The following week Anthony was in his library, going over some accounts when his door flew open and Emma rushed in, crying. She flung herself into his lap and buried her face in his chest, sobbing. "What is the matter, Emma? Why are you crying so?"
The little girl looked up at him mournfully. "I didn't know it was bad," she wailed. "I just wanted to know why?"
"Why what?" he asked, flabbergasted by her despair.
Mrs. Paxton appeared in the doorway just then. "We went into the village, Sir Anthony." She was flustered as well.
"What in heavens name happened?" He asked quietly as he tried to soothe Emma. "Surely you didn't do anything too terrible," he said to the girl.
Emma looked up at him, her large brown eyes terrified. "I only just wanted to know," she sniffled. Anthony pulled his handkerchief out of his pocket and began to wipe away the child's tears. "Know what?"
"Why she wouldn't do magic," the girl wailed. Anthony looked at Mrs. Paxton hopelessly.
"We were just coming out of the shop when we ran into that lady from the train station. She didn't see us at first but Emma ran up to her and asked her to do her magic. Of course, the lady was quite puzzled."
Anthony frowned. "You spoke to Lady Edith?" he asked Emma. The child only nodded that she had and began to cry again.
"Emma tried to explain to the lady … I didn't understand it myself so of course the lady didn't either. But the child kept saying she was a fairy and you, sir, needed her to do her magic."
Anthony groaned in understanding. "Oh," he moaned.
Emma looked up. "I told her you was…were hurting and all she had to do was come do her magic. She said you didn't want her anymore. And then she said fairies aren't real anyway. And then she said I should go to my mama and I tried to tell her that I didn't have no mama; that I only hab you. But she just got angry at me and told me to go back to my mama and pointed at Mrs. Paxton." Tears were still trickling down the child's face as she spoke. "Then she just walked away. I think she was crying."
Mrs. Paxton took a step closer. "Sir Anthony, I believe the lady thought that I am Emma's mother. Edward was with me and …well, it was an easy mistake to make. But I got the impression that she also thinks…that she believes that you and I are… well …that we're married."
Anthony sighed deeply. He nodded to Mrs. Paxton. "Thank you. I'm sure you'd like to see to Edward; I'm sure he was upset by all this as well. I'll tend to Emma." Mrs. Paxton nodded and left the room.
"Emma, my sweet little one, it is alright. Lady Edith just doesn't understand. She doesn't know much about you or what has happened to you. She is just confused by it all. It will be alright, little one. You didn't do anything wrong. But perhaps you shouldn't approach Lady Edith again like that, alright?"
Emma gazed up into his face and saw his unhappiness. "But why?"
"Why what?"
"Why was she mad at me? I didn't mean to make her mad at me."
"It is more likely that she is angry with me, little one. I hurt her, you see, very deeply. And I'm sure she didn't mean for her anger at me to hurt you. She really is very kind. One day perhaps you'll get to know her and see that. But for now, I think it best you not approach her again."
"Why'd you hurt her if she is so nice?"
Another deep breath escaped Anthony. If only he had a good answer for that. Finally he attempted. "Because I am an old fool," he muttered. Seeing that the child still wanted an answer, he continued. "We were to be married but…well, I don't deserve her, you see. She is so lovely and young and…well, I'm not any of that. She deserves someone who is all of those things and can make her happy. It hurt her a great deal, I'm afraid, when I broke it off."
Emma frowned up him and scrunched her mouth. "But you are…"
"What?"
"You are lubly. And you deserve her. And you make me happy so you could make her happy too." She grimaced and looked at him quizzically. "What's lubly?"
Anthony chuckled. "It is…everything that Lady Edith is and what I hope you will be when you are grown. But you'll have to mind your lessons for that to happen," he winked. Seeing that the tears were done, Anthony scooted the child to the floor, "Now I have work to finish. Why don't you go down to the kitchen and ask cook if she would please make your favorite biscuits for tea. Tell her I said it was alright."
Emma's eyes lit. "Really?"
"Really. But remember to say please. She'll be much more willing if you say please."
Smiling now, Emma turned and raced from the room. He heard her stop in the hall and ask Stewart, "What's lubly?"
Stewart, having finally come around to the presence of Emma in the house, replied softly. "The flowers in the garden, the sun rising, and you, Miss Emma."
Emma giggled and took off again. Anthony smiled and tried to return his thoughts to his accounts.
Yes, I know...way too short. LOL. I'm working through a block here. I'm chapters ahead with a very rough draft but as I go back and "unrough" it, things just aren't feeling quite right and I'm trying to make it all better:-) I tried to make this chapter longer but it wasn't working and I decided it is better to get it right than get it long;-) Hope you liked it. Now, back to the rest of the story...