Have Faith

Chapter 10

"We are born with our father's names. We are not responsible for their failures. We are responsible for what they made us believe in. That is our only obligation. And it is even then a choice which we may sometimes be wise to ignore."  Warren Eyster, The Goblins of Eros

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Chapter Ten

"The post, sir," murmured Mr Wade, "and today's newspaper."

Cassian could not help but laugh when he looked up at his butler. Mr Wade was holding a silver tray with the daily correspondence in one hand, and little Lucy Rowe in the other. Faith's toddler was sitting contently on his butler's hip.

Considering Mr Wade had been so reluctant to take on a housemaid with a child, he certainly had acclimated himself. In fact, he seemed oblivious to the fact that his behaviour was odd.

"A new friend, Wade?"

He only seemed to notice that he had Lucy with him when she started to play with one of his sideburns. "Oh," he chuckled. "Well, I needed the ladies to focus this morning and all of their attention seems to be on this one." Mr Wade could pretend all he liked, but Cassian could see fondness in his eyes. He had a soft spot for Lucy.

"Give her to me," instructed Cassian, rising from his chair and extending his arms. "All I have to do today is correspondence. I can look after her."

"Very good, sir."

Cassian accepted Lucy from Mr Wade and he held her close to his side to support her. She had a very curious look in her brown eyes. They so mirrored her mother's. Cassian had not really seen much of Lucy since she had arrived with Faith. Perhaps concealing her was Faith's way of ensuring that she would not be a bother to Cassian. But he did not mind.

If Lucy had managed to get Mr Wade onside then she was an angel.

"Do you remember my name?" Cassian asked her, sitting back down in his chair and sitting Lucy on his lap.

Lucy cocked her head, her sweet curls bouncing. "No."

Cassian smiled. He had only ever introduced himself once. "My name is Cassian," he told her again. "Your Mama is my friend."

"Cassian," she repeated. Lucy's attention quickly shifted to the papers that were strewn across his desk. Her little hand travelled over to a stock report and she lifted it up, pretending to read. "A story?" she asked, looking up at Cassian.

"A very dull one," he chuckled.

Lucy frowned, confused. "Read?" she persisted.

Cassian supposed he could have a go at turning his dull stock report into a story. He took the page from Lucy, who promptly grinned excitedly. He cleared his throat and began. "Once upon a time, there was a man named Gerald Hockley, who lived in a faraway land called Yorkshire. Mr Hockley had a very important job in Yorkshire. He looked after all the workers in the village. One day, Mr Hockley wrote a letter, a very important letter to his master. His name was Cassian."

Lucy gasped excitedly.

Cassian was bewildered. How was she finding this interesting? Nevertheless, he continued. "He wrote to Cassian telling him how many shipments of ..." cotton was not very interesting, "... fancy dresses were ready to be sent to ..." not manufacturers, "... Princess Lucy."

Lucy beamed. "Me?" she squealed.

Cassian relaxed a little. "Yes, you, Princess Lucy." He smiled. "There were ten fancy dresses ready to be sent. Blue ones, and pink ones, and all sorts. Princess Lucy needed the dresses for all the parties she was going to attend, after all, she now lives in London."