“What?” Judith screeched, clearly horrified.

“I'm only teasing,” Ellie replied. Then she turned to Charles and said, “I'm afraid that you will have to excuse us. Judith and I have important business to attend to.”

“As master of this house,” Charles put in with a mock-concerned expression, “I think that I should be apprised of any devious and underhanded plots that might be stewing.”

“Very well,” Ellie said. “We are going to sneak to the kitchen to secure another portion of dessert for Judith.” She paused as her stomach rumbled. “And for me, too, I should think.”

“I shall have to put a stop to this,” Charles said.

“Oh, Charles, you wouldn't!” Judith cried out.

“Unless I may be a coconspirator.” He turned to Ellie. “Besides, I should have thought you wouldn't want to go down to the kitchens on your own.”

She scowled at him. “Judith and I would do quite well by ourselves.”

“Of course, but it will be much more fun with me along.”

Judith took Ellie's hand and tugged on it. “He's right. Charles can be great fun when he chooses.”

He tousled her hair. “Only when I choose?”

“Sometimes you are a bit too stern.”

“I keep telling him the same thing,” Ellie said with a commiserating shrug.

“Now, now, Eleanor,” Charles chided, “You usually tell me the opposite. Perhaps if I were more stern with you…Hmmm…I might meet with more success.”

“I think it is time we were off,” Ellie said quickly, ushering Judith toward the door.

“Coward,” Charles whispered as he passed her.

“You may call it cowardice,” she whispered back, “but I prefer to call it good judgment. Judith is only six years old.”

“I am nearly seven,” the little girl announced.

“And she hears everything,” Ellie added.

“Children do,” Charles said with a shrug.

“All the more reason to be more circumspect with your words.”

“Are we going to the kitchen now or not?” Judith said with a little stamp of her foot.

“Indeed we are, poppet,” Charles said, sweeping forward and taking her hand. “Now then, we must be quiet. Very quiet.”

“This quiet?” Judith whispered.

“Even quieter. And you—” He turned to Ellie. “Pipe down.”

“I didn't say anything,” she protested.

“I can hear you thinking,” Charles replied with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

Judith giggled.

Ellie, God help her, giggled too. Just when she was determined to dismiss her husband as a complete ne'er-do-well, he had to go and charm her by turning their trip to the kitchen into a romantic adventure for young Judith.

“Can you hear me thinking?” Judith asked.

“Certainly. You are thinking about strawberry tarts.”

Judith gasped and turned to Ellie. “He's right!”

Charles looked Ellie straight in the eye, his expression frankly sensual. “Can you hear me thinking?”

She shook her head quickly.

“Probably not,” he agreed. “Else you'd have far more of a blush on your face.”

“Look!” Judith squealed. “She is blushing. She does know what you're thinking!”

“I do now,” Ellie retorted.