Proper Princess

Chapter Fifteen

It took me several minutes to wipe the large grin off my face, and finally gather myself enough to take a deep breath and turn away from my position against the door- I had frozen in place just after closing it, processing and fantasizing over all that had just happened.

When I turned, though, I found that I was not alone. Charlotte and Lottie stood behind me, staring. While Lottie seemed confused, Charlotte had the widest grin across her face- perhaps even wider than my own had been.

Startled by their presence, I spoke, my voice sounding unfamiliar to me- I sounded breathless, my pitch higher than normal. "Oh! Hello, Charlotte. Lottie."

"Hello," Lottie greeted quietly, once more shy with me. Charlotte did not answer, and just kept staring at me with a smirk.

Though she could not have possibly known all that had taken place, I still found my face flushing as I cast my eyes downward and began to walk past them. "What have you two girls been up to?"

"Playing hide-and-go-seek with you," Charlotte said, and when I looked at her in confusion, she sent a pointed glance towards the stairs.

My Father was making his way down the steps, a small child asleep in his arms. He had come to take his job as caretaker until he could find a trusted replacement as Headmaster very seriously, it seemed.

"Ah, there you are, Amelia," Father said, his voice low so as to not disturb the little boy sleeping in his hold. "Have you girls finished up playing?"

Though Mother would have said I was too old for 'playing', Father had no reservations. I was fairly sure that, in his mind, both Elizabeth and I were still little children.

"Yes, Father," I said, sending an appreciative glance at Charlotte for providing me an alibi without my having to ask. I had been planning on coming up with some story about getting caught up in a novel out in the garden and losing track of time- and hoping he would not ask about where my book was or how I had not noticed the rain.

Charlotte returned my look with her own, which made it clear she expected me to share details later as payment. Lovely.

"Very well," Father said, sending Charlotte and I off to Charlotte's Father, whom was sat reading in the large library of the school- apparently, he had stayed to escort us home, as Mother had already left. I felt bad about staying out so long and keeping him waiting, but could not bring myself to regret the time I had spent with my Robin. 

"Your Mother is expecting you," Father told me pointedly as I made my way towards the door behind Charlotte and her father.  "Go straight home and do not dawdle."

I nodded, hiding a smile. I knew what he meant- Charlotte and I had been in trouble several times before for getting caught up in conversation and forgetting the time. Lottie looked very upset to see Charlotte and I go- it seemed she had not taken to Father quite yet, and ran off when he offered her a hand to get up off the floor from where she sat having a crying fit as we made for the door.

Just as I turned to head out after Charlotte, I felt a slight tug on my skirt. Looking down to see if the bottom of the doorframe had come loose and my dress had been caught, I turned, reaching for my dress to pull it free.

My hand landed on a little arm, instead. And the hand attached to the arm of the tiny boy was in my pocket, searching for coins. His gaze widened when my eyes met his and he began struggling, trying to yank away from me. The smaller girl who had been just beside him to stand watch bolted away, leaving her partner-in-crime behind.

I sighed, waving Charlotte and her Father onward out the door. Then I turned to the boy, who was thrashing about- he could not have been older than five, though, and was easy enough to keep in place as I took both of his wrists in mine to keep him from striking at me as I bent down to meet him eye-to-eye.