have the warmth and affection of a loving family.
Zena's expression had become inexpressibly pensive as profound impressions of loneliness engulfed her. Both her parents were gone forever and, although he was precious to her, Bobby couldn't fill the void of companionship sometimes so achingly real.
Alex saw the bleakness of her face and, in a considerate attempt to divert the morose direction of Zena's mood, coaxed gently, "Come, help us. We need another pair of hands to construct this God-awful, complicated apparatus. Move over, Bobby; make room for your sister."
Bobby obliged obediently, patting the carpet next to him. "Here, Zena, here, by me. We make giant wheel," and he threw his arms wide to emphasize his statement.
Zena flashed a warm smile at her young brother's enthusiasm, forcibly set aside her melancholy, and rose to join the assembly crew on the floor. Ten minutes later the entire wheel was complete, and small wooden passengers were enjoying a wildly reckless ride as Bobby twirled the wheel with vigor.
Mariana interrupted this cozy scene en famille when she appeared with Bobby's supper. After laying the invalid's fare out on a low table, she cajoled Bobby into a small chair and attempted to help him with his meal.
"Papa help, Papa help!" Bobby insisted loudly and closed his lips tightly as Mariana tried to put a spoon of porridge into his mouth. Zena winced in embarrassment again as Bobby screamed for his "Papa," but the little maid was the model of decorum as she looked hesitantly at the prince.
"Here, give me the spoon. I'll feed Bobby, Mariana. Would you tell Trevor to bring up some champagne when you leave?" Alex seated himself on a very small chair designed to accommodate children, forcing his long legs to one side to avoid upsetting the table. "Open wide, now, Bobby," Alex enticed, a spoon of porridge poised high in the air, and the game commenced.
Trevor brought chilled champagne, poured two glasses, and withdrew. Zena lounged on the floor, enjoying the sport at the small supper table. She chuckled silently at the incongruous sight of the enormous prince balanced on the fragile chair. Bobby giggled while Alex zoomed food into the baby mouth. The young child occasionally insisted that Alex eat some porridge, too. With infinite good nature the prince consumed several spoonfuls of porridge until the food on the tray was disposed of. Bobby returned to his toys on the floor while Alex unraveled his long legs to lounge on the floor next to Zena.
"Porridge and champagne isn't exactly my idea of haute cuisine" he grimaced jestingly. "I must request your utter secrecy in regard to this gourmet blend, for if any of my friends get wind of it, I can envision hundreds of bowls of porridge appearing at the most awkward moments in the future. Practical joking assumes monumental proportions in my bizarre coterie of friends, as boredom plagues them so."
"Never fear, sir, you can trust my discretion completely. Although," Zena giggled softly, "your stoic look of resignation was marvelously funny as you manfully swallowed all those spoons of porridge." The memory forced her to giggle again. Had she drunk too much champagne already, she wondered briefly, or was it just pleasurable to laugh again after so long?
"Over the years I have quite regularly found myself in ridiculous situations, so laugh all you like, my dear; I'm absolutely immune." Alex chided in cheerful, high spirits as he refilled their glasses. In this delightfully warm proximity, Zena and Alex drank three bottles of champagne, although the prince accounted for more than two bottles himself, while Bobby entertained himself with the huge assortment of toys.
As the third bottle was emptied, Zena tucked Bobby into bed, and she and Alex proceeded downstairs to the dining room, where a bounteous table was laid out for their meal. Alex continued drinking as he ate. Zena noted with some alarm that he was starting on his second bottle of wine since the meal
Zena's expression had become inexpressibly pensive as profound impressions of loneliness engulfed her. Both her parents were gone forever and, although he was precious to her, Bobby couldn't fill the void of companionship sometimes so achingly real.
Alex saw the bleakness of her face and, in a considerate attempt to divert the morose direction of Zena's mood, coaxed gently, "Come, help us. We need another pair of hands to construct this God-awful, complicated apparatus. Move over, Bobby; make room for your sister."
Bobby obliged obediently, patting the carpet next to him. "Here, Zena, here, by me. We make giant wheel," and he threw his arms wide to emphasize his statement.
Zena flashed a warm smile at her young brother's enthusiasm, forcibly set aside her melancholy, and rose to join the assembly crew on the floor. Ten minutes later the entire wheel was complete, and small wooden passengers were enjoying a wildly reckless ride as Bobby twirled the wheel with vigor.
Mariana interrupted this cozy scene en famille when she appeared with Bobby's supper. After laying the invalid's fare out on a low table, she cajoled Bobby into a small chair and attempted to help him with his meal.
"Papa help, Papa help!" Bobby insisted loudly and closed his lips tightly as Mariana tried to put a spoon of porridge into his mouth. Zena winced in embarrassment again as Bobby screamed for his "Papa," but the little maid was the model of decorum as she looked hesitantly at the prince.
"Here, give me the spoon. I'll feed Bobby, Mariana. Would you tell Trevor to bring up some champagne when you leave?" Alex seated himself on a very small chair designed to accommodate children, forcing his long legs to one side to avoid upsetting the table. "Open wide, now, Bobby," Alex enticed, a spoon of porridge poised high in the air, and the game commenced.
Trevor brought chilled champagne, poured two glasses, and withdrew. Zena lounged on the floor, enjoying the sport at the small supper table. She chuckled silently at the incongruous sight of the enormous prince balanced on the fragile chair. Bobby giggled while Alex zoomed food into the baby mouth. The young child occasionally insisted that Alex eat some porridge, too. With infinite good nature the prince consumed several spoonfuls of porridge until the food on the tray was disposed of. Bobby returned to his toys on the floor while Alex unraveled his long legs to lounge on the floor next to Zena.
"Porridge and champagne isn't exactly my idea of haute cuisine" he grimaced jestingly. "I must request your utter secrecy in regard to this gourmet blend, for if any of my friends get wind of it, I can envision hundreds of bowls of porridge appearing at the most awkward moments in the future. Practical joking assumes monumental proportions in my bizarre coterie of friends, as boredom plagues them so."
"Never fear, sir, you can trust my discretion completely. Although," Zena giggled softly, "your stoic look of resignation was marvelously funny as you manfully swallowed all those spoons of porridge." The memory forced her to giggle again. Had she drunk too much champagne already, she wondered briefly, or was it just pleasurable to laugh again after so long?
"Over the years I have quite regularly found myself in ridiculous situations, so laugh all you like, my dear; I'm absolutely immune." Alex chided in cheerful, high spirits as he refilled their glasses. In this delightfully warm proximity, Zena and Alex drank three bottles of champagne, although the prince accounted for more than two bottles himself, while Bobby entertained himself with the huge assortment of toys.
As the third bottle was emptied, Zena tucked Bobby into bed, and she and Alex proceeded downstairs to the dining room, where a bounteous table was laid out for their meal. Alex continued drinking as he ate. Zena noted with some alarm that he was starting on his second bottle of wine since the meal
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