"Sir Guy's Atonement" (Book 3) by Gratiana Lovelace, 2015 (a Wattys2015 Nominee)

Ch. 32 (PG-13): Turning Point

Lady Anne/Marian then carries the tray of tea and cakes through the bed chamber hallway toward Lord Oxbridge's guest bed chamber. The sounds of her movement alerts the almost eleven year old Seth and the four year old Louis Gisborne to the household being awake and they open their bed chamber door and go and investigate. Stopping near the top of the grand central staircase and seeing the Lady who was with Lord John and Br. Tuck last night-but who was not introduced to him-Seth asks forthrightly as he rubs his eyes while standing barefoot in his long night shirt.

Seth: "Who are you, My Lady?"

Lady Anne/Marian is slightly startled and she turns her head to the obviously young boy whom she finds to be surprisingly taller than she.

Seth is not so self conscious about his appearance in nightclothes to feel embarrassed to be seen in such a state of disarray by a guest in their home as a young man might-thus hinting at his still present but waning boyishness. However, for Seth's four year old brother Louis, it is a wonder that the younger boy is clothed at all. His sleeping humors are vexingly changeable-ranging from him feeling overwarm-causing him to cast off all manner of blankets and clothing- to him feeling chilly and wanting more bed warming bricks. The scorch marks on his bed sheets unfortunately attest to the latter condition's frequency.

Lady Anne/Marian: "I am Lady Anne, Lord Oxbridge's ... nurse." She states simply as she tilts her head at his bed chamber door-for children need not be burdened with the complexity of adult relationships.

And even Lady Anne/Marian is confused as to what she and Lord Oxbridge are to each other-each of them assuming they are not free to love the other. Lord Oxbridge restrains his emotions around Lady Anne because he is married and he has nothing honorable to offer her. And Lady Anne does not give hope to her heart's wishes because her grievous injury seven years ago has made her barren-or at least her health would be endangered by becoming with child-and also because he is married.

Seeing the cakes on her tray, little Louis' mouth salivates and he licks his lips. He is hungry this morn.

Seth: Remembering his manners, Seth suggests. "My Lady, Pray let me open Lord Oxbridge's bed chamber door for you." He offers helpfully. She nods her thanks, points to the correct door, and he knocks, then he opens the door.

Lady Anne/Marian: She smiles at Seth, then looks down at Louis. "Lord John, It is I-and Seth and Louis Gisborne."

Then Lady Anne/Marian looks up and sees Lord John standing before her frozen with embarrassment-with him wearing his drawers and nought else so surprised by her swift entry into his bed chamber that he had not the time to dress. Seth wearing only his nightshirt thinks nothing of seeing Lord John without his shirt on.

Seth's papa is often informally attired when the family are gathered in private-such as bedtime stories or swimming in the pond-and even on the practice field. His father Baron Guy's manly physique is what Seth aspires to attain-and then maintain-when Seth reaches his own maturity a few years from now. And Baron Guy might be a fortyfive year old man-and a noble one at that-but he is in peak physical condition. And Baron Guy has found a renewed zest for life with his wife and children that finds him being quite more mellow than was his own noble family etiquette driven upbringing.