Page 30 of Lion and the Lamb: Easter

“Why does he get a choice in the matter and Winifred doesn’t?” asked Rachael.

“You know as well as I that she is just a girl and can’t make these decisions for herself. Now please, don’t cause any trouble. I need to go down to the docks to see if I can figure out what the hell is going on. If one more shipment gets stolen from under my nose, it is going to ruin me.”

“I’m just going to comfort Winifred,” said Rachael in thought, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Good girl,” said Lionel, giving her a quick kiss. “You truly are a lamb.”

With that, he turned on his heel and hurried away.

“Lamb, huh?” she mumbled, watching him go. She had to do something to help Winifred, and she wouldn’t stop until she succeeded. “More like a wolf in lamb’s clothing,” she said with a smile, entering the room and closing the door behind her.

“What do you want?” snapped Winifred, lying face down on her bed, crying.

“I came to comfort you,” said Rachael, slowly making her way over to the girl.

“Father has posted a guard at my door so I can’t even run away.”

“I know, sweetheart. I’m sorry.” She sat down on the edge of the bed, running her hand through Winifred’s beautiful long hair. “However, running away isn’t the answer.”

“Well, marrying an old man with six children isn’t the answer either,” said Winifred into the pillow. Her shoulders shook and her chest heaved as she bawled. “I’ll never be with Gilly, the man I love.”

“Love?” That took Rachael by surprise even more than hearing Winifred call Gilly a man when he was naught more than a lad. “Winifred, your father is in some serious trouble,” she told her. “Part of Lord Guildersleeve’s shipment has gone missing and he doesn’t know where it is. If he doesn’t make this alliance through your betrothal – it could mean a battle that might take the lives of everyone here.”

Winifred’s head lifted. “Everyone might die?” she asked. “Even grandmother and Aunt Lillian? And you and Drew?”

“And your father,” said Rachael with a nod, not thinking that hearing her father would die would actually affect her at all.

“I’m scared,” said Winifred, sitting up with her long hair loose and tangled around her head. “Rachael, I don’t want to be a wife and a mother right now. And certainly not to Lord Guildersleeve’s son.”

“I know, sweetie,” said Rachael with a sigh, trying to untangle the girl’s hair. “I want to help you, but I don’t know what to do. They will be here first thing in the morning to meet you. If Lord Humphrey decides he wants you for his wife, the papers will be signed, and the alliance finalized.” Rachael saw the boar’s bristle brush on the bedside table. She picked it up and held it to Winifred’s head. “Now, let me brush out your hair so you’ll look beautiful for tomorrow.”

“I don’t want to look beautiful,” cried Winifred as Rachael brought the brush to her head. “I just want to go back to looking and acting like a boy again. I don’t want to be a lady.”

“Oh, don’t talk like that. Of course you do.” Her hand stilled, and then she pulled the brush away from Winifred, getting a devious, but wonderful idea. “Or do you?” she asked with a smile. Aye, the wolf in lamb’s clothing had returned.