wink at Prudence. “Right?”
Mesmerized, Prudence nodded, walking over and touching the hem of the doll’s gown. “She’s so beautiful,” she whispered. Her eyes were huge, filled, with hope. “Is she really mine?”
