CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Ido not care if they are inside or outside; I told you I do not want lessons!” Adeline answered.
Becoming used to the girl’s obstinacy, Deborah gave a careless shrug and still held out the summer hat. Deborah gave a careless shrug and still held out the summer hat.
“We are not going to have lessons today,” she announced.
One of Adeline’s furrowed brows rose curiously, and she unfolded her arms from her chest.
“We are not?” She asked, her tone still a little defensive.
Deborah shook her head and stepped forward, placing the light blue, wide-brimmed hat atop the girl’s head for her.
“No, we are not. I am exhausted from trying, and I believe that you are exhausted from denying me. So today we are not learning. We are playing.”
Both of Adeline’s brows rose this time as her mouth dropped open.
“We are?” She asked, her tone soft and hopeful now. “And we are going to play outside?”
Deborah smiled at her and tapped her finger playfully at the tip of Adeline’s nose.
“We are indeed,” she replied.
She’d decided on the new approach the night before. The girl obviously distrusted everyone around her, and that, Deborah realized, was where she needed to start. Not with lessons, but with friendship.
“Now come along,” Deborah urged, taking Adeline’s hand. “It is a beautiful day, and I have several games I should love to teach you.”
“I do not know,” Adeline said with uncertainty, even though she continued to walk along Deborah’s side, “Uncle says I should not play outside. It is bad for me.”
“What a preposterous thing to say!” Deborah answered with a laugh, “Sunshine and fresh air are good for everyone.”
She looked to Adeline then and found a tentative smile on the girl’s face.
“Very well then,” she agreed with a hint of hesitancy, “What sort of games are we going to play?”
In the large lawn behind Cedric’s estate, Deborah had organized several games. She had set up the stakes for croquet and had even found a set of mallets and balls in one of the many closets. She had also found hoops and wands, and old ribbon sticks; their ribbons were a little worn, but still shiny and colorful.
Deborah encouraged Adeline to pick the first activity, and Adeline chose croquet. She hesitantly asked Deborah to remind her of the rules, and after a quick refresher, they began to play.
“Did you play with this with your mother?” Deborah asked, keeping her tone casual as she watched Adeline line up her pink mallet with her ball.
“We had only gotten to play a few times before she passed,” Adeline explained, knocking her ball to her first peg.
She said it so conversationally, as if she were far older than her mere ten years.
“I am so sorry,” Deborah offered, lining up her shot, “It must have been awful.”
She hit her ball and missed. Adeline grinned and went to her ball.
“It was,” Adeline agreed as Deborah followed her, “But Mama always told me I needed to be strong. That I was stronger than anyone knew.”
She knocked her ball, and once again, she succeeded in hitting her peg.
“So that is what I shall be,” Adeline added, swinging her mallet up onto her shoulder with a smirk.
“Your mama sounds like a wonderful woman,” Deborah said softly.
Adeline’s smirk dropped as her gaze moved to the grass.