2. Emma
"Hardly!"
Dr Hardly turned around to the voice, taking of his glasses that he had to wear for his lazy eye. Jack was standing in the doorway carrying a five year old girl.
"I found her by the spring pond. I think someone threw her in and left her!"
"Bring her here!" The doctor said as he smoothed out the white bed. Jack placed the girl on it with such gentleness that it made Hardly stare at him for a moment. He had known Jack all his like but he had never seen the young man share the likeness of a father.
Getting back to business, the old man focus on the girl. She was extremely beautiful for someone so young, Hardly had to check his eyes to make sure he wasn't staring at a really small young women. The girl was drenched and cold, her blue eyes also shivering – wait, she was awake?
Jack watched as the girl slowly sat up, blinking at the two men innocently. Her eyes were a deep sapphire, already with the ability to lock people into them. Gently she rubbed some of the water out of them and her hand movement seemed like a wave. Hardly too stared at her.
"Young girl?" He asked, getting back to things. The girl turned her full glaze on him, a look of wonder on her face.
"Is that my name?" She asked her voice a smooth lullaby and the dancing of fresh breezes. The men were shocked into silence for a moment before they registered her words.
"No it's not, my dear. Tell me, do you remember anything before you just woke up?"
The girl frown in confusion and shook her head daintily, "Not sure. I remember warm arms holding me and lifted me out of water but....no nothing." She glanced over at Jack, her eyes questioning, "Was that you?"
"Um....yes, I was the one that rescued you from the pond," He gave the girl a small smile before turning to Hardly, "What's wrong with her?"
"Well....I think perhaps she has somehow gotten amnesia. So we'll properly never know who dump her in the pond but I think we'll call police and child authorities anyway...."
"I don't like those words!" The child whimpered as she clutched Jack's arms, "They sound big and scary,"
"Hey, don't worry; unless you've done a crime the police aren't so bad. And child authorities don't usually bite," Jack said, unsurely.
"I don't like them anyway,"
Dr Hardly checked the girl over, who was drying of, "She doesn't seem to have spent so long in the water so she hasn't caught anything thank goodness. However, she'll need a place to stay and perhaps a name in case no one comes forward."
Hardly looked over to Jack who merely blinked. Then he realised why he was being looked at, "Oh...u-um you want me to think of a name, huh? Well....there's Ruby....no, no, I don't like her, I just...." Jack stammered as he realised Hardly wasn't accusing him at all. Great, now he had just dug himself into a big hole, "How about....Emma?" It was his mother's name and the only one that would come into his head.
"I like that name," The girl piped up as she rubbed her nose delicately into Jack's sleeve. Jack looked embarrassed and through, you had to be as trained as Hardly to noticed, touched.
"So, how about I take her back to the farm and phone the police and that up? Then it saves the directions and paying for her to live in the inn." Jack asked and Hardly nodded. Jack lifted the girl into his arms and headed for the door. Before he reached it, it opened.
"Ruby!" Jack smiled, a blush tingling his cheeks. Then he realise that she was here for Hardly, "Are you hurt?"
"No, no, I just need a check up. And who's this?" Ruby smiled at the small girl who smiled a smile of the prettiest flowers. Ruby was struck dumb by her beauty.
"I'm Emma. That is until the police and child authorities decide if that's going o be my name," Emma shuddered as she said the two names and huddled into Jack, who blushed even more.
"I found her, almost drowned in the pond. I think someone dumped her in but she has amnesia so we don't know," He explained when Ruby looked confused.
"Oh my goodness," Ruby gasped as she shot a pitiful look at the girl. Then she recovered herself and smiled, "Well, I'm Ruby the innkeeper."
"Nice to meet you, Ruby," Emma smiled and Jack bid Ruby farewell before headed back to the farm. Emma sat comfortably in his arms, glazing around her.
"Well, then Emma, welcome to Fox Farm," Jack said as he settled her down. Emma gasped as she stared around her. As she saw Jack's dog, Jimmy rush past, she ran after it, her golden hair ruffling in the wind. Jack leaned against the house and watched her.
Life had certainly gotten interesting.
Those who've not guessed, Emma is the blonde farmer....or is she? Please review!