“Look, you have to put something in it from the one you love,” Grace said excitedly.
“Yes, she does.” Will smiled, and Rose’s cheeks felt as hot as the sun as Grace secured the locket around her neck.
“Well, I have been thoroughly spoiled,” Rose said. “I could not be more grateful.”
“Auntie Rosie, I have a present for you.” Theo was standing in front of her with one arm behind his back.
“Ooh, what is it?” She asked him.
“Close your eyes and I will put it in your hand.”
Rose held out her hand and felt a small, slimy thing placed in her palm. She opened her eyes immediately to find she was holding a frog. Theo went into peals of laughter, expecting his aunt to scream in fear and drop the creature, but Rose turned the tables on him and got up and chased him, holding the frog out in front of her all the way along the river bank and back again.
“He’s going to get you,” Rose shouting, and Theo giggled. Eventually, he collapsed on the grass, and she pretended to make the frog kiss him. Rose noticed Will had gotten up from his place on the blanket, wearing only his damp breeches, and he was walking towards where she was tormenting Theo.
“Shall we let it go,” he said. “It must be terrified.”
“Yes, lets.” Theo bounced up.
The three of them crouched by the river bank in a line, Rose still holding the frog as Will looked at her over the child’s head.
“I think you are meant to kiss it first,” he said to her, his deep brown eyes boring into hers.
“I thought you didn’t believe in fairytales,” she returned.
He smiled. “I am rather partial to that one.”
His eyes roved her face and then down to the locket above her bodice, as if he was caressing her. He held his gaze there until the metal felt hot against her skin. As he looked back up, he said softly, “Beautiful.” The frog jumped off her hand as she was lost in his gaze.
Will leaped to his feet. “Too late, you missed your chance,” he laughed.
The sun was setting behind the trees, and the children were becoming fatigued as the adults began to pack up the remnants of the picnic and the blankets. Rose didn't want the afternoon to end, but everyone had changed and the carriages had returned to pick up Mary and the children, as well as Maud and her daughters' families.
Rose grabbed Maud in a bear hug.
“Thank you so much. Thank you,” she said fiercely.
When she pulled back, Maud had tears in her eyes again.
“Don’t be a stranger, my girl,” she said. “I have always counted you as one of my own.”
“I will visit, I promise,” Rose said, and she meant it.
Grace gave her a bear hug in return. “Don’t forget the fairytale,” she said as she climbed into a carriage with her mother, husband, and baby.
Alice and Isabel were beaming and waving as their carriages pulled away. Mary and Jacob were standing waiting, each holding a sleeping child.
“They are exhausted,” Jacob said.
“Me too,” Rose smiled, and Mary grabbed her hand.
“Did you really like it?” she asked.
“So much,” Rose assured her, earning herself a huge grin.
“Everything needs to start again from here,” Mary said, and Rose’s eyes widened. She had also been reading her mind.
Eventually, Will was the only one left. He was standing holding his horse’s reins which she hadn’t realized had been tied up in the trees by the river. She watched as he tied the reins around the back of the carriage.