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Aphrodite
It took me three days to piece together the events as they happened, since the only witness to the incident was little Emeline. The day after, she was still very much upset, and I was at a loss for how to take care of her. It seemed I failed in almost every aspect of her morning routine, which only saddened Emeline more, but instead of crying out in frustration, she became withdrawn and barely ate. So, the second day, Iasked her to take care of me as Mrs. Watson did for her as away to both keep her busy and to see if Mrs. Watson had harmed her in any manner. But Emeline took the most care, asking me about my clothes, then making sure breakfast was just right. I realized then the girl could talk as well as Abena. She even sought to do my hair but grew tired rather quickly due to how much hair I had.
Everything she did only showed me how well Mrs. Watson had cared for and tended to her. It was only when Emeline accidentally dropped one of my necklaces, and it broke, that I saw fear enter her eyes, and she asked if I would stop being nice now. It was not until she felt comfortable fully explaining to the best of her abilities that I understood what had happened.
“Mrs. Watson said that one day I would be mean to you?” I asked, genuinely perturbed. I was finishing the doll I had started for her.
“Yes, she said that you were only pretending to be nice so Papa would like you,” she replied, her eyes glued to the doll.
“Did she tell you this often?” I pressed, doing my best to keep calm.
She nodded, not at all realizing the fault in this. “Mrs. Watson told me every day. That is why I have to be quiet and mind my manners, so you will not send me off.”
I bit my lip in rage, but I pressed it down. “That is silly. You are family. Why would I ever send you off?”
“Mrs. Watson said the dowager is family, but she did not mind her manners, so she was sent off. She showed me from the window how Papa and you made her leave. And Papa did not return with Aunt Ver. Because you had her sent off, too.”
The audacity of that lying wench, I thought as I pulled on the thread.
“The dowager and your papa are not very good friends, and he was surprised she came without notice, so she left for the day. But your Aunty Verity wished to spend time in London for the season.”
“The season?” she questioned, glancing up at me.
I nodded. “That is when all the ladies in the ton who are old enough go to balls and lunches in the park, so they can dance and sing and meet many good people. It is all very fun.”
“May I go?” she asked.
“Of course, but when you are older,” I explained, finishing the last loop of the doll’s dress. “I shall take you, and you shall have the finest dresses. You are the daughter of a duke. You must look very grand.”
She grinned from ear to ear. “So, Aunty Ver will come back?”
“Yes, my dear,” I replied, giving her the doll, though it was not very good. I should have focused more on my needlework, but she did not seem to care. She hugged it tightly.
“Thank you, Your Grace.”
“Anything for you.” I cupped her face. “Because you are important. So very, very important. No one can ever send you off or be mean to you. Not even me. And you needn’t call me Your Grace. Odite or Mama is fine. Mrs. Watson was mistaken. I shan’t be angry.”
“But why has Papa become angry?” she whispered, now hanging her head as she poked the doll.
“He heard what Mrs. Watson said to you?”
She nodded. “I think.”
He’d dismissed her because she was poisoning Emeline against me. Why she would do such a thing, I was not sure. But I understood his actions. I would have done the same. However, that was not the issue. The issue was his lack of communication and his refusal to explain anything to me. And now, we had not seen or spoken to each other over it. Was I wrong to keep pushing him? He was willing to speak on anything else but his family’s past. Surely that was enough.
Knock. Knock.
The door opened to reveal none other than Verity herself, dressed in white.
Emeline rose from the floor and ran toward her. “Aunt Ver!”
“Little squirrel!” Verity exclaimed as she hugged the girl, spinning around. “How I have missed you! Look at how much bigger you have gotten.”
Emeline giggled, and Verity tickled her. “You are back from the season?”
“The season. Who told you that?” Verity asked.
“That would be me.” I laughed and walked to her. “Welcome home. Forgive me for not being out front when you arrived. I did not know you were returning now.”
