The Richest Heart

Chapter 5

The crisp wind touched Emma's cheeks sharply as she stepped outside. A glint of morning light brightened the sky, but the moon and stars were still glowing above her. Her fingers clung tighter to the object in her hand, and her eyes glanced around cautiously.

Can I do this? she wondered silently. She stepped back into the shadows as she heard the sound of heavy footsteps. Every now and again, she caught a glimpse of a tall figure, but he hadn't seen her yet. She was standing beneath the arching entrance of a royal castle, burdened with a dangerous mission.

She scanned the land ahead of her and rested her eyes upon a little building not too far away. If she hurried, she might be able to reach it before she was seen. Oh, she couldn't be seen. There was no telling what would happen to her if she got caught by the guard.

Without a sound, Emiline threw her scarf closer around her neck and held her burden a little tighter. Then she dashed across the muddy courtyard to her destination. She ran from shadow to shadow, hoping to stay hidden. But as she hid behind a towering tree, she thought she saw the guard look at her. Her heart beat hard with panic, but she couldn't stop now. Racing the rest of the way, she reached her destination and threw the door open.

"I made it!" she gasped breathlessly, slamming the door behind her. She turned around, feeling a glow of victory in her heart. But her proud gaze was met by the eyes of two very curious cows. A crooked smile stole the drama from Emiline's face as she looked around at the building. It wasn't anything special, just her own family's barn. There was no heroic mission to complete either. She swung the milk pail back and forth as she walked toward the jersey cows.

"Well," she reasoned with herself, "I suppose milking cows —could— be heroic. After all, if we don't have milk, Mother can't bake a cake! And..." She paused, wishing she could find a reason why they really needed the cake, but she couldn't. Shaking the thought away, she sat down on a short stool beside the first cow and got to work. In a moment, the door behind her opened.

"Good morning, Emma," Father greeted.

The girl looked back at him and smiled. "Good morning," she replied happily. A rosy blush warmed the girl's cheeks as she looked away from him and began to work again. Her tall and handsome father had been the guard of her morning game.

I wonder if he really saw me? she thought, giggling inside. Trying to be silent and invisible was a fun challenge to Emma, but she never knew if she was as good at hiding as she thought she was. Whether Father ever noticed her or not, he always kept that to himself.

"I'll finish milking the cows today, Emma," Father said, slipping his gloves off and resting a loving hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Really?" Emiline asked in surprise. Her eyes were full of curiosity.

"Yes, I think your mother needs you inside this morning," he answered. He took Emiline's hand and helped her to her feet.

"...Alright," Emma said hesitantly. "What is she doing?"

"Ha! Just about everything!" Father chuckled. "She's in a cleaning mood today."

"Oh." Emma's heart sank gloomily. A cleaning mood, she repeated in her mind. She gave Father a hug and then walked out of the barn slowly. She wasn't in a hurry now. Milking the cow was a daily task, and it went by very quickly. But when Mother got in a cleaning mood, there was no telling where the list of chores would end.

Why today? she wondered curiously. It isn't wash day. And it seems too early for spring cleaning. She pulled the front door open as she reached the house and heard the banging of pots and pans in the kitchen.