"You're lying!" Matilda exclaimed holding her sister's waist as they rode Belle back to the stables. She had given up on trying to pull her dress down as straddling the zebra pulled it up to her knees. She may have been a dancer but she kept her propriety outside of the stage.
"Why would I lie about such a thing?" Charlotte held her head high. "You know I don't like Belle being spooked. Let's talk about something else. Like Mama being with child."
"I don't think that's an appropriate topic for out here. I thought you would have learned that in school."
"I did but who can really hear us as we ride?"
Upon entering the barn, Rasputin and Gleb could clearly be seen helping the clowns line up the elephants for the afternoon.
"Ohhh there he is!" Matilda exclaimed. "What are you going to do?"
"Nothing. So what do you feel about having another brother or sister?" Charlotte brought the zebra to a stop before getting off. She pulled a carrot out of the saddle bag and fed it to the zebra, "Good girl."
Matilda got off the zebra as well and brushed her dress off as she pulled it back down to her ankles, "I am trying not to think about it."
"Why? Did Mama give you the young lady talk?" Charlotte walked Belle towards her stable.
Matilda's face reddened as she followed her sister, "No! Thank heavens! But I've learned things living with the other ballerinas. The thought of Mama and Papa…" She trailed off as she shook her head and stuck out her tongue. "Yuck!"
Charlotte laughed, "So I know you will want to spend time with your old ballet friends but what do you wish to do as sisters this weekend?"
Matilda leaned up against the open stable door as Charlotte put the zebra away, "I don't want to spend the whole time in the park. Let's go to the Brooklyn Museum! We can dress up nice and also get lunch."
"Don't you think Mama and Papa will have something to say?" Charlotte ran a brush over Belle.
"Oh Lottie, don't be silly. They sent you to boarding school and I'm at the Ballet Academy. They don't know what we're doing when there. What is one afternoon?"
The older sister smiled, "When did you get so brazen, Tilda?"
The younger sister played with the charm on her necklace, "Since I don't want to spend my weekend playing the same games and riding the same rides, I've been since I was five." Matilda watched the elephant parade leaving. Rasputin turned around, smiled, and waved at her. Her eyes widened as she turned away and looked into the stable, "Oh dear, Lottie, we've been spotted."
"What do you mean?" Charlotte looked up in time to see Rasputin standing behind her sister.
"Good afternoon, Miss Charlotte, Miss Matilda," He took his flat cap off as he greeted them.
"Good afternoon," Charlotte calmly said as she hung up the brush.
"The elephant show be good this year. I learned so much while with Ringlings," The man ran his six fingered hands around the brim of his cap.
"That's splendid," Charlotte closed the stable door. "Take care. I need to change so my sister and I can spend more time together."
As they started to walk away, The Russian took quick strides to be beside the younger sister, "Miss Matilda, you mind if I talk to Miss Charlotte without you?"
"Absolutely not!" Charlotte exclaimed throwing her hands in the air. "I proper young lady must have a chaperon!"
Matilda smirked and squinted her eyes as she looked at her sister, "I will go sit and wait on the benches outside so the smell of manure isn't as awful."
"Tilda!" Charlotte stomped her foot, but her sister skipped away.
"Why you no want to talk to me?"
She took a deep breath and turned to face the man, "What is there to talk about?"
"Because we no work like this,"
He stuck his hat into his vest pocket.
"We aren't going to have to because Gustave is going to be changing your schedule."
"Please Lottie, come," Rasputin walked towards the office door and opened it.
Charlotte closed her eyes and let out a long breath. Don't let him fluster you. That's what he wants. A proper young lady doesn't behave like I did with him last summer…but am I now the one confusing him? She looked over her shoulder and saw him standing there, the door open, his eyes pleading.
She turned and walked into the office, him closing the door behind her. Before she could say a word, The Russian pulled her into his strong arms, "I come back to you like your mother come back to your father! You said you love someone you want them happy even if without you. I not happy without you!" In a swoop he picked the young lady up so their faces were level and pushed his lips into hers.
Charlotte squealed but then returned it, only now noticing he had shaved his mustache because it was no longer there to tickle her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, running her fingers through his hair. She wrapped her legs around his waist for support.
When she pulled away, she gasped for breath as she rested her forehead against his. "I worked so hard to become a proper young lady…but I do care for you. I can be a proper young lady and still care for you right?"
"Yes," He leaned in and kissed her again. This time he pulled away and gently guided her back to the ground, "You go. Change. Go have fun with sister. I'll still be here."