She fought the urge to turn around and look at him as they made their way to the nursery. As she neared the door she stopped. She didn't turn around, but hesitated until Mr. Carson caught up to her and gently stroked the inside of her palm with his fingers.
Janet was patting an unhappy George on the back as he stood in his cot. Sybbie sat on the rocking horse in the corner of the room.
"Thank you for all your help, Janet. I told Mildred to rest for a while. Why don't you do the same?"
Janet nodded, giving Sybbie a little wave as she left the room.
"Oh my goodness!" Mrs. Hughes lifted the whimpering child from the cot. "Let's get you changed, my darling. It is no fun having an icky nappy is it?"
Mr. Carson felt a little out of his depth and was relieved when Sybbie called out to him.
"Mr. Carson? Would you pull out my pony?"
Carson helped the little girl from her perch and moved the rocking horse into the middle of the room.
"Where are you riding, Miss Sybbie?"
"To the village to get some sweeties for Georgie and me."
"Ah. You are a very good rider."
The smell permeated the room as Mrs. Hughes unpinned and pulled back the offensive nappy.
"Oh my, laddie. Shoooooo-weeee!"
The little boy laughed.
"Shooooo-weeee!" Mrs. Hughes voice was high and silly.
Sybbie giggled and echoed Mrs. Hughes, "Shoooo-weeee! Shooooo-weee!"
She looked at Mr. Carson and nodded for him to join. He hesitated.
"Mr. CAR-son!" Sybbie implored.
Looking over her shoulder, Mrs. Hughes teased, "Well, Mr. CAR-son?"
Mr. Carson inhaled deeply, "Shooooo-weeeee!"
Mrs. Hughes, George and Sybbie were all giggling. Mr. Carson found he couldn't resist and joined in the laughter.
The toddler being clean and the offensive nappy having been removed from the room, their situation improved by leaps and bounds. Mr. Carson and Sybbie talked about her journey into the village while Mrs. Hughes and George built towers of wooden blocks and immediately knocked them down. Mr. Carson looked over at Mrs. Hughes who managed to make sitting in the floor in a corset and dress seem like the most natural thing in the world. He was smiling, but didn't realize it until she looked over at him and smiled back.
"I'm thirsty." Sybbie had reached over and taken Mr. Carson by the lapel.
"You are? Well, I suppose we can attend to that. Are you hungry?"
The little girl nodded. "And I need to go potty."
Mrs. Hughes chimed in, "Why don't I take care of Miss Sybbie and you go down and fetch some milk and some biscuits, Mr. Carson?"
Mr. Carson smiled in agreement and helped Sybbie off her horse. Mrs. Hughes picked up George and placed him in the cot. She quickly fetched some blocks and gave them to him, along with Mr. Sam. Mr. Carson left the room as Mrs. Hughes and Sybbie went into the adjoining bathroom.