In Rapture (Destined) (5 page)

“Don’t
we all, my lady. I will be happy to assist you in any manner necessary.”

“My
thanks. Oh, and Gertie? Please make sure that Ms. Cordelia Everheart leaves
this manor immediately. She informed me that she is no longer an employee here,
so please make sure to send someone to keep an eye on her removal. That woman
is simply appalling.”

The
cook grinned at her and nodded furiously. “You have my promise, my lady.”

Malinda
smiled at the cook and watched as she left the dining hall. Malinda turned to
see Sophia was sitting quietly at the table with her hands folded in her lap,
just staring at the food on the table before her. Malinda stood up and started
piling different foods on Sophia’s plate, and watched her eyes grow big. What
in the world did that woman feed this child before now? “Eat as much as you
want, Sophia. There is plenty more where that came from. Besides, if you want
to go outside and play you’ll need all the energy you can get.”

Chapter 7

Malinda
and Sophia made their way outside shortly after Sophia had stuffed her belly.
Malinda could tell that it had been a long time since Sophia had been outside.
Her eyes had opened so wide that Malinda thought the tiny blue orbs would
explode with her curiosity. It was nice to see the world through innocent eyes,
and while Sophia’s eyes were troubled, there was still an innocence trapped
within them.

The
grounds of Wickford Manor seemed to stretch for miles and miles. Green grassy
fields rolled like the waves of the ocean, with various wild flowers scattered
here and there. Malinda saw a small apple orchard and started to race Sophia to
where the trees branched out invitingly. The little girl’s hair whipped out
behind her, her carefree laugh breeching the silence. Even though they had
eaten recently, neither one of them could resist the sweet smelling apples that
hung from the trees. Soon they were both wiping trails of apple juice from
their chins, smiling at each other as they devoured the sweet tangy fruits.

As
they walked back to the manor Sophia began to run circles around Malinda; the
pure joy in the little girl’s spirit was heartbreaking. Whatever morbid energy
followed her around had subsided for the moment. Malinda’s own life may have
been a struggle at times, but her grandparents had made sure that she had all
the love she could ever need. It was clear that this child had been neglected
horribly and she wondered when she would get a chance to bring this up to her
father. Malinda’s stomach clenched at the thought of meeting such a heartless
man. How could he have left his child to be treated so horribly? When had
Sophia’s mother passed? How long had she been in the hands of Ms. Everheart?
She would have to demand a new nursemaid for her and find a way to barter for
money to create a proper nursery, one filled with toys, books, and lots of
laughter. This child deserved the moon in the sky for all the misery she had
survived in her lifetime.

Sophia
tripped over her own feet and came crashing down to the ground. Malinda rushed
over to her and saw great fear in her eyes. “Are you all right, Sophia?” The four
year old looked at her with eyes watered with fearful tears. She gestured to
the dirt on her smock and agonized over the sobs that were making their way up
her throat.

“It’s
just a little dirt, dear heart. A little dirt never hurt anything.” Malinda brushed
some of the dirt away from the little dress and helped Sophia to stand. “There,
all right now?” The way that the somber child looked up at her when she
realized she would not get in trouble for dirtying her little frock was almost
too painful to bear. Malinda certainly had her work cut out for her if she were
to help this child get over the pain and fear she had hidden deep inside her.
Malinda would do whatever it took.

“Sophia,
let’s go inside and wash up. I’m sure we’ll get the rest of the dirt right out.”
When they entered the manor, Malinda found a maid to assist Sophia to her room
and to help her get cleaned up, and reassured Sophia that she would still be there
when she woke up from her nap. Malinda watched the little girl as her bottom
lip trembled ever so slightly. Malinda bent down to open her arms and was
delighted that Sophia ran into them so easily for a warm hug. She did not miss
the look of amazement that came over the maid’s face when Sophia hugged her. It
was clear that no one had seen the little miss trust anyone as easily as she
did Malinda. To Malinda it seemed only natural that the little girl would feel
comfortable around her. She was every much as afraid and alone as most
motherless animals had been, the same animals she had loved dearly and cared
for from the moment she saw them. This little girl had already carved a spot in
her heart that was irreplaceable.

Before
the maid left with Sophia, Malinda called out to her. “Excuse me?”

“Yes,
my lady?” The tiny blonde haired maid turned right away to her.

“What
is your name?”

“Desiree,
my lady.”

Desiree
curtsied low to her and Malinda tried to shirk off the discomfort with her
newly found title, but knew that she would have to learn to accept it. “Desiree,
what are your duties here?”

“I
help change the beds, fold the linens, do general cleaning as needed.” Her eyes
became worried, as if she feared she had done something wrong.

“Desiree,
would you do me the honor of assisting with Sophia’s needs until we can find a
proper nursemaid for her? I’m afraid it may take a while, for we’ll not have
anyone like Ms. Everheart here again. I’ll expect to meet with you later, to
discuss her daily schedule and find out just what it was that Ms. Everheart did
for Miss Sophia.”

“Yes,
my lady.” The bright smile that lit up Desiree’s face would have been answer
enough. It was clear that the people at Wickford Manor cared deeply for the
child, whether they had been encouraged to or not. It made Malinda feel a
little more at peace, that perhaps she would one day relate easily to the
people there. It would still take Malinda time to get used to her role at
Wickford Manor, especially since she had still not met her husband. She almost
dreaded their first encounter for she did not know how she would be able to talk
to him respectfully, considering the lack of care or respect his daughter had
been given.

After
a long day Malinda had accomplished many things. She had learned that the cook,
Gertie, had a weekly menu and that Malinda was expected to approve the meals. The
three maids were expected to clean the whole manor, from top to bottom, on a
regular basis. Their work was checked over by Sara Hargrove and, now that she
had asked Desiree to assist with Sophia, this would make more work for the
other two. Sara Hargrove was the main housekeeper who helped to make sure the
manor was run correctly and had assured her that they would make do without
Desiree until a new nursemaid could be found. Malinda made sure that Sara knew
that just because there was a lady of the manor, that it did not mean she would
lose her position in the household. Malinda would desperately need the help
with keeping the large manor running, especially considering she had very few
rooms and people to manage when she had lived at Tinley Faire. She only hoped
that her greenness did not show through as she communicated with them. She had
also learned that the horrid nursemaid had actually stored quite a few of
Sophia’s things in the attic as a punishment for her supposed behavior. Malinda
hoped to get a chance to go through the attic as soon as possible.

Sophia
had joined her in the dining hall for dinner, and when they were through
Malinda made a point to walk her back to her room. She helped the little girl
into her bed, told her a few stories that she had always treasured as a child,
and tucked her into bed. Malinda gave her a quick hug and kiss before leaving
her for the night. The trust in the tiny eyes made her heart sing. Malinda
hoped and prayed that she was up to the task of being a mother, for it would
break her heart if she ever let Sophia down.

When
she made it back to the master chambers she sat down at the dressing table and
ran a brush through her long black hair, trying not to over think the day. In
one day she had met with most of the staff and broken through heavy barriers
with her new daughter. Now that the day was through, all that was left was the
dread that filled her, and her fears over her first meeting with her new
husband, which she assumed could happen any day. She put the brush down on the
table and looked around for her nightgown. Since most of her things had been
transferred to the room adjoining the master bedroom, she searched in the
closets there for her clothes. When she could not find the gown, she chose one
of her linen shifts that she wore under her day gowns. It was not quite as
heavy as the gown she usually wore to bed, as the years had eroded some of the
cotton, but it would do. She did not understand why her dresses were missing,
or why there were other dresses hanging in their place.

When
she stepped into the other room, she looked in the mirror once again. The glow
of the fire’s light made the shift quite see through, but there was nothing she
could do about that. Until she was able to replace some of her clothing, she
would have to make do with what was available to her. She would talk with the
ladies about the clothing inside the closet the next day.

Malinda
went to the large four-poster bed and peeled back the blue curtains. She let
the large comforter envelope her, much as the night before, and soon her eyes
were drifting shut. In moments, she was transported to another time and place
as her dreams carried her away. He was there again, the man who made her
tremble with anticipation before he touched her with his strong hands. She
wrapped her arms around him and felt the splay of muscles moving across his
back. His mouth came ever closer, to kiss a trail of fire down her neck. She
felt his hands caressing her body as a tempest of desire swirled between them.
She longed to feel him within her, to ride the flames he stoked so easily, but
even her whimpering could not save her from the tantalizing rapture that echoed
in the spaces between them.

In
seconds, the image blurred, and a large dark wolf glared his golden eyes at his
opponents in the heat of battle. She saw angry animals battering each other,
like rams testing their mettle against the strong horns of their oppressors.
Swiping claws, gnashing teeth, and blood lusted eyes twirled around her in a
cyclone of rage. She shivered in her sleep, for these animals were not the kind
of animals she had known before. These were predators and they were out for
blood, blood that was the result of great carnage. She saw herself move toward
the animals, unafraid of the snarling teeth. She knelt down before them, waited
for them to approach, and was not disappointed. She heard a voice whisper in
her mind:
To save the man, you must tame the beast.
When the voice no
longer echoed around her, her dreams slowly dissipated. She was left with her
fond memories of Tinley Faire to soothe her heart and soul as her body drifted
into a much more peaceful slumber.

Chapter 8

A
sharp knock broke through the haze of dreams, and Malinda opened her eyes to
the intrusion. “Hello?” Her voice sounded groggy, even to her own ears.

“I’m
sorry, Lady Timberlin, but the little miss, well she—”

The
person on the other end of the door could not finish the sentence before
Malinda threw back the covers. “I’ll be right there.” Her legs sprung from the
bed and carried her swiftly across the room. “Take me to her right away,
Hargrove.” Since it was only her second night at the manor, there was no way
she was going to find her way to Sophia’s room by herself.

“Right
away, my lady.”

Malinda
could see the smile that Hargrove was trying to hide. Malinda smoothed her
nightgown around her, as it had bunched up around her knees. She quickly ran
her fingers through her hair as she followed after him, all the while trying
her best not to trip over her feet. She must look a sight. Malinda was thankful
that Hargrove’s candle did not give out too much light to show her disheveled
appearance, and hoped that they would not run into many other people this late
at night.

When
they finally reached Sophia’s room, Malinda could hear the whimpers from
outside the door. She yanked the door open swiftly, fearing that the little
mite had suffered abuse at someone’s hands. When Sophia’s small body launched
at her she barely had time to prepare for the barreling child. She sank down to
her level and cradled the child in her arms. “Thank you, Hargrove. I think I
will take it from here.”

She
watched as Hargrove nodded politely to her and bowed away from them both. “Poor
Sophia. What is wrong, my love?”

When
no words came from Sophia’s mouth, Malinda ruffled her hair and soothed her as
best she could. How does one soothe a fear when the cause of the fear itself
was unknown? Malinda scooped the child up in her arms and sat down on the bed
with her. She rocked her back and forth, humming any song that she remembered
from her childhood, until Sophia’s eyelids started to droop down. She placed
Sophia back in her bed and covered her up with her tiny blankets. Malinda ran
her fingers through Sophia’s hair, humming a melody that came easily to her.
When she heard the slight sound of snuffled breathing coming from the little
girl, Malinda knew that it was safe to say that Sophia had drifted off to a
deep sleep.