“Lady Harriette, please, do not go that far!” Miss Bonnie said, clutching at the back of the girl’s dress. “I do not mind that you wish to take a walk outside, but we need to let the men over there work. It’s for your Father, you know.”

Lady Harriette furrowed her brow and crossed her arms over her chest. Even at ten, she still acted like a child occasionally in front of her governess. This morning she wore a pale pink dress and her dark tresses were pulled up in a tight bun behind her head. Her green eyes gazed at the ground beneath her moodily.

“Oh, don’t be quite so stern, little one,” Miss Bonnie said, pinching her cheek affectionately. “Otherwise you might grow up to look like that.”

“No, I will not!” Lady Harriette replied. “I just want to see what they are doing over there.”

“Preparing for harvest,” came another voice.

“Lord Henry!” Lady Harriette cried, clapping her hands together. “How wonderful to see you!”

“You just saw him yesterday,” Miss Bonnie replied, laughing softly.

“He is my very dearest friend, and it makes me happy to see him!” Lady Harriette answered, laughing as well.

The young man, no older than eleven, stood in front of her, with a face that resembled a boy’s, but was quickly transforming into a young man’s. His once chubby cheeks were now slim, and his jaw was prominent. His blue eyes that were once so childish and full of spirit were now cool and calm, but his wide, goofy smile was ever the same, and she loved it.

“Well, I am well aware they are preparing for harvest,” Lady Harriette replied as Lord Henry fell into step beside them as they continued their walk. “But I wonder why there are quite so many of them here today. Yesterday was much quieter than it is today.”

Lord Henry, with his hands behind his back, gazed over her head. “I believe that your Father has just decided to start building that vineyard, correct?”

“A vineyard?” Lady Harriette replied. “How very odd.”

Miss Bonnie smiled. “Dear, it is all your Father has spoken about for weeks, isn’t it?”

“Perhaps, but it has been of little interest to me,” she replied.

Just then, in front of them, a young boy crossed their path. He was the same age as Lord Henry, but he had sandy blonde hair, the color of the straw on his hat, and bright green eyes that reminded her of new grass in the springtime.

“Oh, Mr. Barnes,” Lady Harriette said, feeling her cheeks flush with color. “I didn’t know you would be here at the estate today.”

“I’m here to help with the building of the vineyard,” he replied, grinning widely.

“Miss Bonnie!”

The group turned to see Mr. Walters, the butler, coming down the lawn to meet them.

“Miss Bonnie, Lady Harriette’s mother wishes to see you. Something about the magnolia project?”

“Oh, of course,” she said. “Now, Lord Henry, you keep an eye on her until I return. I wouldn’t recommend going any further than this path.” She gave him a furtive nod. “You know how her father feels.”

Lord Henry smiled gently and inclined his head. “Of course, Miss Bonnie. You know I will watch her closely.”

Lady Harriette looked concerned. “What does mother need?” she asked.

Miss Bonnie waved her hand dismissively as she turned to walk up the lawn. “Never you mind, dear girl. All is well. I will be back in a little while.” And with that, she turned and followed Mr. Walters back up toward the manor.

Mr. Barnes was still looking at the two of them.

Lord Henry turned and looked at the other boy standing across from them, and crossed his arms across his chest. “Charles, what are you doing here today?”

Mr. Barnes puffed his chest out. “What does it matter to you?”

“I thought that you were working for your grandfather now that you were old enough.”

“He’s been working for his father,” Lady Harriette cut in. “He was telling me all about it a few weeks ago.” She smiled wide. “Well, a few of my friends and I, that is.”

Lord Henry rolled his eyes.

“Come on, you two, let’s go down to the creek and catch some crayfish,” said Mr. Barnes.

Lady Harriette smiled and started to follow him down the path, but Lord Henry grabbed her arm.

“I do not think that is a wise choice, Charles,” Lord Henry said coolly.

Mr. Barnes raised an eyebrow at him. “Since when did you care about the rules, James?”

Lord Henry closed his eyes momentarily and sighed. “I’ve told you; you must use my title now.” His gaze softened. “I’m sorry, but it is my father’s rules. He says that since I am in society more often now, I—”

“Whatever,” Mr. Barnes said. “You know that none of that stuff matters to me in the least.”

“It should,” Lord Henry replied. “Propriety is what makes a gentleman.”

Mr. Barnes rolled his eyes. “What about you, Lady Harriette? Care to join me for a swim in the cool water?”

The idea of jumping into the river water was exciting to her, especially with him.

“Lord Henry, I think it would be fine for us to go down to the creek,” she said hesitantly. “We do not have to swim, and it is still within my father’s property.”

Lord Henry’s face hardened. “Miss Bonnie put me in charge of you. It is my job to maintain your safety.”

She gently patted him on the hand. “And I do appreciate it. Truly I do; you know that. But what harm could come from us having a little bit of fun?”

He sighed and looked from her face to Mr. Barnes, who seemed to be smirking beneath his cap.

“We will be safe, Lord Henry. You know that. We aren’t going to be children for much longer. We should make the most of it while we still can.”

Lord Henry turned and looked into her face, and Harriette noticed something in his eyes that she wasn’t familiar with. Was that sadness? Or fear?

“All right,” Lord Henry finally said. “We can go play, but only until I say so. Then we must return up here. I do not wish for Miss Bonnie or your mother to worry.”

Lady Harriette beamed at him, and kissed him swiftly on the cheek. “Brilliant. Let’s go!”

His eyes grew wide and he seemed to lose the color in his face as she grabbed his hand and chased after Mr. Barnes, who had taken off in the direction of the tree line hiding the stream.