Lady Gouldian

by Read, Calia

  Just so perfect.

  He could speak French fluently. Actually, he could speak three different languages. Daddy was quite impressed and said he had a bright mind.

  But not even Asa was willing to lay in the grass and look up at the sky with me for this long. However, last week, he broke his foot. I overheard my brothers and Miles saying that if Asa could hold his drinks better, he wouldn’t have fallen halfway down the stairs at our house.

  What had they meant by that? I drank sweet tea and cow’s milk every day. Was I at risk of getting a broken foot too? I asked Daddy yesterday, and he merely coughed into his fist and told me no, it was a different kind of drink. A magic drink.

  If this magic drink incited injuries, I didn’t believe I ever wanted a sip.

  However, if there was one benefit to Asa’s injury it was that he had to sit and rest. Since that was nearly impossible to do at Belgrave and around my brother’s, he was stuck with me.

  It had been heaven for me. For Asa, I thought he was merely tolerating me, counting down the weeks until his foot healed, and he could resume his regular activities.

  “How is your foot?” I asked.

  Asa sat up and I quickly did the same. “It’s fine. Still broken since the last time you asked me earlier this afternoon.”

  Sheepishly, I shrugged and looked at the ground.

  “Thank you for askin’, though,” he said.

  When I looked at Asa, he gave me a kind smile. My heart swelled with happiness. I knew that tonight, when I was lying in bed, I’d be repeating this moment in my head over and over.

  Not even the sound of my brothers and Miles approaching could dampen my spirits.

  Livingston, Étienne, Julian, and Miles took no notice of me. Miles was telling my brothers a story that required animated hand gestures. Something he said caused Livingston to break into laughter, but only brought a small smile to Étienne’s face. From my spot, I could hear Julian say he didn’t understand why they were laughing.

  Once they saw me sitting next to Asa, they quieted down. Julian was in good spirits and waved at me. Of course, he was happy. Livingston and Étienne allowed him to stick around them the entire day. Julian was living his dream and I was living mine.

  “Nat, are you keepin’ this invalid company?” Miles asked with a smile.

  Asa frowned and stared intently at the ground. I knew Miles, Étienne and Livingston were his best friends, but right now, I had nothing but anger directed toward them for needling at Asa.

  Rising up onto my knees, I clenched my fists. “He’s not an invalid! Don’t say that.”

  Their smiles vanished. Even Asa looked at me, confused.

  “They know that, Nattie,” Julian said gently.

  “It was a simple jest,” Étienne chimed in.

  My anger dimmed, and slowly, my fists unclenched. I sat back on the ground and watched Livingston approach.

  “Is your friend gone?” he asked.

  His eyes furtively moved toward the trees at every little sound. Étienne walked behind him, and a branch cracked beneath his feet, causing Livingston to jump. Miles, Asa, and Étienne laughed at him.

  “My sister isn’t here,” Miles said around his laughter.

  Livingston sniffed and looked around the tree before he leaned against it. “You can never be certain about that. Le savauge always manages to appear in the most unexpected of places.”

  “It sounds to me as though you’re scared of her,” Étienne remarked.

  Livingston scoffed. “I’m not scared of a little girl. The truth is, I’m goin’ gentle on le savauge.”

  “That so?” Miles asked.

  Livingston nodded. It seemed he grew more confident with each passing second that Rainey didn’t appear. “Of course. She’s a little girl. If I unleashed my… power. Nothin’ would stop me.”

  Everyone went silent.

  Étienne looked around before he cleared his throat. “That doesn’t reassure anyone. It sounds rather meancin’.”

  “Yes, I agree. You sound as though you’re a predator of children.”

  Livingston rolled his eyes. “That’s not what I meant!” He glanced at Asa and smiled. “You’re smart! Tell me you understand.”

  Asa blinked up at him and shook his head. “No, I do not. I agree with your brother and Miles. You sound quite weird.”

  Livingston threw his hands up and then, right before our eyes, Rainey dropped from the tree. “You should be scared of me, Lacroix.”

  I had the satisfaction of watching Livingston clutch a hand to his chest, while Rainey landed on the ground like a jungle cat. If my best friend could live in trees and britches, she would.

  “My God, le savauge!” Livingston held his hands out in front of him and took a step back. Only one girl could put the fear of God in Livingston and it was Rainey Pleasonton. “You need a bell around your neck to alert all innocent bystanders.”

  “I could have twenty bells on, and you still wouldn’t hear me,” Rainey said smartly.

  “Well, I’m ready to leave.”

  “Why are you not unleashin’ your power, Livingston?” Miles teased.

  Étienne, Julian and Rainey began to laugh. I held back a giggle. Even Asa smiled at the remark.

  “Because you all called me a predator.” He waved us away. “Forget it. I’m going to the stables. Whoever wants to come can come.” Livingston quickly saw the error in his words and amended them. “Anyone who isn’t named le savauge.”

  Rainey didn’t say a word. Just narrowed her eyes and watched as our brothers began to walk toward the driveway.

  They were a few steps away when Miles looked over his shoulder. “Asa, are you comin’?”

  “Hold on.” Asa sat up and reached for his wooden crutches. Days ago, he complained of pain around the underside of his arms, so Momma, with the help of a servant, placed cotton pads over the curved base of the crutches and layered them with extra material used for sewing. They then used fibrous string to keep the material from slipping off the crutches.

  Ordinarily, Asa didn’t have much to say. But when Momma handed him his crutches back and he tried them out, he was fascinated and asked every question he could about Momma’s creation.

  He said it helped with the pain, but I had seen him flinch several times today whenever he had to use his crutches for too long. I watched him stand and wince as the crutches settled underneath his arms. But he didn’t protest or say a word. Asa simply grinded his teeth and continued forward.

  “Good-bye, Asa!” I said cheerfully.

  He stopped to give a wave before he continued. I smiled as I watched him go. I wished he could’ve stayed longer, but I was just glad I got the time with him I did. I would cherish it forever.

  Rainey sat in Asa’s former spot and made a gagging noise.

  Sitting up straight, I looked at her. “What?”

  “The way you look at him. It’s sickenin’.” Rainey leaned in close, her face suddenly serious. “You know Asa’s best friends with our brothers, right? That makes him one of our tormentors.”

  “No, that makes Livingston your tormentor. Asa has always been kind to me.”

  Drawing her legs close to her chest, Rainey propped her chin onto one knee and looked toward the trees. “Why do you care for him?”

  “I more than care for him.” I sighed. “I love him. And I’m gonna marry him.”

  Rainey made a face, as though she had eaten something sour. “How silly. I love my slingshot, and what it can do for me, but I don’t want to marry it.”

  “I mean it.”

  “So do I,” Rainey replied solemnly. “Plus, you don’t want to marry him.”

  I leaned in, curious to hear what she had to say. “Why not?”

  “Because if you marry him, you have to kiss him.”

  The two of us made a face. “I don’t want to kiss him, Rainey!”

  “But married people do that!” Rainey insisted. “And I heard that if you kiss someone that’s how…” Her voice ca
rried away as she gestured with her hands a round belly in front of her. “You become with child.”

  The idea seemed so horrifying the two of us landed on the ground, making noises that led to giggles. Once we were done, I sat up with a shocking realization. “Wait. That means Momma and Daddy have kissed three times!”

  Rainey pondered my question. “Well, Étienne and Livingston are twins so maybe they kissed double to have them.”

  “Eww! Don’t say that!”

  Rainey shrugged. “We have to think this through, Nat.”

  “No. No more talk of that.” We became quiet and I turned to her with a smile. “Your parents kissed twice.”

  Rainey solemnly nodded. “I believe it. Momma didn’t want germs.”

  We fell into more laughter that grew into a comfortable silence. After a while, Rainey looked at me and sighed. “It seems to me that love is a lost treasure. Everybody is searchin’ for it, but nobody can find it.”

  “What a sad thing to think.”

  Rainey shrugged. “It’s the truth. That’s why I will marry no one.”

  While Rainey smiled defiantly, I stared in shock. “You must marry. Nobody should be alone.”

  Rainey shook her head as though I wasn’t listening. “As long as I have my slingshot and bow and arrow, I’m not alone.” She grew silent as she thought of her next words. “Besides, why would you want to marry Asa? He’s… old. When you’re a debutante, he’ll probably be married. He’ll always be ahead of you. And did I mention he’s our brothers’ friends?”

  The corners of my mouth lifted at the last of her words. But nothing she said could sway how I felt. Not even the part about him being married to someone else. Although that did make me feel like I’d been punched in the gut.

  Stubbornly, I lifted my chin and stood firm. “I’m sure. I’ll catch up to him in age someday.”

  Rainey sighed, still unconvinced. She stood up, wiping the dust from the back of her pants. “While you wait to catch up to him, I’m leavin’.”

  “Where are you goin’?” I hollered.

  “To the stables!” she tossed over her shoulder. “Your brother said he would be there, correct?”

  “Which brother?” I shouted back.

  Rainey turned to look at me and continued to walk. “My enemy.”

  I sighed. She didn’t need to say anymore. “Yes, he’s in the stables.”

  “Excellent!”

  In a flash, she changed directions and ran down the drive. Left alone, I looked around.

  Perhaps I was silly to love Asa. But he was so smart, and kind and when he talked with me, he always gave me his undivided attention.

  Standing, I began the long trek back to Belgrave. As I walked, the trees lining the gravel drive served as a perfect canopy from the sun. I stared down at my shoes, replaying my conversation with Asa from earlier when I heard gravel crunching ahead of me.

  I lifted my head and saw a tall form with one leg swinging above the ground, and arms clutching a pair of crutches.

  My lips curled into a wide smile. I thought for sure he would be with my brothers and Miles.

  Without a second thought, I broke into a run to catch up with him. Normally, it was hard for me to keep up with Asa’s long strides, but the crutches set him back and I was by his side within seconds.

  “Asa? What are you doin’?” I asked.

  “Well, hello, Nat,” Asa greeted me as though this was the first time he was seeing me today.

  My eyes swept in the direction of the trees as the two of us continued to walk toward Belgrave. For the first time, I had to slow down my steps for him. “Did my brothers leave you?”

  Asa gave a curt nod, keeping his focus on every step. “I believe I was far too slow for them.”

  He swung his body forward, his good leg taking the lead while his broken foot continued to dangle above the ground. Every time he shifted his body onto his crutches, his face contorted into one of discomfort.

  “You appear to be in pain,” I commented.

  Asa glanced at me from the corner of his eye and stubbornly forged ahead. “I have a broken foot.”

  “I understand. But your arms seem to be in pain too.”

  “They hurt,” Asa grunted as he took another step forward. “Because of these blasted,” another grunt, “crutches.”

  My heart lurched as I watched him wince in pain with every step.

  You need to help him! He’s in pain.

  Skipping ahead of him, I held my finger out. “You stay here! I’m gonna do somethin’. All right?”

  Asa stopped walking and took a deep breath. “Oh, no. I’m runnin’ away,” he dryly muttered under his breath.

  Skeptically, I looked at him, unsure whether he was jesting or being honest. You could just never tell with him.

  “Just go,” he grumbled. “I clearly can’t go far.”

  I took off down the drive, my legs moved so fast the frilled yoke around my neckline flew around my face, momentarily covering my eyes. When I reached Belgrave, I hurried up the porch steps and burst through the front door. Momma stood in the foyer, arranging a floral bouquet with one of the servants. Her brown hair was pulled into a bun, but the heat caused tendrils to escape near her ears and temples. Even when Momma was only spending her day at Belgrave, she still took great care in her appearance. Her green dress matched the color of her eyes. The long sleeves were lined with lace. A golden tone organza silk encircled her waist, and mid-way up the full skirt was a bow of the same color.

  Upon spotting me, her eyes widened. She dropped the flower in her hand and walked over to me. “Goodness, Nattie, what is the matter?”

  Clutching one of my momma’s arms, I took a moment to catch my breath. My sprint was short, but I was now sweating profusely. The blue dress Momma had my maid put on me this morning was too heavy. The long sleeves especially.

  “Momma, it’s Asa! His leg is causin’ him a lot of pain.”

  Momma looked toward the driveway and squinted her eyes. “Where are the boys?”

  I stood a bit straighter as I proudly declared, “They left him.”

  “Hmm… of course they did, and so he walked up the driveway with you?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to see my brothers in trouble for leaving Asa behind.

  By the time Momma and I made it down the steps, Asa had almost reached the circular drive. His face was contorted in pain with every step and little beads of sweat had gathered on his forehead.

  “Asa, what are you doin’?” Momma asked as she hurried to his side.

  “Walkin’, ma’am.”

  “He needs to sit down,” I voiced. “He’s in pain.”

  Momma looked at me from the corner of her eye before she turned her attention back to Asa. “Is that true?”

  “No, ma’am.”

  Momma wasn’t convinced. With her arms crossed, she regarded him closely. “Asa Calhoun. Tell me the truth.”

  After a beat of silence, he dipped his head. “My foot is givin’ me trouble, and my arms are a bit sore from the crutches.”

  “Very well. As I thought. Come inside. You can rest in the sittin’ room until my boys find their manners and come back home.”

  “No ma’am, that’s not necessary.”

  Momma arched a brow. All she heard in that sentence was the word ‘no.’ “Come to the sittin’ room,” she repeated, leaving no room to argue.

  Asa knew there was no use fighting and nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

  I knew Asa was embarrassed by the attention, but this was good. I did the right thing. He would feel better once he was off his foot.

  As Momma helped him up the porch steps, he gave me a look of betrayal. Quickly, I looked away, feeling my cheeks turn hot.

  But I did this for him!

  Momma got Asa inside and settled on the settee. He profusely thanked the servant who took his crutches, laying them on the floor.

  “Now, you sit there and relax. Miss
Cecilia is wrappin’ ice in towels for your foot and arms. You let me know if you need anythin’ else.”

  Asa tried his hardest to object but Momma wouldn’t hear anything of it. She left the room while Miss Cecilia bustled into the sitting room, hands filled with ice wrapped in towels.

  She took one look at me and gestured to the open doorway. “Shoo Miss Nathalie. I have things to do, and I don’t be needin’ you under my feet.”

  I wanted to help. I wanted to sit next to Asa and continue to talk for as long as I could, but Cecilia was not someone you disobeyed and lived to tell the tale.

  Furtively, I looked at Asa from the corner of my eye before I walked out of the room. It wouldn’t have mattered anyways. Two more servants had come into the room and were surrounding him, insisting that it would be far more comfortable if he had his other boot off.

  In the foyer, I looked at the front door. I could try and find Rainey. But she had likely climbed another tree, waiting for the perfect opportunity to attack Livingston once again. Hard to say where my brothers and Miles were.

  I was better off waiting in the gardens until Cecilia was sure to be done, and then I would sit with Asa. I walked down the hall, toward the back entrance of the house, when I approached Daddy’s office and heard his voice along with Momma’s.

  I knew I shouldn’t have snooped. Just last week I told Momma that Julian snooped anytime they had a private dinner party. She scolded him and prohibited him from riding his horse for a week.

  But I heard the name Asa, and I couldn’t help myself. I stopped in my tracks and strained to hear their conversation. Stepping closer to the door, I peered inside the room.

  Momma leaned against Daddy’s desk. He sat in his chair, staring up at her with a smirk while she described to him how I came to her, distressed about Asa.

  Daddy shook his head. “Oh, Nattie. You know how protective she is of her Asa.”

  The way Momma and Daddy softly laughed had me confused. What was amusing about me wanting to protect Asa?