am certain that we shall enjoy ourselves this afternoon,’ Amelia said. ‘I am eager to meet Gerard’s daughter. She has been brought up in France until the past few months, and I dare say she may not understand English as well as she needs to if she is to communicate with the other children. I know that Gerard’s nanny will be present, so we shall have help.’
The two ladies smiled at each other as they approached the large salon where the celebrations for the younger guests were taking place. Entering, they saw that the room had been decorated with silver and gold stars; there was also a crib with wooden animals and a doll representing the Baby Jesus and two of the servants were dressed as Joseph and Mary. Some of the other servants were dressed as the three kings, and they had big sacks of gifts. These would be distributed to the children at the end of the entertainment.
All kinds of delicious foods that might appeal to children had been set out on a table: sweet jellies, bottled fruits, cakes and tiny biscuits, also fingers of bread and butter with the crusts cut off and spread with honey.
‘Amelia…Miss Barton.’ Gerard approached them with a smile. ‘May I have the pleasure of introducing my daughter, Lisa, to you? Lisa—this is Miss Amelia Royston—and Miss Emily Barton. Greet them nicely, my love.’
‘Bonjour, Mademoiselle Royston, bonjour, Mademoiselle Barton,’ Lisa said and dipped a curtsy. ‘I am pleased to meet you.’ She tipped her head and looked at Gerard. ‘Was that correct, Papa?’
Her manner was that of a little coquette. She was pretty, an enchanting little doll dressed in satin and frills, her dark eyes bright and mischievous; ringlets the colour of hazelnuts covered her head and were tied with a pink ribbon. Amelia adored her at once, completely understanding why Gerard had fallen in love with his daughter. For although Lisa did not carry his blood, she was undoubtedly his in every other way and the affection between them was a joy to see.
‘It was charming, Mademoiselle Ravenshead.’ Amelia smiled at her and held out her hand. ‘Your English is very good. I see that you have been attending your lessons. Shall we go and see what Lady Pendleton has given us for tea?’
‘Papa always speaks to me in English.’ Lisa hesitated, then placed her tiny hand in Amelia’s. She looked at her in a confiding manner. ‘I am hungry, but Nanny said that I was not to eat anything. She says that the food is not suitable for me.’
‘Oh, I think it would be a shame if you were not to have any of it,’ Amelia replied. ‘Perhaps not too much chocolate cake, but I think a small piece and some bread and honey could not hurt anyone.’
‘We always had honey for tea in France,’ Lisa told her with a happy smile. ‘Nanny says a boiled egg is better, but I like honey for tea.’
‘Well, do you know, so do I. Shall we have some?’
‘Yes, please. Can I have a piece of cake? Nanny doesn’t allow me cake.’ Lisa looked sorrowful and then a smile peeped out. ‘I have cake sometimes with Papa.’
‘I think Christmas is an exception, don’t you? Besides, Lady Pendleton would be very upset if all this lovely food went to waste—do you not think so?’
‘Yes, I should think so,’ Lisa said, giving her a naughty look. ‘Could I have some of that red jelly, please?’
‘I think perhaps that would be acceptable,’ Amelia said. ‘We shall have bread and honey and a jelly each—and then a piece of cake. How does that sound?’
‘I beg your pardon, Miss Royston, but I do not allow my charge to eat such rich food as a rule.’
Amelia turned her head to look at the woman who had spoken. The child’s nanny was a severe-looking woman with irongrey hair and a thin mouth. She was perhaps fifty years of age and had doubtless ruled more than one nursery with a rod of iron. Amelia took an instant dislike to her, but hid it behind a polite smile.
‘I believe we should relax the rules a little, Nanny,’ she said pleasantly. ‘This is Christmas, after all, and the earl asked me especially to make sure that his daughter enjoys herself. Lisa will not eat too much.’
‘It is just that I do not wish her to be sick all night, ma’am.’
‘I do not think it likely,’ Amelia said. ‘Please do what you can to help with the other children, Nanny. Lisa will be quite safe with me.’
The woman nodded and moved away. From the set of her shoulders, Amelia guessed that she was angry. She hoped that her refusal to accept Nanny’s authority would not lead to some form of punishment for Lisa later.
‘Do you like to play games?’ she asked Lisa, making up her mind that she would speak to Gerard on the subject of his daughter’s nanny later.
‘I do not know, mademoiselle. I have never played any—except that Papa takes me up on his horse with him sometime. We run and chase each other in the garden when Nanny cannot see us. Is that a game?’
‘Yes, one kind of a game but there are many others. Do you not have puzzles or a hoop to play with?’
‘Papa gave me things when we came to England, but Nanny says I should study my books. She says playing with toys is a waste of time.’
‘Does she indeed?’ Amelia kept her voice light and without criticism. ‘Lady Pendleton has several games for us to play today—musical chairs and pass the parcel, and I have seen some spilikins. I think that you and I might play these games together. It is Christmas, after all—and there are prizes to be won.’
Amelia smiled as she saw the little girl’s face light up. Gerard was right to be concerned about his daughter’s nanny. Lisa was clearly a high-spirited child and needed discipline, but not to the extent that she was forbidden time to play or the food that she enjoyed.
Two hours later, Amelia had fallen totally in love with her new friend. Lisa had blossomed, becoming a natural, happy little girl, as they joined in noisy games of pass the parcel and musical chairs. Susannah had been in charge of the music and saw to it that every child managed to win a small gift, which was most often sweetmeats or a trinket of some kind. Lisa won a little silver cross on a pink ribbon, and as a gift she was given a doll with a porcelain head and a stuffed body. It was wearing a pink satin dress that matched hers and, when the party ended, she ran to show it to her father.
‘Beautiful,’ he said and kissed her, gazing at Amelia over the child’s head. ‘Has this scamp of mine been good, Amelia?’
‘Oh, I think so,’ Amelia said. ‘We have enjoyed ourselves, have we not, Lisa?’
‘Oui, merci, mademoiselle,’ Lisa said and curtsied to her. ‘Will you come and see me again, please? I would like you to be my friend.’ There was something a little desperate in the child’s look as she saw her nurse coming to claim her. ‘Please…’
‘Yes, certainly. I shall come in the morning,’ Amelia said. ‘I have a gift for you, Lisa—and I think we could go for a walk together in the park or even a ride in the carriage since it is cold. You, your papa and me—how would that be?’
‘I should like it above all things, mademoiselle.’ Lisa threw herself at Amelia and hugged her.
‘Come along, Miss Ravenshead,’ Nanny said. ‘You are over-excited. You will never sleep and I shall be up all night with
