The Maid and the Little Master (4)
“He’s just a child, and besides... You understand, right?”
"Yes."
I nodded and the nanny breathed a sigh of relief.
When Robert wanted to go outside, the nanny could usually talk him out of it and calm him down. Except when he threw a huge tantrum, of course. He was probably not allowed to go out because it could have been dangerous.
But now that I think about it, it seems like he just wanted to go to his mom. Robert is so naughty because he misses his mother.
Well, perhaps this is the most plausible explanation for his rude behavior.
- Ugh, my head...
The back of my head was tingling. It feels like I was dreaming everything... I'm pretty sure I was going downhill before this. But, fortunately, the fluffy leaves on the ground softened the blow.
But then I came to my senses and jumped to my feet.
- Young master!
I turned around in search of Robert, and saw that he was lying next to me, but his eyes were closed, and it looked ominous. Putting my ear to his chest, I heard his heartbeat, sighed with relief and looked around.
It was a long way to the hill. We must have moved quite a distance from him when we rolled down. There was no hope that anyone would notice us from here, so I had no choice but to climb the hill.
Staggering, I rose to my feet. Leaves covered me all over.
While I was brushing them off, I suddenly saw something through the branches of the trees opposite. It looks like an abandoned building... Without thinking, I headed towards it, stirring up the leaves with my feet. I screamed for help, and my heart was pounding.
I was just about to walk through the bushes that blocked my path.
- Ugh!
Robert turned around sharply. I turned and ran towards him. It seemed to me that he was crying, but that was not the case. He was upset, but his violet eyes seemed frozen, and there were no tears.
“Young Master, are you okay?”
- I...
- What?
- It was fun!
Robert smiled widely. Then he jumped to his feet and, not noticing that he was covered in leaves, said that he wanted to roll down again. I was shocked. Still, I'm glad he's okay.
Robert insisted that we go for a ride again, but I refused, took his hand, and we climbed up the hill. The path was quite steep and by the time we got to the top we were covered in mud and a lot of leaves.
I brushed leaves from Robert's hair and body and smoothed out the wrinkles in his clothes.
-Are you feeling well?
- My leg hurts.
He pointed to his knee. The kneecap was cut and bleeding. He must have hit a rock as he rolled down the hill.
I looked at Robert's knee, puzzled.
- Does it hurt a lot?
- No, it doesn’t hurt at all.
“You just said that your leg hurts.”
- No, nothing hurts.
Does it hurt or not? His face was too calm. I rubbed the back of my head thoughtfully, wondering whether he was deceiving me or not.
I pulled off my apron and placed it on Roberta's knee. He frowned slightly, but didn't whine like he usually did. I was even surprised at his restraint. Meanwhile, I wrapped an apron around his wounded knee.
- Should I carry you?
Robert's eyes widened. But he did not answer immediately, hesitating as if embarrassed. His reaction was different from usual and I thought he was quite cute. I chuckled and offered him my back.
- Come on, climb on your back.
Robert hesitated, but then finally crawled onto me. I grabbed his small legs tightly and stood up.
- Wow! Wow!
Robert hugged me tightly around the neck and twitched. I felt his cheerful excitement. As I started walking, he continued to exclaim with delight.
– Do you like it?
- Yes!
- Then let's go back like this.
- Yes!
In fact, my whole body ached from going down that hill, but his admiration gave me strength. I quickened my pace, hoping that he would remain cheerful and not start being capricious again. It's a pity that the distance to the mansion was quite long.
– Next time we will go with the nanny.
- Next time?
- Yes, we’ll take another walk later.
– Will mom also come with us?
I hesitated. Robert spoke cheerfully and cheerfully.
- So mom will come too?
- Yes, she will come someday too.
- And when?
- Later.
- Well, when? When?
– When you eat well and behave well.
Then I added that she would come if he didn’t act up, throw things and ask to be put on an iron horse. Of course, all this was my desire. I wanted him to behave and just stay in his room, safe and sound.
- You're lying.
Robert recognized my lie immediately. Children are usually perceptive. I pretended not to notice.
- This is true.
- You're lying.
- I'm telling the truth.
- Mom won't come! Even if I behave well, even if I really want to see her...
The ringing voice quickly began to sound sad.
I didn’t know what to tell him, because I didn’t know how to console him. Everything is the same as five years ago.
When I fell silent, Robert also stopped talking and buried his face in my back. This child could read moods just as well as he could be smart. Somehow I realized that he now had a very sad face.
– Do you miss her?
- Yes. But I have to wait.
- Why?
- Mom is busy. She has a lot to do and doesn't want me to be capricious.
I thought he was just a spoiled brat, but he said such the right words. Knowing Robert's situation, they sounded rather sad.
He did not complain that he missed his mother and did not ask to be taken to her. He didn't say anything about how he missed her. He clearly missed his mother, but he just waited patiently. He didn't know when this wait would end and just accepted it.
Robert knew what he could and could not say. Just because he's a child doesn't mean he's stupid.
"He's just lonely."
"But he's a good boy."
Nanny and Joely had known this about Robert for a long time, and now I also understood these words, although initially I wanted to argue with them. It's a shame that I get so grumpy.
“I’m sure the lady misses you, sir.” He misses him very much.
- Is it true?
- Certainly.
“Then why doesn’t she come to me?”
– Because she is doing a very important job, and she cannot be distracted at all.
– Is my mother a good person?
- Yes. She's very good.
Then Robert chuckled softly. The way I praised his mother seemed to lift his spirits. I had to control myself, it felt so good that I wanted to jump.
- So, can you be an obedient boy while you wait for your mother?
- Yes, ugly.
Ah, there's that word again. My softened heart hardened again. I know he's lonely and I know he's a good kid, but he's too stubborn.
- I'm fine.
Robert rubbed his face against my neck. His hair touched me, tickling my skin. “Everything is fine, everything is fine,” he whispered.
– You will stay with me, right?..
Robert suddenly asked, concern evident in his voice. I stopped for a moment, then continued walking, forcing a smile.
- Yes, sir. The ugly one will stay by your side.
I felt a slight nod behind me. I grinned. I don't know if he understood me, but it seems that he did.
Suddenly the mood turned sour. We need to fix this. When I was a child, I carried my sister on my back when she was sad. I grabbed her tightly and rushed forward, her giggles coming from behind me. That's what I did now with Robert.
– Do you like it?
- Yes! Yes!
His voice spurred me on, and I ran even faster.
The distance was closing, and before I had time to look back, I found myself near the mansion. By that time I was already exhausted.
- Ha-a, ha-a...
I was bent over and breathing heavily, barely managing to catch Robert as he rolled off my back.
It took me a while to catch my breath.
- Robert?
I shuddered when I heard an unfamiliar voice. Who could it be at such a time? The first thing I saw was a small body darting towards a tall man who picked it up.
His sun-bleached blond hair shimmered, and beneath it, his bright emerald eyes glimmered softly. The man was well dressed, without a wrinkle, and well built, and as soon as I saw his face, my mind went blank.
How?..
- Vincent!
Robert smiled widely and rubbed his cheek against the man's face. Vincent smiled affectionately in response.
– It seems you were smaller before?
- The nanny says that I have grown up! – Robert answers proudly, throwing his hands up. Vincent let out a small chuckle. His eyes were closed and he smiled relaxedly.
Watching him, I realized one thing.
He looks.
His eyes...
As I froze in surprise, he turned his head, realizing the presence of another person. His questioning gaze was directed at me. His emerald eyes looked me up and down. Vincent tilted his head slightly. His blond hair fluttered in the wind.
- Who is this?
My heart skips a beat from the even voice. The face that I so clearly saw in front of me told me that this was not a dream.
- Ugly!
- Ugly?
- Yes, ugly.
He looked at me again. I clasped my shaking hands and bowed. When I saw his shadow on the ground, my heart began to beat faster. Unable to hide my confusion, I bowed my head even deeper. Swallowing dryly, I forced my trembling lips to move, but my voice never came out.
-Are you the new maid?
- Yes...
I managed to spit out the word and cover my mouth. Chaos reigned in my head. There was silence, and then he spoke again.
- It's clear.
With these words he turned away and walked away.
I straightened up.
-Where is my mother?
- She didn’t come.
Vincent stroked Robert's hair and comforted him. I felt his affection for the child. As I looked at the two of them, I suddenly felt like crying. A tear slowly rolled down his cheek.
Sometimes, in my dreams, I imagined how we would meet again. But none of this was like what I dreamed of.
Vincent Bellunita.
We met for the first time in these five years, and he didn’t even know about it.