The Maid and the Little Master (3)
Returning to the room, I put Robert to bed. For someone who had caused such a fuss, he looked too calm. Burying his face in the pillow, he shifted a little before falling asleep.
I carefully turned his head, afraid that this position would make it difficult for him to breathe. The child's eyes were swollen, and the remnants of tears were visible under them.
I wiped away the wet marks and covered him with a blanket. She stroked Robert's head a little, then carefully left the room. Joely was waiting outside.
- Long time no see.
- Yes. Why are you still here, madam?
- Because I'm bored. Let’s chat,” Joely said with a friendly smile.
Do I need to keep her company? After some hesitation, I followed her.
“It’s not easy for you to deal with Robert’s stubbornness, is it?”
- Nothing like that.
- Give it up. It seems that you were in doubt: should you let him climb onto the statue or not?
- …
- I understand. He's just lonely.
The nanny said the same thing. I walked closer to Joely and asked:
“Why does he want to climb this statue so much?”
- He's waiting.
- Whom?
And then I saw the light.
Robert's mother.
- Mom.
Now his obsession with the huge piece of iron was understandable. The reason the little feet climbed that high was because of the view from the window. The statue faced the main gate, so anyone entering would not pass unnoticed.
Robert waited day by day.
I cherished the hope that my mother would come.
– Anne, have you heard anything about Robert’s mother?
- Only a little.
– His mother is a busy person. After the death of her husband, a great responsibility for her husband’s entire family fell on her shoulders, so there was no time left for the children. She excelled at management. She is impressive and strong. She is characterized by childish tenderness, but her soul is full of determination and courage.
-...
“But she didn’t succeed as a mother.”
Joely clicked her tongue. She reasoned coldly, but not to say incorrectly. Loneliness prompted Robert to take dangerous adventures.
- His heart is sad. There is a gaping hole in him that cannot be patched. He believes in the best and waits patiently, but no one comes. He gets angry, so he takes it out on others. When a person is overcome by melancholy, he becomes too irritable, right?
- Yes, it is.
It doesn’t matter what kind of pain you experience, psychological or physical, because in any case it is painful and annoying. You want others to understand your pain, so you become grouchy.
I know this firsthand. I am also lonely and need other people's support.
Such people also appeared in my life.
For example, a man who lost his sight and struggled with pain, closing himself within four walls.
At that moment, my thoughts began to overflow with memories from the distant past. No. I immediately drove them away. Sadness threatened to swallow me whole. I shook my head and put my hand to my heated chest, when I suddenly realized that I had stopped. Joely watched me.
Joely's expression lost its softness. Her eyes pierced right through me. The atmosphere, which had been peaceful just a minute ago, was now depressing. Did I say something wrong? I was wary, but Joely immediately smiled.
- He's a good boy.
Joely patted me on the shoulder. I tried to force a smile, but it came out false. He wasn't a good boy, for me that's for sure. When I fell silent instead of nodding affirmatively, Joely's eyes narrowed inquiringly.
“Just take it as a sign of sweet stubbornness.”
- I'll keep it in mind.
- Heh.
The nanny gave me the same advice, but now it sounded more convincing.
- Nanny talked a lot about you.
- What exactly?
- That you are diligent.
Nanny... I remembered her sweet smile. I was touched that my nanny spoke so well of me. It was even a shame that she was not around now.
“And you're doing well with Robert.” I heard that every time he threw away spoons, you brought him a dozen of the same ones.
The image of a good-natured nanny was shattered. I was touched by such a small thing, yes.
“She said she thought it was funny.”
- Maybe….
- I think so too.
I gave her a puzzled look, but she just giggled. Then she waved her hand for me to go about my business. I bowed my head as I watched Joely walk away. Did she come to check on Robert?
After that day, Robert never tried to climb the iron statue again. Instead, he moped around, holed up in his room. He hardly reacted even to my words and did nothing. It was hard to believe that overnight his former vivacity gave way to detachment, which turned into apathy.
This had been going on for several days and was causing concern. If the nanny had been around, we could have done something, but since she went away and still hasn’t returned, I had to deal with it myself. Robert was gloomier than a cloud, and I thought that it would be better for him to continue to be capricious.
"Can I comfort him?" – I thought, looking at his miniature back. But nothing sensible came to mind. After much thought, a trick came to my mind.
- Mister, maybe we can go for a walk?
- Go for a walk? – Robert asked with a gloomy face. I nodded, remembering how recently he was eager to go outside. We can't go far, but a walk around the neighborhood is also a good option.
The gloomy expression disappeared from his face, and his eyes flickered with interest.
- Yes! Let's take a walk!
He nodded his head so quickly and became cheerful that I wondered if I had been fooled. But what has been said cannot be undone.
Instead of giving in to pointless reasoning, I decided to ask permission. The nanny was absent, but fortunately, Robert had another guardian at the mansion.
- Fine. “Go,” Joeli said distantly, waving her hand.
As usual, the girl was lying on the bed, throwing on a sheet that barely covered her bare shoulders. Lounging next to her was the dark man with whom she had spent the previous night.
I felt calmer when I got permission so easily. I took Robert by the hand and led him out of the mansion. Robert seemed glad to finally be able to get out.
“Young Master, you must hold my hand tightly.” If you let go, we'll come back.
- Okay, ugly.
My face flushed. Maybe you can stop calling me that all the time?
I walked slowly hand in hand with the child. We walked around the mansion several times, stopping at the front door. After three such circles around the building, the child’s smile faded.
– I want to go there! – Robert froze in place, pointing towards the forest. I shook my head decisively.
- No.
- I want to go there! Went!
- No, that’s all.
- I'll go!
- Shall we go back to the room? – I said, holding out my hands. Robert, noticing the familiar gesture, immediately fell silent. With protruding lips and narrowed eyes, he expressed ostentatious displeasure. Pretending not to notice anything, I dragged him along the same road.
There was no trace left of the initial delight on Robert’s face. He continued to frown and eventually began to stare at me with tears. His fingertips continued to point toward the forest.
-Can we go there?
“No,” I answered firmly.
Robert fell silent. I thought that now he would start to roar in three streams, but instead he unexpectedly hugged me tightly around the waist.
- Ann.
How did he contact me? I turned my surprised gaze to Robert, doubting that I had heard correctly.
“Ann, Ann,” Robert called again.
- …
God. My shock knew no bounds. Robert spoke my name with his own mouth. He didn't take his eyes off me. Violet eyes sparkled desperately under a veil of rising tears. These sparks burned through me.
- Went. Mm? Mm? – he begged, pressing his face to my stomach, swaying slightly. He even switched to a sweet tone. It really sounded touching. He didn't throw things around and didn't get angry. It even began to seem to me that bunny ears had sprouted from his blond hair. The childish behavior fascinated me.
- Anne, let's go.
- Oh.
I was defenseless before such cuteness. It's easier to deal with tantrums.
Robert stood up on his tiptoes. The shine got closer. I covered my eyes with my hands, but to no avail.
- A? A? A?
- Eh.
My line of defense collapsed from the all-consuming charm.
In the end, I lost. I had nothing to oppose such a persistent attack. I had no immunity against such cuteness. So that's why the nanny put up with Robert's tantrums! Now everything is clear.
“Wow,” Robert looked around the forest with a wide smile. I squeezed his hand tightly and sighed silently. If we are caught in such a place, then I will be in trouble. My heart was filled with anxiety, so I couldn’t even calmly assess my surroundings.
- Ugly, let's go there!
Robert's behavior instantly changed. He addressed me again in this way, as if using my name before was just part of the trick. Smart, smart.
- Went!
- Yes, yes. Don't rush.
I looked back and walked forward. I wouldn’t want to go far from the mansion, but Robert kept trying to persuade me to go deep into the forest.
- Let's move on! Further!
- No. If we go far, the nanny will swear.
- Well...
Robert pouted again, but he couldn’t give in. I again assessed the distance to the mansion.
When I looked at Robert, he was looking at me again with wet eyes. I was again scorched by pitiful sparks, but I immediately turned away.
- No.
Robert fell silent. When I turned my head again, his shoulders were tense, expressing disappointment. I felt a pang of guilt, torn between necessity and childish whim.
“He’s just a child, and besides... You understand, right?” – the nanny’s firm voice and smiling face appeared in my head. Understand? No, I don't understand. Please save me, nanny. I can't handle this!
- Well, then let's walk a little. Maybe ten steps?
- Yes! – Robert smiled widely, as if this was exactly what he wanted. His sadness immediately disappeared. Eh, I was tricked again.
And so it turned out that ten steps were followed by several more. Robert continued to admire the forest, and I leisurely looked around. For some reason this forest seemed familiar to me. Despite the fact that it was unremarkable: ordinary trees covering the sky above, and grass that thickly covered the area, I was still overcome by a strange feeling, as if I had already been here before.
But this definitely couldn’t happen.
I shook the thought out of my head, took two more steps and froze in place. Robert became sad again, but this time I shook my head decisively. Not even the sparkle from his eyes could change my mind. We've already gone too far from the mansion.
- It's time to go back.
Robert became stubborn again, and when persuasion was useless, I forcibly dragged him along with me. He actively resisted, but I didn’t give up and still pulled him along with me. After much trying, Robert managed to break free from my grip.
- I'm leaving!
- Master!
I ran after the figure retreating into the forest. Robert ran on his little legs as fast as he could. But he is just a baby, so keeping up with him was not so difficult.
The moment I grabbed him, Robert began to struggle and lost his balance. We found ourselves on the edge of a steep descent. As we began to fall, I pulled the child to me and wrapped my arms tightly around him.