A few weeks later, Bethany caused an issue between Ethan and Titus. She sent them out to play, and told Ethan to watch Titus.

Ethan tried to obey, but, being a little boy, he soon forgot and played by himself. After a while, he looked up and saw his brother on the edge of the river. "Titus!" he cried, but Titus fell into the river, and Ethan began to cry.

Suddenly, Rosebud appeared in front of him. "What's wrong?" she asked him gently.

Terrified, Ethan pointed to the river. Rosebud took off running and jumped into the river. She saved Titus and brought him out to where Ethan was crying in fear. "It's all right, Ethan," she told him softly. Rosebud quickly took Titus up to the house, and Bethany nearly had a fit, angrily ordering her to tell Ethan to come in.

Rosebud knew that Ethan was going to be in trouble, so she went down to him, and found him lying on the ground, sobbing, "No, Mummy! No!"

"Ethan," she murmured, kneeling by him, "Bethany wants you to come in the house."

"No, Rosie," he sobbed in terror, "she hurt me!"

Rosebud looked around, then whispered, "Ethan, would you like to come home with me?"

"Yes, Rosie," he said, looking around in fright.

Rosebud picked up Ethan and took him away from Thad's house, back to her own house, where she gently calmed him and let him run freely around the house. When he became tired, she took him onto her lap and let him play with her locket until he fell asleep. Then she carried him to a little bed beside hers and laid him there, carefully kissing him goodnight.

She watched for Thad to come home so she could take Ethan back and explain, but Thad did not come home that night, and Rosebud was very worried.

"WHAT?" Thad shouted at Bethany when she told him that Ethan was gone. "Ethan has been gone for seven days and you didn't let me know because I was on a business trip? Bethany, you ought to have more sense than that!"

"Thad," began Bethany timidly, but he stormed off.

Thad immediately began to look for his son, but Rosebud was hiding him well, and it took some time for them to gather a search party.

At the time Thad was looking for Ethan, Rosebud had him on a picnic out in the woods. Rosebud loved the time she had with little Ethan and made the most of it because she knew it was very precious. After the picnic, she let Ethan play close by while she watched him carefully. When it was time for his nap, she called him over to herself, and he obediently lay down on the blanket. Rosebud lay beside him, and spread a blanket over him to keep him warm.

Rosebud thought Ethan was so sweet when he was sleeping. She sat up and looked at his calm, peaceful face, smiling at him, when suddenly, she heard voices calling to each other and coming nearer. It's Thad! she realized. Oh, is he going to be angry with me? She stood protectively in front of little Ethan though, prepared to protect her son from even his father.

Thad came out of the woods into the clearing and saw Rosebud leaning over the form of his sleeping son. Thad immediately felt a relief and an ache in his heart. He came closer to Rosebud, and she said, "He's sleeping; don't disturb him."

"Have you had Ethan this whole time?" Thad asked Rosebud.

She nodded. "I took him because he wanted to come," she told Thad.

"Why would he—?"

At that moment, little Ethan woke up and saw his father. Ethan began to cry. "No, Daddy, I not mean to!" Ethan wept as Rosebud came to him to comfort him. "Rosie, no let Da hurt me," he begged Rosebud tearfully.

"What do you mean, Ethan?" Thad asked in surprise.

Ethan was too afraid to answer, so Rosebud said, "Bethany sent Ethan and Titus outside and told Ethan to watch Titus, but Ethan did not, and Titus fell into the river. I pulled Titus out, but Ethan did not want to go back into the house because he was afraid Bethany would hurt him. Really, Thad, Ethan is too young to have such responsibility!"

Thad looked shocked. "She never tells me everything!" he said angrily to himself. Then he calmed and took Ethan into his arms. "I won't hurt you, Ethan," Thad told him gently. "Come with me now." He looked back at Rosebud. "You saved my son again," he said. "I am in your debt."

"No," said Rosebud, "you don't owe me anything! I love Ethan and I love caring for him!"

"Perhaps we can help each other then," said Thad. "Let me think about it, and I'll talk to you later. What is your name?"

Rosebud looked at the ground. "Call me Tessa," she told him finally.

He nodded. "All right. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Goodbye, and thank you once again."

"Goodbye, Thad, and you're welcome," she called after them. "Goodbye, Ethan! I love you!"

"Bye, Rosie!" cried Ethan, looking over his father's shoulder. Thad and Ethan went out of sight, and a tear ran down Rosebud's cheek.

That night after supper, Thad went into the living room and read a book by himself until Ethan came in, still afraid that his father would hurt him. Thad looked at Ethan, then pulled Ethan onto his lap and cuddled him.

"Ethan," murmured Thad, "I don't know what I would have done if I had not found you. Ethan, I—I have really been needing to tell you this: Bethany is not your mother."

"Daddy?" Ethan asked, a little confused.

Thad nodded, tears coming to his eyes. "You have a different Ma, Ethan. Not Bethany. You are the only thing that I have left from Rosebud, your real Ma. If you were gone, I would have nothing!" Tears ran down Thad's cheeks and dropped into Ethan's soft brown curls. "I love you, Ethan."

"Rose—bud," said Ethan carefully. "My mummy."

"Yes, Ethan," answered Thad. "Your mother Rosebud was the most beautiful girl in the world, and I loved her so much! But she's gone."

Ethan looked up into his father's eyes. "One—take her?" he asked curiously.

"No, you innocent child," said Thad gently, "she—she's gone, and she won't come back. But she looks very much like your Miss Rosie."

"My Rosie," said Ethan, snuggling up to his father happily. "My Rosie."

The next day, Thad met "Rosie" alone to talk to her about Ethan. "Ethan is my only child from my first wife, Rosebud," he told her. "You—you look very much like Rosebud. Bethany, my second wife, has a little boy, Titus, but she does not care for Ethan at all. I think she rather hates him."

Tessa nodded. "I'm sorry, Thad," she said quietly.

"I was wondering if you would take care of Ethan, and sort of be his nurse," Thad requested, half ashamed.

She smiled. "Of course I would," she told him. "When do I start?"

"I wondered if you could start tomorrow." Tessa thought that would be fine.

Thad came up into Ethan's room and gently woke his little son. "Ethan," he said, "come downstairs with me. Someone is here to see you!"

Ethan looked up at his father, then quietly sat up and allowed himself to be taken downstairs. When Thad brought Ethan into the dining room, Ethan looked at the girl standing there and cried, "Rosie! Rosie!"

Thad quickly put Ethan down and Ethan ran to Rosebud. She picked him up and hugged him tightly to herself. "Oh, Ethan," she murmured in his ear. "Ethan, I'm here to take care of you because I love you."

He tightly held to Tessa, smiling shyly. "Rosie," he said happily. "My Rosie!"

Bethany looked angry, but she could say nothing because Thad had already told her the way it would be. Rosebud had been told that she would look out for Ethan, and help Bethany with Titus. Rosebud did not know that Bethany would soon use her son against little Ethan.

Several days later, Thad came home and tiredly sat down on the couch. He looked at Tessa. "Where's Ethan?" he asked.

"He was playing in his room and I think he's still there," she answered quietly. She looked at Bethany, who was not smiling.

"Thaddeus," said Bethany sharply, "if she is here just to watch Ethan than perhaps she can be useful enough to help me with Titus."

Thad and Tessa looked at each other, then Thad said to Bethany, "Why would you want her to help with your son?"

Bethany looked angry. "This girl does nothing all day but play with Ethan! I was only thinking that she could be put to good use!"

Rosebud looked surprised. I am doing good, she thought to herself, and she said to Bethany, "I may be here in this house that is not my own, and I may be Ethan's guardian angel, but I am not your servant!" She looked at Thad to see what he thought of her little explosion, and he was hiding a smirk. "Thad, if you wish me to help with Titus I will," she told him.

He nodded at her a little, and said, "You can help when you are needed, Tessa. If something comes up and Bethany needs you, then you can help her."

Rosebud looked down at the floor. "All right, Thad."

At that moment, Ethan toddled into the room. "Rosie, look," he said, excited, "Daddy has you in here!"

Thad looked at the locket in Ethan's little hand and was upset. He snatched it away from Ethan and put it in his pocket. "You naughty child," said Thad to Ethan.

"Daddy!" cried Ethan, tears coming to his eyes, "Rosie!"

"No, it wasn't!" Thad snapped at his son. "Don't you ever go looking around in my room again, Ethan Riddle!"

Beginning to cry, Ethan went to Rosebud and clung to her leg. "Rosie," he sobbed.

Rosebud drew Ethan onto her lap and cuddled him, telling the little boy, "Ethan, you shouldn't go into Daddy's room unless he takes you in there."

"Yes, Rosie," wept the child. "I sorry, Daddy."

Thad was surprised, and said, "It's all right, Ethan."

Ethan laid his head against Rosebud's robes and sighed, "I was sure it was Rosie."

Tessa caught the dark frown Thad was giving Ethan and slipped her arms around him protectively. "Ethan," she said, "if your father tells you something, you must believe him and obey him. If he says it's not Rosie, then it's not Rosie. Okay, Ethan?"

"Yes, Rosie," Ethan sniffed tiredly.

Thad couldn't believe that Ethan obeyed practically every word Tessa said without question, and shook his head.

Rosebud let Ethan stay in her arms until it was time for him to go to bed. She set him down on the floor and took his hand, walking with him to his room. She readied him for bed, then she tucked him in and told him a story.

While she was telling the story, Thad came to the doorway of the room and looked in at them. Tears came into Ethan's eyes, and Tessa quickly looked behind her, spotting Thad.

"Daddy," whispered Ethan, "I a bad boy."

Thad quietly came and knelt down next to the bed by Tessa. "Ethan, it's all right: it's all over," he told the child. "I love you, Ethan."

"I obey you, Daddy," said Ethan earnestly, sitting up and holding his arms out to his father. Thad hugged Ethan tightly and kissed his cheek.

"Good night, Ethan," Thad said gently.

"Night, Daddy," said Ethan with a little smile. Tessa hugged Ethan again, and then Thad and Tessa left the room together.

Thad looked at Tessa. "I guess you're leaving for your home tonight?" he asked her. She nodded. "If you ever need somewhere to stay, you can stay here. Don't tell Bethany I said so. I'll deal with her when the time comes."

"Thank you, Thad," said Rosebud quietly. "I am grateful that you have let me care for Ethan so much. I love him as my own son."

"He is not yours," said Thad sharply, "He is mine!"

Tessa looked down. "I meant that I love him as if he were mine."

"I'm sorry, Tessa," he sighed. "For some reason, I just want to snap at people tonight."

"It's all right, Thad, I understand," answered Tessa. "Good night." She left him standing in the doorway.

"See, Ethan, this is your little brother." Rosebud was showing Titus to Ethan days later while she and he were seated on the couch together.

"I like him, Rosie," said Ethan, "he different. He not like me."

Rosebud nodded knowingly. "I know, Ethan, but everyone is different."

Ethan sighed. "Nee-nee not like me," he said. "She not like me."

Rosebud sighed and shifted Titus in her arms at the same time that Ethan put up his hand to touch Titus's forehead. Ethan's hand struck Titus in the head and Titus began to wail.

Instantly, Bethany was on her feet, standing over a worried Rosebud and a horrified Ethan. "Thaddeus!" she called, feeling very angry toward Ethan.

"No!" cried the child in fear, but Thad was already there, hearing the noise Titus was making.

"Thaddeus, Ethan just hit Titus for no reason," said Bethany, very upset.

Thad looked at Ethan, who had a half guilty look on his face. Thad grabbed Ethan by the arms, and he screamed, "Oh, Daddy, no! I—"

"Hush," commanded Thad. He carried Ethan out, and Rosebud tried to control herself.

"No, Daddy," sobbed little Ethan as his father carried him into another room, "I didn't mean to!"

Thad sat down on the bed and drew Ethan onto his lap. "What happened?" Ethan just stared into his father's eyes, his eyes wide with fear and filled with tears. "Does Rosie know?" Thad asked Ethan, and the child nodded quickly.

Thad called Tessa and she ran to the room, flinging open the door, and hurrying inside.

"Ethan didn't mean to do it!" choked Tessa, tears on her cheeks. "It was my fault! I moved and Ethan moved at the same time and his hand just barely touched Titus. Titus wasn't hurt, only surprised. Thad, it was an accident!"

"Thank you," he told her. "You may go now."

Tessa left, after a pleading look into Thad's eyes. Thad turned to Ethan and said, "It's not your fault, Ethan. Now go on back to your Rosie, for she wants to see you."

Ethan gave his father a big hug, then hurried off.

"Rosie," said Ethan, crawling up onto her lap. "I glad you help me."

She gently hugged him and murmured, "I love you, Ethan, and you're welcome."

While Rosebud was talking to Ethan, Thad and Bethany were talking. "I'm sorry, Thad," she wept into his chest. "I just don't know how to deal with Ethan! And Thad-y—I want you to love me like you loved Rosebud!"

"Bethany," he told her gently, "trying to get me to hurt my son will not make me love you."

She sobbed. "Please, Thad, love me again, and take me back into your favor. I'll try to treat Ethan right, I promise."

"All right, darling." He kissed her gently, smoothing her hair away from her forehead. "I do love you," he told her. "I won't stop."

"Thad," she whispered, pressing herself closer to him. They went into their room to go to bed just as Tessa came out of Ethan's room.

Her heart ached for Thad's love when she truly realized that Bethany was the beloved wife, and she was only the babysitter. Tessa went back into Ethan's room and lay down on the floor, feeling as hurt as Ethan.

When Rosebud went home that night, she found herself more lonely than she had ever been in her life. She could not even begin to believe that Thad would ever take her back again if he even found out who she really was.

Oh, Thad-y, she thought with a sob as she lay in her bed, I love you, and I'll do everything I can do for Ethan because—I can't—I don't belong anywhere anymore. Not even Mummy and Daddy are still here. Oh, Thad, I want the love that we had together back! I'm so lonely!

Rosebud was very upset that night, and she told herself that she must be very careful what she did at Thad's home.

She found out a few days later that she had lost her job, and she took it bravely, but once she was home, she knew that she had only a little time until she would lose her little house. So, Rosebud went to Thad timidly and asked him if she could stay there at his house.

Thad nodded. "Bethany will be a little upset, I think, but don't worry," he told her. "You may stay here as long as you need to. I'll see to it that the spare room is fixed up for you."

Tessa looked at the floor. "Thank you, Thad," she managed to say, "but I don't have very much; all I need is a place to sleep."

Thad put his hand on her shoulder and quickly withdrew it when he felt a chill run through Tessa. "I will do anything I can do to help you because I am thankful to you for helping my son."

She nodded, still looking down. "I—I just wanted to help him, Thad. I think he is a very good boy," she told him quietly.

Thad smiled gently. "I am pleased that you think so highly of little Ethan, Tessa," he said. "Do come along and I'll show you to your room." She followed him quickly.

"Thad, why would you let her stay here?" Bethany asked him when Thad came to breakfast.

"She has no other place to go," he answered. "I told her a long time ago that if she ever needed a place she could come here."

Bethany scowled. "We are not running a boarding house, Thaddeus," she snapped. She knew that Thad thought of Tessa very highly because she reminded him of Rosebud. Bethany was afraid that Thad would be attracted to Tessa, and Bethany was not sure at all if he would stay away from her.

She came to him quickly and he put his arms around her. "Oh, Thad," she whispered, "don't let her stay here any longer than she has to. Please. I don't want her here in our house."

"It will be all right, Bethany," he told her, gently stroking her hair. "When she can leave again she will. I think it will be better to have her here all the time rather than if she went back and forth from our house to hers."

Bethany wasn't satisfied, but she only pulled away from Thad and turned her attention to the table.

When Rosebud came downstairs, Bethany looked at her and said, "Go get Ethan up." Tessa looked at Thad and received a nod, so she went up to Ethan's room and quietly woke him up, taking him to breakfast with her.

"Bethany," Tessa said quietly, "what about Titus?" Ethan looked up at her in alarm, not wanting to see Titus any time soon.

Bethany looked at Tessa sharply. "I will feed him after we eat. Now sit down."

Rosebud looked at Ethan and he climbed into his chair. She seated herself by him and helped to serve him.

Ethan and Rosebud went into the living room and sat on the floor together, playing together and laughing joyfully. Bethany came in with Titus, and Ethan looked at him carefully. "Ethan," Rosebud whispered to him, "don't worry about him. He's up there and we're down here."

Ethan went back to playing with his Rosie until Bethany said, "Tessa, take Titus. I am going to go to my room for a little while." Little Ethan felt alone when Tessa stood and took Titus into her arms, sitting down on the couch.

"Rosie," he asked timidly, "Nee-nee take Titus back?"

"I don't know, Ethan," replied Rosebud quietly.

Ethan sighed. "I go to my room?"

"If you wish," she answered, "or you could come sit by me."

Ethan shook his head sadly and went back to his room.

After some time, Bethany came back and Rosebud went to see Ethan. He was lying in his bed, his eyes just looking around at anything that came to his attention. When Rosebud closed the door, Ethan heard, and turned over toward her, looking up into her face with his tired eyes.

"Ethan, are you sick?" she asked him, concerned.

"No, Rosie," he said.

She sat down beside him and put her hand on his back. "Then what's wrong, Ethan?"

"Rosie," he whispered, sitting up and clinging to her tightly, "I want you! But you had Titus! Rosie, I wanted you!"

"You could have sat by me," she told him gently.

He shook his head. "I don't want Daddy to hurt me 'cause of Titus."

"Ethan!" she said. "Your father isn't here, and he wouldn't hurt you just because you sat by me and Titus."

"No, Rosie, I can't," he said. "I can't."

Rosebud held Ethan close, feelings of injustice rising in her. "All right, Ethan. I'm sorry."

She rose to leave and Ethan clung to her, afraid. "No, Rosie!" he cried. "Don't leave! Oh, please, Rosie!" He sobbed and hid his face in her robe.

"Oh, Ethan," she said quietly, "I'm sorry about all this. I'll just stay right here and hold you."

He sniffled a little, then held tightly to Tessa so she wouldn't let him go.

That night when Thad and Bethany were in bed, Ethan came to the door and said, "Daddy?"

Bethany sighed and sat up, commanding, "Go back to bed, you naughty child! Do you think you can get away with disobeying your parents?"

Thad heard Ethan sob and run back down the hall to his room. Thad sat up and said sharply, "He was not being naughty, Bethany!" Thad got out of bed and stepped into the hall. He saw Tessa's white night gowned figure disappear into Ethan's room.

He heard Ethan sob, "I want to, Rosie, but I can't! Daddy and Nee-nee will be angry!"

Thad wondered what they were talking about until Tessa said, "No, they won't, Ethan. Let me rock you to sleep. You will rest better."

Ethan allowed Rosie to take him onto her lap and rock him, but then Thad entered the room. Ethan sat up and said, "Daddy, I didn't mean to be a naughty boy."

"I know, Ethan," answered Thad softly. "What Bethany said was not true. You were being good."

"May Rosie rock me, Daddy?" Ethan asked. Thad nodded, and watched his little boy fall asleep in Tessa's arms. Then Tessa quietly picked up Ethan and laid him in his bed.

She bent and kissed his cheek. "Goodnight, little Ethan," she whispered. "I love you."

Thad quietly told his son goodnight and kissed his cheek. As they turned to leave, Tessa tripped over something and would have fallen with a loud noise if Thad had not caught her against himself. She clung to him a moment, then looked up into his eyes.

She is so beautiful! Thad thought to himself. She feels so much like Rosebud! Oh, Rosebud!

Feeling lonely, Thad drew her closer, wanting to know if she was really like Rosebud. She was. She accepted his caresses, putting her arms around his neck. Out of habit, Thad pulled her closer and kissed her gently, then became more passionate.

When Thad drew back, Tessa gasped, "Thad, I—you shouldn't—we shouldn't—oh, Thad!"

Thad shook his head, and she knew that he'd been startled at what had happened. "I'm sorry, Tess. I should not have done that; it was wicked. I'm sorry." Thad looked down at the floor.

"Thad, it wasn't your fault," she told him. "I should have been covered better. Goodnight, Thad."

"Goodnight, Tessa." Thad went back to Bethany, feeling very guilty.

A few days later, Rosebud was taking Ethan to the table when she heard Thad laughing in his room with Bethany. She felt hurt once again and hurried down the hall quickly before they came out to go to the table.

When they were all seated at the table, Bethany served them and they began to eat. Ethan was very quiet, but the three oldest ones talked together. Then Bethany just happened to notice that Ethan wasn't eating his food.

"Ethan," she said, "eat."

"I don't like it," he ventured timidly.

Bethany looked insulted. "Eat it anyway, Ethan."

Ethan looked at his father for help, but Thad said, "Eat, Ethan. You must."

"I can't, Daddy," said Ethan, beginning to cry. "Don't like it!"

Thad was frowning at his son. "Ethan, you will eat that no matter how long it takes you," he said sternly.

"Daddy!" sobbed Ethan.

Tessa felt sorry for him and came around the table to sit by him. "You can eat it, Ethan," she said gently. "Just one bite at a time."

"But, Rosie—!"

"Ethan, I said you must, and I meant it," Thad said again.

Tessa smoothed Ethan's curly hair away from his face. "Come on, Ethan, you can eat it. Just pick up your fork..."

Crying, Ethan picked up his fork and began to eat since he had no choice. Tessa gently wiped his tears away with her hands and said, "No tears, now, Ethan. You mustn't cry over what you're told to do."

When Ethan was done eating, his father came over and pulled him out of his chair. "No, Daddy!" cried Ethan in fright. "I try to be good. Oh, Daddy!"

Thad took Ethan away, and Tessa looked down at her hands. I was too late to save him, she realized, almost wanting to cry. Oh, Thad, be careful with him! He is so sensitive!

"Daddy, no spank me!" begged Ethan, trying not to cry.

But Thad had ideas of his own. He opened his closet door and pushed Ethan inside, closing and locking it.

Instantly, Ethan became more frightened. "Daddy, let me out!" he cried, hitting the door with his fist.

"No, I won't, Ethan," said Thad. "You will stay there until I come and get you. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Daddy—oh, please!" cried Ethan, falling to the floor. "No leave me here! Oh, Daddy, Daddy!"

Thad went back to the dining room, and sat down again, not saying a word about Ethan. Tessa did not say anything at all, and Thad knew that she felt sorry for little Ethan. As they talked, Thad forgot all about his son, locked in the closet.

When the meal was over, Thad kissed Bethany goodbye and told Tessa goodbye. Then he left for work.

Ethan lay on the floor in the closet for a long time, waiting for his father to return. Oh, Daddy, he worried to himself, when will you let me out? I've been such a naughty boy! Will you spank me when you come back? Oh, Daddy, please don't be angry still!

Suddenly, he heard noises outside the room and hushed immediately. Oh no! What if it's Daddy? What if he spanks me? I don't want to be spanked anymore!

To Ethan's terror, he soon realized that it was not his father that had come into the room, but that it was Bethany. He sat in the closet, frozen in fear.

Then the door opened and Bethany shrieked when she saw Ethan and slammed the door shut again. "You horrible, naughty child," hissed Bethany as she put her robe back on. She came back and opened the door, yanking him out. "Why would you do such a thing like that?" she demanded.

"Daddy put me there," Ethan sobbed, shaking like a leaf. "I didn't—"

"You are lying to me!" Bethany said to Ethan angrily. "Now tell me the truth! Why were you hiding in the closet?"

Ethan, terrified, sobbed, "Daddy put me there I said! He said to stay til he came and got me! Let me go! I have to go back in there!"

"No, you won't," said Bethany sternly, a strong feeling of hatred coming over her. "You are not going back in there. You are going to lean over the bed for your spanking, and then you will stay in your room for the rest of the day!"

"No! NO, Nee-nee!" he screamed. "Don't! I didn't mean to be naughty, I promise! Oh, Nee-nee—Ow! Ow! Oh, stop, please!"

He screamed and sobbed as she spanked him as hard as she could. Ethan felt so bad that when she stopped he kept screaming, and she swatted him hard again. "Ow! Oh, Daddy! Rosie! Please help me!" he sobbed in pain. "She hates me! Ow! Oh, please help me, Rosie! Rosie!"

But Rosebud could not hear little heartbroken Ethan. He had to endure all that Bethany thought he deserved since the day she had met him. He had never been hurt so much in all his two years.

When Bethany stopped again, she pulled Ethan up, and told him, "Never dare to talk back to me again, do you hear?"

Almost unable to bear anymore, Ethan nodded, unable to speak for the pain. He fell to the floor again, and Bethany made him stand and go to his room. On the way there, Tessa heard him and asked Bethany what had happened. When Bethany told her, Tessa knew instantly that Thad had been the one to put Ethan in the closet. She also knew that Ethan thought his father would be angry that he had left the closet without permission.

"May I go talk to him?" Tessa asked Bethany.

"No. He must be by himself for a while."

Tessa's eyes filled with tears. "He has been by himself! He has been alone in that dark closet—"

"Which was his own fault."

Tessa ignored her. "He is afraid his father will be angry that he is not in the closet anymore. Please let me go comfort him, Bethany."

Bethany looked angry. "I said no! Perhaps later."

About two hours later, Bethany said, "You can go ask him if he wants any lunch now."

Tessa hurried away into Ethan's room. He was lying on his little bed, crying softly now. He had nearly cried himself to sleep, but he hurt too much to sleep. When she came in, he looked up at her in fear.

"Rosie," he whispered with a sob. "Why didn't you come? Nee-nee hurt me again!"

Rosebud came to sit by him and pulled him onto her lap, making him sob in pain. "Ethan," she murmured, her tears falling fast, "I couldn't hear you."

"It hurts, Rosie!" he sobbed. "Oh, it hurts!"

Rosebud very carefully healed Ethan, taking his pain and possible bruises away. "Child, Bethany wanted me to ask you if you are hungry."

"Oh, yes, Rosie," gasped Ethan. "I hungry!"

So Rosebud went back to Bethany and told her. Bethany responded, "Well, you go tell him that he can't have any food."

Rosebud gasped. "Bethany Lestrange, you are so cruel!" Bethany scowled, and was about to snap that she was a Riddle, when Tessa hurried away, wondering how she was to tell her little boy about Bethany's decision.

When she entered the room, Ethan saw that she had no food with her. He was very disappointed. "Rosie, I hungry!" he said to her.

She sat down by Ethan and put her hand on his shoulder. "Ethan," she said as gently as possible, "Bethany said that you weren't to have any food."

Ethan's eyes filled with tears. "Oh, Rosie!" he cried softly.

She drew him close. "Ethan, my child," she tried to comfort him, "if you wish, I will bring you your lunch."

"No, Rosie," he wept, "I can't! Not til I see Daddy."

"Oh, Ethan, you're so brave," she whispered to him, "but I must go back to the other room."

Ethan hugged her tightly, then sat on his bed and said, "Okay, Rosie."

When Thad came home, Bethany went to him, and, receiving his kiss, said, "Thaddeus, Ethan talked back to me."

Thad sighed. "All right, Bethany, I'll deal with him." Thad picked up the switch he used to punish Ethan and Tessa gasped.

"Thad, please give him a chance to explain what happened," Tessa pleaded. "Be gentle with him! He's so timid that you could easily crush his spirit!

Thad nodded and headed off.

Thad entered Ethan's room and Ethan sat up quickly. Thad sat down beside him and asked quietly, "Ethan, did you talk back to Bethany?"

Ethan looked scared. He saw the switch in his father's hand and knew what it meant to him. "Daddy, don't spank me!" he cried in fear.

"Ethan, I asked you a question, and I want an answer."

"Oh, Daddy, please!" sobbed Ethan. "Please don't hurt me! I not mean to be naughty if I was, I promise!"

"So you did talk back to her, you naughty boy," sighed Thad sadly. He stood up, seized Ethan, and leaned him over the bed.

"No, Daddy!" sobbed Ethan as he waited for the blows, "don't hurt me! Nee-nee already beat me once! Isn't that enough? Oh, Daddy, please!"

Thad took his hand off Ethan's back where he was holding Ethan down and lifted his face. "She beat you, Ethan?"

Absolutely terrified, Ethan nodded. "Oh, Daddy, don't tell Nee-nee that I told you!" he begged his father.

Thad let Ethan up, and the child sat, weeping, on the edge of the bed. "Ethan, will you tell me what happened to you while I was gone?"

The child tried to speak, but he could not; he was too afraid of his father's switch. Thad became exasperated with his son and Ethan shrank away from his father, sobbing.

Tessa called to Thad (C), Thad, be gentle with him! He's like his mother! He's terrified of that switch, and of your anger! Thad, be good to him!

When Ethan saw the switch move, he sobbed, "Daddy, after you beat me, tell Nee-nee I sorry!" Thad stood and walked across the room. "Please, Daddy!" cried Ethan frantically, knowing he would be hurt terribly. "Oh, Daddy, tell Rosie I love her! Oh, Rosie!" sobbed the child in terror.

Thad realized that Ethan was half-fainting, but that he was trying to be strong. Ethan lay down again on the bed, unable to watch his father any longer. Ethan heard two sharp cracks and waited in fear for the pain, but it did not come. The little one remained still, waiting in terror.

"Ethan," said Thad gently.

The poor child looked up and saw his father toss the broken switch into the fire. "Daddy?" gasped Ethan fearfully.

With tears in his eyes, Thad looked at Rosebud's little boy. "Ethan, when you are ready to talk to me about today, I will listen," said Thad. He went to the child and picked him up, making him cry out in fear.

Will he always be so terrified of me? wondered Thad as he lay Ethan down in the bed. Sad and depressed, Thad turned and began to leave, but he felt a tug on his robe. Turning back, he saw that Ethan was sitting up and holding tightly to the cloth.

"Daddy, I talk," said Ethan, his face pale. Thad came back and sat down by him.

"Go on, Ethan," Thad said gently.

Ethan looked up at his father. "You didn't come back, Daddy," Ethan told Thad. "Nee-nee not happy with me. I in closet, and Nee-nee not like it. Daddy, she hurt me! And she not let me eat! I hungry! Rosie said she bring me something if I wanted, but I say no. I eat now, Daddy?"

Horrified at his forgetfulness, Thad nodded. "I'm sorry, Ethan. I never wanted you to be afraid of me, or to be hurt by Bethany—or me. I love you." He hugged his little boy, then gave him to Tessa without a word and went to have a long talk with Bethany.

"Bethany, did you beat Ethan?" Thad asked her, trying to keep his voice calm.

Bethany started violently, turning toward Thad in their bed. "I—I—yes, Thad," she whispered ashamedly. "I was very angry with him."

Thad sighed, trying to keep his anger from spilling over. "Why would you do that?" he asked her. "What would you say if I beat you?"

"I—I don't know." Bethany began to weep. "I felt as if I were supposed to punish him, and couldn't stop myself. And—if you wish to beat me—I suppose I deserve it."

He watched her for a moment, the gently slipped his arms around her. "I don't understand how you could protect Ethan one instant and in the next, beat him, Bethany," he told her softly. "What changed, love?"

"I don't know," whispered Bethany. "It might be my parents' influence. They wanted me to destroy Ethan, but I never want to do that."

Thad sighed and caressed Bethany gently. "You need to gain Ethan's trust back," he murmured to her. "I'm not angry anymore, only sad. I wish you wouldn't change like that. I need you to be consistent, Bethany."

She sniffled a little, her face against Thad's chest. "I'll try," she whispered, "but sometimes I can't help it. I was a Lestrange, you know, and we are noted for insanity."

"You're not insane," he told her, giving her a loving kiss. "I just don't know what it is that changes you so much."

Serena Lestrange was laughing herself mad in the Lestrange house. Sarge grinned at her. "What has Bethany done now?"

"She—she beat Ethan," Serena choked, doubled up with laughter, "and dear, darling, 'Wosie' couldn't help!"

They laughed together until Sarge said, "Who is this Tessa person, and why is she there?"

Serena shrugged. "I'll look into it. We'll find out, and do something about her." They continued laughing.