A Prince for Aunt Hetty Read Online Free Page B

grabbed.
    “Oof!”The voice was not a child's and neither was the body now pressed against his.
    Rupert let go and whipped off the blindfold. Miss Masters was standing in front of him. She looked discombobulated. This close, he could see the laugh lines on her face and the deep blue of her eyes. Her hair was a silvery gray gathered in a chignon that was starting to fall apart from all of their activity. Rupert itched to touch a strand that had fallen down her neck. She looked up at him as if she knew what he'd been thinking. He blushed and stuttered.
    “Are you all right?”
    “Fine, thank you.” She looked at him steadily. “You seem to have caught me.”
    “Yes.” Rupert was suddenly short of breath. “Have I hurt you?”
    “Not at all,” she declared. Rupert breathed out in relief as she continued. “These monkeys climb on me all the time. I doubt you could do me much damage.”
    They stood awkwardly together. Rupert didn't know what to say.
    “Play! Play!” The children grew impatient.
    Rupert shrugged and gave Miss Masters a grin. He pulled the blindfold back on and headed out into the middle of the clearing. For the next half hour, he caught the children one by one, until only the girl Agnes hadn't been caught. She began to crow over her brothers and sisters as soon as she had won.
    “Time to get back to the house, children,” Miss Masters announced. Rupert watched as she rounded them up, making sure they had all of their coats and hats on. A twinge of jealousy again... If only someone cared for him like that...
    “Mr. H! Come back home with us!”
    Rupert raised a questioning eyebrow to Miss Masters, who nodded her assent. They started on their way.
    The whole walk to the house, the children fought about who got to hold his hand. Finally, he compromised and said each child who wanted to could hold one of his fingers. And so they arrived in the front hallway of Hayes house.
    Mrs. Hayes greeted them with surprise. “Well, my children, I see you have picked up a welcome visitor.”
    “He played with us, mama! And put on the blindfold and caught me and then he caught Aunt Hetty --” Stephen gushed to his mother.
    “I am sure I want to hear all about it, my darling, but first I want you to wash up for dinner. Mrs. Lowell has made us a fine meal that is getting cold. Upstairs, all of you,” Mrs. Hayes commanded. “And say thank you to Mr. Henderson!” She called after them as they started up the stairs. They turned around and shouted down a chorus of thank yous. Rupert gave them a bow as they disappeared onto the second floor.
    Mrs. Hayes turned to him with a broad smile on her kind face. “Thank you, Mr. Henderson, for clearly delighting my children. You have returned from you journey. Was it pleasant?”
    “I cannot complain. The weather held and I am back where I want to be now.” Rupert hoped she would leave it at that.
    Mrs. Hayes smiled and accepted his answer. He almost sighed with relief. This is a new place where people do not want or need to know all of your business. Not like London...
    “Will you stay for dinner?”
    “Dinner!” Rupert recalled himself. “I would love to, Mrs. Hayes, but I have already ordered my own. Mr. Adams is probably wondering where I've got to. And I don't like to make him wonder.”
    “Oh yes. Please keep Mr. Adams happy.” She laughed and then added, “I do hope you will be able to attend our card party on Saturday, if no pressing business takes you away again, that is.”
    Rupert sighed and said, “God grant that it will not, Mrs. Hayes. I would like to be there.”
    “I am counting on you to make my table even, sir, now that my sister is here with us.”
    He turned to Miss Masters, who'd gone quiet since they'd entered the house. “I look forward to it.”
    “As do we,” Mrs. Hayes nodded.
    “Yes, we do,” Miss Masters concurred. Rupert studied her face for a moment, trying to discover if she was only being polite. He certainly hoped she meant