Moonwitch

Danielle smiled. “I don’t think he knows what a picnic is, but I’m sure he would enjoy it.”

Selena returned Danielle’s smile, then glanced at Kyle. “Perhaps you might take Clay for a ride while I locate your sisters. Would you like that, Clay, to ride on a horse?”

The child obviously knew very well what a horse was, for he began to jump up and down with delighted shouts of “Horsey! Horsey!”

So while Kyle took Clay up with him in the saddle, the ladies went into the house to find the younger girls and arrange for the food to be prepared.

To one side of the plantation buildings, at the edge of a dry bayou, was a latticed summerhouse half-hidden by a line of cherry laurels and overgrown with yellow jasmine and wild azalea. The women spread quilts on the grass in the shade but neglected the food in favor of playing a game of blindman’s buff to entertain young Clay. Everyone but Bea joined in, and soon the air was ringing with shrieks of laughter.

Half an hour later, Felicity got caught by Kyle. When he proceeded to tickle her breathless, an argument ensued.

“Not fair!” Felicity cried, trying to escape. “Kyle cheated!”

Merrily, Lydia defended her brother. “No, he didn’t, Cissy. You’re just miffed because you got caught.”

“But he peeked, I saw him.”

Still holding Felicity, Kyle feigned a wounded expression. “I did not ‘peek.’ Could I help it if something got in my eye and I had to raise the blindfold?”

Zoe chimed in with laughter in her soft voice. “Kyle, you have to play fair. You have to chase us again.”

“Play fair? I suppose you think I should pay a forfeit.” He made a threatening face at Felicity. “Very well, then, I’ll give you a kiss.”

She chortled as he planted his lips on her cheek, then screeched as Kyle rubbed his jaw against hers. “Ouch, your face is scratchy.”

Chuckling, Kyle released her and made a grab for Lydia, who laughed and scurried out of his way. Selena, who had paused to watch the dispute, wasn’t so lucky.

“I think I could learn to like this game,” Kyle acknowledged as his powerful arms snaked around her waist. His mouth swooped down, but his kiss landed on her lips, not her cheek, and lasted far longer than was proper.

“Not fair, Ramsey,” Thaddeus protested. “You’re supposed to be paying the forfeit, not receiving it.”

When Kyle allowed Selena to come up for air, she was flushed and breathless. He grinned at her, his cheeks creasing with wicked dimples, and went sprinting after Clay, who squealed with delight. “Come, young fellow,” Kyle said as he scooped Clay up in his arms and adjusted his blindfold. “You can tell me when I’m getting close.” And the game got under way again.

Their play finally ended when Thaddeus, as the blindman, tripped over a vine and wound up with flowers in his hair. Yet the laughter never stopped, even when they finally collapsed on the quilts, for as soon as Thaddeus began complaining about his loss of dignity, Horatio squawked unsympathetically and told him to stubble it. Felicity had begged to be allowed to bring the parrot along, which proved a delightful diversion.

“Sub-ble it,” Clay echoed, pointing to the bird. Danielle grimaced and caught her son’s hand, while Bea shook her head.

Pulling Clay onto his lap, Kyle ruffled the boy’s blond hair. “I wouldn’t say that if I were you, lad. Your mama wouldn’t approve. You’d best stick with ‘Come to tea.’”

“Tea! Pretty corset, awk!”

Kyle flashed a grin at Selena. “Someone really ought to teach that bird to keep his tongue between his beak.” Then he reached over and tweaked Zoe’s nose. “What about it, puss? Should Horatio take lessons in the schoolroom with you?”

“Oh, Kyle.” Zoe smiled shyly.

Leaning back on his arms, Kyle eyed the parrot with speculation. “I’m hungry. I wonder what roast parrot tastes like.”

That brought a shriek of protest from all his younger sisters, and they haste

ned to lay out the food to keep Kyle from eating their pet.

After stuffing themselves on roast chicken and lemonade and peach cobbler, they sprawled lazily on the quilts, and even then the laughter continued.

Selena watched them all quietly, contentment flowing through her like warm wine, like a drug, the happiness and friendship so potent that it made her heart ache. She felt as if she truly belonged; this was her family, her life.

Her gaze fell most often on Kyle. He was lounging beside her, allowing his youngest sister to tug on his arm in an effort to make him return to their play. When Felicity poked at his jaw and asked Kyle why his face was so scratchy, his deep-grooved dimples flashed.

Rubbing the dark stubble on his chin, Kyle glanced up at Selena, his gaze locking with hers. “I forgot to shave this morning. I was otherwise occupied, if I remember correctly.”