AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Pippa’s cheeks warmed. “You know perfectly well what I implied.”
“Not truly, no,” he said. “You could have meant to ask if I was looking for an excuse to distract you in order to steal a tart.”
“You needn’t steal a tart, though, for they are meant for everyone.” Pippa lifted an arm and swept it over the table. “In fact, this entire feast was designed for your benefit.”
“Was it, now? I thought it was an excuse for the people of Collacott to come together and feast.”
“True,” Pippa conceded. “Perhaps that was the goal all along, and your fields were merely the avenue to help us reach this point.”
“It wouldn’t bother me if that were the case. I still have the benefit of two perfectly plantable fields.”
“They haven’t been planted yet?” Pippa asked, reaching for another pear tart. At this rate, she was going to have a queasy stomach before the night was over. She ought to balance these tarts with a meat pie or a roll. Where did Mabel’s rolls go?
William chuckled. “No, but I need to obtain the seeds. I hadn’t expected to have such a large field to plant. You would be shocked to see the small plot I had cleared and tilled myself.”
“I’m certain I would have been impressed by what you managed to accomplish. I can hardly weed our small garden myself.”
William crossed his arms over his chest and looked at her with interest. “You weed your own gardens? Is this something you do for pleasure?”
“Yes, though it didn’t start out that way. My sister used it as a punishment when I was young—”
“Pip, can you take Liam?” Mabel asked, approaching with the babe and all but thrusting him into Pippa’s unsuspecting arms. The gesture caused her to drop the last bite of her tart on the ground. “There’s a situation with Elinor and I can’t find Mac.”
“Of course.” Pippa propped Liam on her hip, and he whined, reaching for his mother as she lifted her hem and hurried away.
Where was Hope? And Mac? Pippa looked around but didn’t see either of them in the crowd. She must have been the convenient choice. She looked up at William.
“A situation?” he asked.
“That did not sound good.”
“No, it did not. Perhaps we ought to confirm that everyone is well.”
She nodded, falling into step beside William as they weaved their way through the gathered groups of people in the direction Mabel had gone. No screaming or sounds of distraught girls met her ears, so Pippa had to assume Elinor was neither hurt nor in immediate danger. They rounded the house and came to an abrupt halt. Elinor sat on a branch in a beech tree, her arms around the trunk while tears streamed down her face.
“Come to me, darling. I promise not to let you fall.” Mabel spoke softly, her arms raised to her daughter.
Elinor shook her head. “I cannot let go.”
“You must let go if you do not wish to spend your night in that tree. Now, please come down.”
William brushed past Pippa, coming to stand beside Mabel. He rested his hands on his hips and looked up at Elinor. The branch she sat upon was not much taller than him. Surely he could reach her if he stretched.
“Goodness, Miss Mackenzie,” William said. “I would almost wonder if you keep getting yourself into scrapes merely so I might rescue you.”
Elinor froze, looking down at William with confused interest. Her red, splotchy cheeks shone with tears in the waning sunlight.
William lifted an eyebrow. “I do enjoy playing the hero, Miss Mackenzie, but there are much better ways of gathering my attention than getting yourself caught in a tree.”
Elinor giggled. She wiped her runny nose with the back of her bandaged arm and Mabel sucked in a breath. How long had she been trying to convince Elinor to let go of the tree before choosing to relieve herself of Liam?
“I don’t wish to step on any toes,” William said. “But would it be acceptable if I carried you down, Miss Mackenzie?”
Elinor’s eyes widened, and she glanced from William to her mother. She shook her head, fear gleaming in her worried countenance.
“You needn’t jump to me,” he soothed. “I will reach up and hold your waist, and you do not need to let go of the tree until you feel safe. Is that agreeable to you, Miss Mackenzie?”
Elinor looked at her mother again, and Mabel gave a brief nod of encouragement.
