Darkest Hour (Cutler 5)

"I can carry you to the water," Niles said.

"Oh Niles, if you should drop her . . ."

"He won't," Eugenia declared with prophetic certainty. "Do it, Niles. Carry me."

Niles looked at me again and I nodded, but I was full of trepidation. If he dropped her and she got soaked, Papa would lock me in the smokehouse for days, I thought. But Niles lifted Eugenia out of the chair with graceful ease. She blushed because of the way he held her in his arms. Without hesitation, he stepped into the water and lowered her until her fingers reached the surface.

"Close your eyes and wish," Niles told her. She did so and then he carried her back to the wheelchair. After she was settled in again, she thanked him.

"Want to know what I wished?" she asked me.

"If you tell it, it might not come true," I said, glancing at Niles.

"Not if she tells it only to you," Niles explained, as if he was an authority on magic ponds and wishes.

"Bend down, Lillian. Bend down," Eugenia ordered. I did so and she brought her lips to my ear.

"I wished you and Niles would kiss again, right here, right before my eyes," she said. I couldn't help but blush. When I stood straight up again, Eugenia had a wicked smile on her face. "You said this was a magic pond. My wish has to come true," she teased.

"Eugenia! You should have wished something for yourself only."

"If it's only for yourself, it probably won't come true," Niles said.

"Niles. Don't encourage her."

"I suppose if you whispered in my ear what she wished now that she's told you, it won't be bad. As long as the frogs don't hear it," he added, coming up with his own rules instantly.

"I will not!"

"Tell him, Lillian," Eugenia urged. "Go on. Please. Go on."

"Eugenia." I was blushing all over by now, feeling those blotches Emily said would come, even though Niles and I hadn't touched. But I didn't care. I loved the feeling.

"You'd better tell me," Niles teased. "She might get very upset."

"I will," Eugenia threatened and folded her arms across her body, pretending to fall into a pout.

"Eugenia." My heart was pounding. I looked at Niles, who seemed to know already.

"Well?" he said.

"I told her what you and I did here the first time. She wants us to do it again," I said quickly. Niles's eyes brightened and he smiled.

"What a wonderful wish. Well, we can't disappoint her," Niles said. "We have to keep up the pond's reputation for magic anyway."

He stepped up to me and this time put his hands on my arms to bring me closer to him. I closed my eyes and his lips met mine. He held them there much longer and then he stepped back.

"Satisfied, little sister?" I asked, hiding my embarrassment. She nodded, her face bright with excitement.

"Well, I wished something too," Niles said. "I wished I could thank Eugenia for wanting to come to my pond, thank her with a kiss," he said. Eugenia's mouth dropped open as Niles stepped up to her and kissed her quickly on the cheek. She put her hand there as if he had left his lips on her skin.

"We'd better start back," I said. "Before we're missed."

"Right," Niles said. He turned Eugenia around and we pushed her through the forest and to the road again. Niles walked along with us until we reached our driveway.

"Did you enjoy the trip to the pond, Eugenia?" he asked.