The Duke's Daughter

Morning

"Good morning." Theo replied, finding it hard to tear his eyes away from her sleepy countenance. She looked pale, he noticed, her freckles standing out against her skin.

"I'm almost naked. Don't look." The utter calmness with which Elsie muttered her statement made Theo laugh. She looked half asleep still and was snuggling back down into bed. Theo moved to wake her up, but looked out at the swiftly falling snow and decided to let her rest.

He set about readying a bath for himself and disposed of his filthy clothes. If his poor mother had known that he had slept in his clothes, she would have thrown a fit. But that they were such filthy clothes would have probably sent her into a stroke. He laughed quietly to himself as he thought of the sweet motherly woman waiting for him at home. With a scolding no doubt. And a foul smelling poultice for his foot. As Theo sunk into the water he grinned at the many memories of how he'd gotten rid of previous poultices.

His back was to Elise, and he wasn't aware of her stirrings around the room until she called his name in a most horrified voice. His eyes flew open and she was standing before him, fully dressed and pale as a ghost.

"You- you- you're naked!" She gasped, her eyes so big that they nearly swallowed her face.

"Why yes. Yes I am. And if you're going to act like a 10 year old child about it, go find a book on the shelf and read it. I would like to finish my bath without a blushing, gasping female staring fixedly at my left eyebrow in the effort to not look below my neck."

Elise gave another gasp, this one indignant, as she turned to the bookshelf as if to get a book. "And what if I choose to watch you bathe?" She asked archly, raising an eyebrow.

"Why- why-" Theo spluttered, for the first time utterly speechless.

Elise giggled, and grabbed a book. "I'm going to read. By the dog. What's it's name by the way?"

"Her name is Poppy. And she was my grandfather's. Now let me finish my bath and I'll see about breakfast."

Theo took his time in the bath, relishing the feeling of warm water on his foot. It wan't sore exactly, but it felt a little achy when he put weight on it. Elise meanwhile was swept away into a story filled with princesses and dragons and evil witches. She came back to reality when she heard Theo calling her name and handing her a bowl of what looked to be oatmeal.

"Oh thank you Theo. My goodness you look ridiculous in a frilly apron!" She laughed at his disgruntled expression as he turned to grab his bowl and draw the other rocker up to hers. "Mercy on us Theo! Your backside! You're naked under that!"

"Well of course. You're sitting in front of my trunk. I didn't want to traumatise your maidenly mind bending over you naked. And anyway, it's just my back. I DO have breeches on if that makes you feel any better. I wasn't the one with my corset hanging on the end of a strange man's bed, now was I?"

At this sensible statement Elise was quelled for the time being and she and Theo ate their breakfast amidst friendly conversation.