Stranger in My Arms(31)



“Awright.” Resignedly the child sat before her.

Lara began to cut his hair, snipping carefully through the unruly mass.

Her progress was slow, as she stopped frequently to comfort Johnny, who was flinching with each snip of the scissors.

“Oh, let me,” Rachel said after a few minutes. “I was always better at this, Lara. Remember, Papa used to let me cut his hair before he lost it all.”

Lara laughed and relinquished the child to Rachel’s expert hands.

She stood back to watch as great clumps of snarled hair fell to the floor. “It’s beautiful,” Rachel murmured, carefully shaping the hair to the boy’s head. “Black as ink, with just the hint of a curl. He’s a handsome lad, isn’t he? Hold still, my lad-I’ll be finished in a flea’s leap.”

Her sister was right, Lara realized in surprise.

Johnny was handsome, with strong features, a bold nose, glossy black hair, and bright blue eyes. He tried to return Lara’s smile as he sat up straight on the stool, but his mouth stretched in an irrepressible yawn, and he swayed slightly.

“Imp!” Rachel exclaimed. “You mustn’t move. I nearly snipped the tip of your ear off!”

“He’s tired,” Lara said, coming forward to remove the towel and pull the boy off the stool. “That’s enough for now, Rachel.” She carried Johnny to a nearby mahogany sofa with flowing lines and soft velvet upholstery. “Naomi, thank you for helping us.

You may go now.”

“Yes, milady,” the maid said, dipping in a quick curtsy and leaving the room.

The child cuddled against Lara’s side. It felt strangely natural to have his slight weight resting on her, his head bobbing in the crook of her shoulder.

“Go to sleep; Johnny.” She stroked his head, the dark hair soft and silky beneath her fingertips. “I’ll be here when you awaken.”

“D’ye promise?”

“Oh, yes.”

That reassurance seemed to be all he needed. He settled harder against her and went limp, his breathing deep and even.

Rachel settled in a nearby chair, her wondering gaze fixed on Lara’s face. “Who is he, Larissa? Why have you brought him here?”

“He’s an orphan,” Lara replied, resting her hand on the child’s back.

“There’s no room for him anywhere. He was sent over from Holbeach Prison, where his father was hanged.”

“A convicted felon’s son!” Rachel exclaimed, causing the boy to twitch in his sleep.

“Hush, Rachel,” Lara said with a reproving frown.

“It’s not his fault.” She bent over the child protectively, rubbing his back until he relaxed again.

Rachel shook her head in bewilderment. “Even with the way you usually carry on over children, I wouldn’t have expected this. Actually bringing him to your home-what will Lord Hunter say?”

“I don’t know. I’m sure Hunter won’t approve, but there’s something about this boy that makes me want to keep him safe.”

“Lara, you feel that way about every child you encounter.”

“Yes, but this one is special.” Lara felt awkward and tongue-tied as she fumbled for a rational explanation. “When I first saw him, he had a mouse in his pocket. He had brought it from prison.”

“A mouse,” Rachel repeated, shivering suddenly.

“Dead or alive?”

“Alive and kicking,” Lara said ruefully. “Johnny was taking care of it. Isn’t that remarkable? Locked away in that prison, facing horrors you and I could never imagine… and he found a little creature to love and care for.”

Rachel shook her head and smiled as she stared at Lara. “So that’s the attraction. The two of you share a habit of collecting strays. You’re kindred spirits.”

Overwhelmed by tenderness, Lara stared at the sleeping child. He had given her his trust, and she would die before failing him. “I know that I can’t rescue every child in the world,” she said. “But I can save a few of them. I can save this one.”

“What are you planning to do with him?”

“I haven’t thought of a plan yet.”

“Surely you’re not considering keeping him?”

Lara’s defensive silence was answer enough.

Rachel sat beside her and spoke earnestly. “Dearest, I never knew Hunter very well-and even less now than before-but I know about the grief he caused you when you failed to conceive. He wants his own child, an heir, not some gutter-bred child who’s come from a prison.”

“Rachel,” Lara murmured, astonished.

Rachel looked ashamed but resolute. “You may not like my choice of words, but I must be frank. You’ve become accustomed to making choices without the interference of a husband. Now Hunter has returned, and things are different. A wife must abide by her husband’s decisions.”

Lara set her jaw stubbornly. “I’m not trying to offer this boy as a substitute for the children I can’t have.”

“How else is Hunter to see it?”

“The way I do-that this is a little boy who needs our help.”

“Dearest.” Rachel’s delicate mouth curved in a sad smile. “I don’t want you to be disappointed. I don’t think it is wise to cause problems between yourself and Hunter so soon after his return. A peaceful marriage is the greatest blessing imaginable.”

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