Maria crouched down low, her bow and arrow at the ready, her eyes concentrated on a hare that was unknowingly snacking on her bait. She knew Connor was nearby – she kept asking to hunt alone, but he always seemed to be in her vicinity. When confronted, he usually claimed to be hunting his own prey.
She knew he tagged along just to keep an eye on her, and it annoyed her very much. She tried to focus all the same – maybe if he saw that she was improving, he would trust her out in the woods on her own.
Probably not.
Maria took aim and let go, while simultaneously losing her balance. There was a deafening crunch of leaves, and the hare bolted off into the trees. Maria grumbled, standing up and brushing herself off. She angrily marched over to where her arrow lay. By the time she got there, Connor was already leaning against a tree with her arrow in his hand.
He handed it to her, no doubt thinking that he was being helpful.
Maria grabbed it from him, knowing that it would be useless to tell him off for being there in the first place.
Connor saw the sour expression on her face. "You will get better with practice."
Maria huffed. "I'm usually better than that. I just wasn't focused enough, I guess."
"Is there something on your mind?"
Maria tensed. Her mother asked her the same question on an almost daily basis now. Maria knew what was on her mind – she just didn't fancy sharing it with her mother. Or Connor, of all people. She had tried to make a quick visit to Prudence's, but by the time she had gotten there, she'd decided against saying anything at all.
She was getting close to her breaking point, though, so maybe Connor was her best bet.
"Can I ask you a question?" she asked.
He nodded. She began to walk toward her cabin, gesturing for him to join her. He began to follow after her, only stopping dead in his tracks once she had gotten her problem off of her chest.
"What do you do when you like somebody? Like really like them?"
Connor opened his mouth, then closed it.
This wasn't happening.
"I believe this is a conversation best directed toward your mother," he choked out.
Maria shook her head. "No! She'd just make fun of me for it. I tried to talk to Prudence, but I got too shy!"
"Prudence," Connor repeated. He visibly relaxed. "Prudence will have the answers you are looking for."
After all, Prudence had known that women liked flowers. Of course, Myriam hadn't liked them at all, but that wasn't the point. Prudence had answers about these sorts of things.
They took a sharp turn, and made for Prudence's cabin. As they approached the fields, Maria came to a stop.
"I'm still too shy to ask," she admitted.
Connor hesitated. "I will ask for you, then."
Maria brightened considerably. As luck would have it, they found Prudence outside, tending to her plants.
She smiled at them brightly. Warren was sitting on the porch with his son in his lap.
"Maria has a question she would like to ask you," Connor began.
"Does she now?" Prudence asked. She looked at Maria expectantly.
"She is seeking your advice on how to –" he paused, trying to remember how Maria had worded it. "On what to do if you – if she – likes somebody."
Prudence took a deep breath. The last time she had discussed the subject had been when Connor had nervously asked her what women liked to receive as gifts. She made every attempt possible to contain her laughter. Warren did no such thing – his chuckles echoed around their little porch, and Hunter joined him. Maria blushed furiously. Prudence could have sworn that Connor was almost as pink.
Prudence bent down and looked at Maria. "Why don't you and I go make some tea, hmm? Something tells me we will have more to talk about if we are alone."
Maria nodded shyly, and Prudence began to walk toward her cabin. Before following, Maria turned to Connor and whispered, "Thank you!"
Connor nodded, hoping with every bone in his body that he would never, ever have to go on an excursion like this one ever again. Prudence and Maria walked inside, closing the door behind them.
"It is funny, isn't it," Warren called from the porch. "They all come to you with their heavy hearts. First Norris, and now the child."
Connor could see no humor in it, so he shook his head and walked away, with Warren's laughter following him to the gate.
