Waiting for the Moon

She gave him a smile and reached forward, touching his fuzzy chin with her hand. "Not crazy."

Andrew smiled unsteadily. Tears glistened in his eyes.

The queen shook her head. "Oh, Jesus, the pup's gonna start bawling."

He wiped his eyes. "I'll help you, Selena." He turned back to the gray-clad people behind him. "What do you say, lunatics? We can teach Selena everything about life. It'll give Dr. Carrick a mighty surprise when he returns."

"Dr. Carrick don't seem particularly fond o" surprises," Edith said with a frown.

The crowned lady snorted and placed her fat hands on her hips. "And just who gives a shit about that?"

Andrew struggled with a smile. "Then it's decided. We'll teach Selena everything she needs to know about life."

Edith rolled her eyes. "Oh, Lord. Don't the poor child have problems enough?"

Chapter Eleven

"I think she should get dressed first." Queen Victoria peered at Selena from behind a cracked, dusty monocle. "Clothes are the window to the soul."

Edith frowned. "They are? I thought-"

"Please don't," the queen interrupted. "You're giving me a frightful head."

Selena watched Edith and the queen talk back and forth. Every now and then she understood a word or two-dressed, window, head. She couldn't quite put it all together, but she could feel herself getting closer. The words were coming with less effort; she was understanding more. Ian had been gone for two sunrises-she was sure of that-and with each new day, she felt herself getting stronger.

She could remember their names effortlessly now. There was Lara, the child-woman who sucked her thumb and wanted a family; Andrew, the earnest young man with the shaking hands and hopeful eyes; Queen Victoria, who spoke in a strange voice that vibrated with self-confidence; Edith, the housekeeper, who almost always seemed angry with the others. Sometimes the quiet one, Dotty, flitted through her room before disappearing into a closet or armoire.

"Where is Maeve?" Selena said suddenly. A stunned silence fell over the jumble of conversation.

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"Sweet Mary," Edith said, pressing her pudgy hand to her gaping mouth.

It took Selena a moment to realize what had taken place. She'd spoken her thoughts in a clear, understandable way-and she'd done it without a moment's hesitation.

Hope accelerated her heartbeat. Maybe that was the key. Maybe she'd been concentrating so hard and trying so valiantly, she'd made it impossible for herself. Perhaps that was her mistake. Ian had made her tense and nervous, desperate to perform well. Here, in the midst of her new friends, she felt no such pressure.

Smiling, she tried again. "Maeve came ..." to my room last "... night."

Her smile fell. Defeat rounded her shoulders. Staring at Andrew, she gave him a futile little shrug. "Not so better."

He stepped toward her. "You're much better, Selena. Naturally you have trouble speaking. I expect it's normal after such a bash to the noggin."

Selena understood the most important word: normal. It sifted through her heart and made her smile again. She reached out, took Andrew's hand in hers.

He blinked and tried to draw back. "What ... what are you doing?"

"Thank ... you. Andrew."

The queen sighed. " 'E gods, they're going to kiss."

Andrew's face flamed. He jerked his hand back and spun around to face Edith, the queen, and Lara. "All right, ladies, as of now, we're Miss Selena's teachers."

"I say she gets dressed first," the queen said. "Clothes are the window of the soul."

Edith shook her head. "Really, Your Highness, we've had this discussion. 'Tis the eyes that are the windows to the soul."