“Come on, Juliet,” her youngest brother, Lucas, called, tugging her hand.
Coming back to present, Juliet adjusted her spectacles and shot Lucas an apologetic smiled. “Let’s be off, shall we?” Holding the door open, she waited for her six brothers and sisters to pass through. “Are you coming, too?” she asked Henrietta who was sprawled out on the sofa, seeming not to have a care in the world.
“No.”
Juliet shook her head. “All right. But I have no idea why you’re so against a little sunshine.”
“Because then my skin would be like yours,” Henrietta replied with a shudder.
“And that’s such a crime since you have such lofty marriage prospects, don’t you?” Juliet mumbled under her breath as she none-too-gently shut the front door. “And which way shall we be walking today?”
“That way,” Dara said, pointing her stubby finger down the lane that didn’t lead to the village but away.
Juliet shrugged. There wasn’t any reason not to go that way. It was probably better they didn’t go into the village anyway. Last time they went by the confectioner’s shop she was reminded that it was her fault they’d never get to taste sweets again. Clearing her throat and her thoughts, she nodded. “Very well. Let’s go for a walk down the lane and perhaps we can take one of those little trails that lead down to the creek.”
“You’re not going to turn this into a science lesson, are you?” Peter asked with a pout.
Tapping her index finger against her lip, Juliet cocked her head to the left and nearly lost her spectacles. Righting those pesky things, she said, “Actually, that’s an excellent idea. I don’t know much about biology,” or science in general if one wanted to be particular, “but I do know a little.” A few years back while she was attending Sloan’s School for Young Ladies she’d met a young girl named Edwina Banks who was a few years her junior. Edwina had an older brother, Alex Banks, the current Baron Watson, who had the greatest interest in science of anyone she’d ever met.
Once when Edwina invited Juliet to Watson Estate (which, it should be noted, she only agreed to go at her parents urging), she was bored nearly to the state of tears listening to him prattle on about his latest science experiment. Good thing he hadn’t shown any genuine interest in her. Her parents would have leapt at the prospect of the match. She snorted. Her parents would have leapt at the idea of a match to just about anyone. Thank goodness the smithy who lived two villages over suddenly decided he’d like to emigrate to America. If he hadn’t, Juliet could have been Mrs. Saxon. She shuddered at the mental image that created and quickened her pace.
“All right, Juliet, what droll facts do you have to knock into our heads about the fungus we’re passing?” Samuel grumbled.
“Actually, none.”
“None?” three of the six echoed in unison.
“None,” she agreed. “Now, do your best to snap your mouths closed so I can tell you all I know about the fauna.”
A chorus of groans followed and Juliet beamed at the group. Apparently something Lord Watson droned on about had stuck in her brain. Unfortunately, she really didn’t know if they were passing fauna or flora, or if they were one in the same. But her siblings didn’t need to know that. Instead, she regaled them with her knowledge of the greenery they were passing, only fibbing or throwing in what she knew to be blatantly unrelated information occasionally.
“What’s that?” Jane asked, her brows puckering together.
“I have no idea,” Juliet admitted, all thoughts of fauna, or flora, or whatever it was they were passing vanished as her attention was caught by an onslaught of noise that could rouse the dead.
“It sounds like a buncha banshees to me,” Lucas said, his eyes growing wide with wonder.
Peter puffed out his chest. “You don’t worry, Juliet. Us menfolk will go take care of it. Come on, Lucas, Samuel, Joseph we gots to go protect the helpless lasses.”
Juliet fought the urge to laugh. Leave it to Peter to try to act defensive. He was only trying to get out of doing lessons. Besides, those screams sounded like squeals of joy and giggles, not blood curdling screams of terror and death. Taking note of the four boys’ looks of determination to “protect the helpless lasses” she smiled and said, “All right, run along.”
A second later all four boys scampered down the road at a hell-for-hide speed, disappearing just beyond the bend.
Juliet chuckled at their chivalrous streak as Jane and Dara each grabbed one of her hands. “Y-you don’t th-think they’re going to g-get h-hurt, d-do you?” Jane asked, her lower lip quivering.