"No. I am here for the party."
"I see. Are you not a little too young to be in attendance?"
She certainly was, and far too young to be out alone, but she did not want to frighten her by reminding her of that. The girl stepped out from behind the shrub at that, just enough to be properly seen.
"I came with my family."
"I see, and might they be nearby?"
She asked it carefully, so as not to startle her too much, but the little girl flushed at it regardless.
"I wanted to play. Please do not tell them."
"Fear not, for I do not know who your family is. To be honest with you, I do not know anything at all here. I almost got entirely lost on my way out here."
The little girl smiled at that, her weight shifting before she looked at her devilishly.
"I know where everything is," she said.
"I should expect nothing less."
Eleanor shifted slightly, then lowered herself without hesitation to sit by the edge of the path, bringing herself nearer to the child’s height without making a point of it.
"You are not supposed to sit there," she said.
"Then it would seem that neither of us follow rules very well."
The child studied her for a moment longer, then stepped closer again.
"My brother would be furious with us if he saw us. He always needs everything to be perfect."
"I would take that as a compliment, then. Perfection is impossible, after all."
There was almost disbelief in the girl's eyes, as though Eleanor had said the most ridiculous thing. Her heart broke for her, knowing all too well that she was under immense expectations, the kind that she would never be able to meet.
"You are very well acquainted with this place then, yes?"
"I am," she said. "I know the best places."
"I should very much like to know them as well."
The child hesitated, though only briefly.
"Perhaps I will show you."
"I should be grateful."
"You must not tell anyone."
"Of course not."
"Especially my brother."
Eleanor’s expression shifted slightly. Once again, she had mentioned her brother. It struck her, for it was usually a father that a child mentioned, which had to mean that her father was not in the home.
She hoped her assumption was incorrect.
"Your brother?"