Thorns

Chapter 4

 Eliza woke to the sound of her door being opened, a faint creaking and then soft feet pattering across the floor to her.

For a moment she was startled, her eyes slowly opening to see that the room was completely dark and foreign. Her sisters were not in there with her, and the bed linens were finer than the ones that she had at home. for a moment she laid in mute terror before feeling the bed shift a little bit. 

A small figure was peering at her, propped mostly on the mattress and leaning in. Eliza squinted a bit before she gave a soft sound, the figure jumping back in shock.

Clair Amberly. 

All at once, the memories of the night flooded her mind and Eliza sat up, clutching the bedsheets to her breast. She looked at Clair before taking a deep breath, "Does your nanny know you're in here?" She whispered, the silhouette of the child seeming to look down in shame.

"I had a nightmare and she wouldn't wake up, Miss Fletcher." The six year old said softly, shifting abashedly.

"What about your father and mother?"

"Father is still sleeping, and... Mother..." Clair trailed off, a little sniff rising from her throat.

That was all Eliza needed to hear. She scooted over on the bed and held her hand out, "Come here." She whispered, "Come tell me about your nightmare, Clair."

Mrs. Amberly was dead. Clair had no mother, and Mr. Amberly had no wife. Eliza stiffened a bit at the thought, swallowing hard. That was the reason he wanted to speak to her father... A little hand took her own and Eliza helped the child onto the bed with her, stiffening once more as the small body cuddled against her side, "It's alright, Clair. Tell me about your nightmare."

"It was about my mother." Clair whispered, beginning to shake, "I saw her... And she was crying. Father was there and he was crying too. And then... All of a sudden... she stopped moving. And Father took the pistol he kept at their bedside and...."

"And that was all a nightmare, Clair." Eliza whispered, daring to wrap her arm around the little one, "That won't happen. It can't happen. You're safe and that nightmare won't happen again, okay?"

"How do you know?"

"Because I know." Eliza whispered, "I used to have nightmares like that, too. But it was... It was about someone else, someone I really liked."

"Who?"

"It doesn't matter, dear child." The older girl shifted a bit, peering through the dark at the small charge, "I know that it won't happen again. Your next dream will be about sweets and ponies and running through the woods. It will be a good dream."

"Promise?"

"Promise. Now... It's time for you to sleep once more, my dear." Eliza murmured, "I can put you to bed, if you'd like."

"Can I stay in here with you?" Clair whispered, "Please?"

"What about when your nanny comes to find you in the morning?"

"She wakes up late. She won't notice. Please Miss Fletcher?"

Eliza sighed quietly and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. Clair was rather frightened, it seemed; the little girl was still shaking, holding tightly to Eliza's hand even after the reassurance. It would at very least put Clair to sleep, and that was important. For a moment, Eliza was silent before she gave a faint nod, "I suppose that's alright just for tonight." She answered, "But not tomorrow night if I must remain here. Your father will want you in your own bed after tonight. Okay?"

"Okay, Miss Fletcher." Clair cuddled closed and Eliza offered a faint smile.

"Lay down, Clair. You're not sleeping sitting up, alright?"