Chapter 6

Chapter 6

“So what do you think about her?” Daphne asked while watching her and Ann feed the pigeons.

“I like her” Richard said smirking.

“Yes I'm sure you do, but I really hope you do not cause her any...” Daphne said eyeing her brother.

“Harm? Why are you all so convinced that I will harm her? Richard asked annoyed.

"Your reputation should explain quite a lot" Daphne said.

"Well I do not plan on ravishing Miss Ann" Richard said with sacasm.

"I know you will not do something untold, I'm saying you are an earl and she is ...Ann" Daphne said.

"I know that it might hurt her, but I also know what I am doing" Richard replied.

“Well the twins seem to hold her in high esteem” Richard said.

“ Considering how they had treated their previous governesses, I'm quite impressed with how she managed to make even Anna like her” Daphne laughed.

“I, too, was astonished when I heard Anna defend her against me” Richard laughed.

“Well we just may never know what goes on in their minds” Daphne concluded.

They held a comfortable silence as they watch an eager Anna describe how to saddle a horse and how knowledgeable she thought Steve was for teaching her.

Stephen O'Sullivan was the head of the stable. He had been friends with the twins since he was a boy. He was born in the Arnold household and his mother had been the housekeeper. Lady Arnold had been friends with his mother but no one knew anything about Stephen's birth father since she was already with child when she came to employ, and she had been very adamant about telling anyone.

Mrs O'Sullivan had died two weeks after the birth of Stephen as a result of excessive bleeding and since then, he became a part of the Arnold household.

Lady Arnold treated him like a son, and he had shared in most of their childhood lessons, and since he was quite intelligent he had picked up easily when he was given formal education and could even help in the household accounts.

Lady Arnold entrusted him with the account whenever Richard was out of town. He was a quite reliable young man and had a very strong sense of honor.

Richard never got the chance to bond with him quite as well as his sisters had done due to their age gap.

Everyone knew Anna was smitten by Stephen since she had announced her undying love for him at nine years old. He had saved her favorite doll from drowning in a pond, Lady Arnold had laughed when Anna had told her father to prepare her gown, and they had all assumed it to be what it was, a nine-year-old's infatuation which was bound to pass as she grew older.

Richard smiled as the memories came flooding in. He had been in school when it happened, but he could hear nothing except that from Daphne's lips when he had returned for holidays.

Any man who marries Anna would be sure to have his hands full.

“May I share in the humor?” Daphne asked nosily.

“ Nothing much, I was just thinking about the twins” he said.

“That explains a lot” she replied smiling.

“ So what about you? Do you like her?” he asked returning their previous conversation.

“Ann? Yes of course, I like anyone my family likes” she replied shrugging.

“ That explains a lot” he said mimicking her tone.

“Idiot” she said with a smack on his shoulder before standing up.

“Where are you off to?” Richard asked.

“To join them” she answered walking towards the trio.

“Then I'm right behind you” he said standing up.

She walked to the bench where Ann was sitting and watching the twins throw biscuit and bread crumbs at the birds and joined her.

“May I have a piece of bread please” Daphne asked.

“Of course” Ann answered picking up the basket to take a piece of bread her.

She picked a large piece and handed it to Daphne who tore them into smaller pieces and threw some to the pigeons.

“ The weather is quite lovely today” Daphne said squinting at the sky.

“It's just the perfect time to enjoy a book” Ann replied smiling.

“So you enjoy reading” Daphne asked.

“Yes I find it quite an interesting activity” Ann replied.

“Well you don't quite seem like a bluestocking” Daphne said.

“ You can't judge some books by their covers” Ann said.

“What about you? Do you enjoy reading?” Ann asked.

“ I used to be a notorious bluestocking” Daphne grinned.

“And I'm afraid little has changed about that aspect of me” she added.

“ So what kind of books are you interested in?” Ann asked to keep the conversation going.

“ I enjoy Shakespearean plays a lot” Daphne said.

“I, too, have had my fair share of that” Ann said.

“ And which did you fancy the most?” Daphne asked.

“ I did enjoy reading Othello” Ann smiled.

“ You must enjoy reading romantic tragedies” Daphne said.

“ It indeed was a sad ending for Desdemona, but what intrigues me is Othello killing his love for Love” Ann said.

“ But normally I read everything” Ann added.

“ It sure is quite a complicated piece” Daphne said.

“ What about you? I'm sure you prefer romantic comedies the most” Ann asked.

“ Of course, I very much enjoyed reading Taming of the shrew” Daphne replied.

“ How I love that piece too” Ann said.

“ What about Midsummer night dream?” Daphne asked grinning.

“ I have read through it” Ann replied.

“ What about the tempest” Ann asked.

“ That was his most recent one and Lord knows I could kiss a frog in exchange for a volume” Daphne sighed.

“ I'm afraid I will have to lend you a piece of mine to prevent such from happening” Ann said grinning.

“ I wouldn't even do such as I'm afraid my husband will murder every amphibian once he hears such plans” Daphne laughed.

“ May I share in the humor” Richard asked walking towards them to sit beside Ann.

“ If you wish” Daphne said.

“ We were just wondering how many frogs Lord Mayfair would sentence to murder if Daphne ever told him of her plans of kissing one in exchange for a book” Ann said.

“ Well I'm sure he would kill a lot of them” Richard said.

“ Whatever were you talking about to bring up such scandalous ideas” Richard asked.

“ Although I fear you might not be interested, we were listing the Shakespearean plays we enjoyed the most” Daphne said.

“ Who says I'm not interested” Richard asked.

“ I'm your sister, I know you don't like reading” Daphne said.

“ Well I enjoyed reading Romeo and Juliet” Richard said.

“ You did?” Daphne asked looking bewildered.

“ I took Ann's advice and visited an eye doctor, so he recommended a pair of spectacles” he said smiling.

“ I'm dismayed, however did we never think about doing that?” Daphne asked blinking.

“ That was exactly what I wondered too” Richard said.

“ Nevertheless It is quite delightful for you have saved us a lot of trouble” Daphne concluded turning to Ann.

“ Well I just gave the most basic advise anyone would have given” Ann replied.

“ I am very sure we would be best of friends” Daphne announced grinning.

“ Oh no! I will not allow such a coup” Richard jumped in.

“ She already has a dear friend” he added defiantly.

“ Umm....” Ann stammered.

“ Well, I suppose she can still have other friends, can't she? “ Daphne asked with a smug smile lining her rosy lips.

“ Yes I suppose” Ann replied.

“ This is definitely a coup” Richard said crossing his leg.

“Never mind my brother, his talent is giving people discomfort Daphne whispered loudly.

“I'm positive you know I can hear you Daph” Richard drawled.

“Can I borrow your volume of Romeo and Juliet? I couldn't find any in the ladies book shop and the keeper had said it was too risqué and scandalous for the female audience" Ann asked turning to Richard.

" I will be delighted to lend you mine! My brother said the same thing to me last winter" Daphne said eyeing her brother.

" That was because you were unmarried" Richard said.

" I hardly found anything worth been deemed scandalous in the play" Daphne said.

Ann sat in silence as she watched the siblings argue. It was obvious they loved one another dearly and it was funny how they expressed it when arguing over the tiniest issues.

She once had a younger brother whom she was sure she had loved as much, but he had died at a young age of nine and she could hardly even remember his face now.

" I suppose will see you later at Westonhigh" Daphne said as she stood up to kiss her sisters goodbye before leaving to greet an older couple.

"I will escort miss Ann and the twins to Madame Lambert's before leaving" Richard said.

" As you wish" Daphne replied turning and waving at Ann who waved back.