Read Essence Of The Heart (The Royal Tutor) for Free Online Page B

As they were readying their horses, the children of
the town gathered around. One small, blonde girl, dressed in tired, patched
clothes, came up and tugged at Alexander's coat. He smiled down at her
questioningly, and she pointed at his saddle bag. Louise looked at it, and,
for the first time, realized it was still bulging.
     
          Alexander smiled at the little girl, but said nothing. He reached up
and pulled a large leather pouch from the saddle bag. He reached inside and
pulled out a small yellowish-brown stick. He knelt down and crossed his
arms on his chest, then pointed to Louise. The small girl glanced over at
Louise and nodded. She walked shyly over to her, motioning with her dusty
finger for Louise to lean down. Louise obliged, and the small girl threw her
arms around Louise's neck, giving her a kiss on the cheek. Hurrying back
to Alexander, she threw her arms around him and kissed him on the cheek
as well. He held out the item to her, and she took it and scampered off.
     
          Each child waited impatiently for their turn, and each, in turn,
received one of the yellow-brown sticks. When they were done, Louise
could see an unfamiliar expression on Alexander's face. His smile was still
there, but there was a softness to him. She felt a string from her heart
tugging the tears from her eyes, and she had to blink them back.
     
          After the last child was gone, Alexander reached in the bag and
pulled out the last stick. He handed it to her and smiled. She looked at it
suspiciously. He laughed. "It's good. Just lick it."
     
          She tasted it, and her mouth danced. As she licked at it again and
again, he grinned. "A trader from the east taught me how to make it from
cream and honey. He called it 'honey candy'." Louise could never
remember eating anything so good. She could easily have eaten many more,
but she realized how selfish that thought was since Alexander hadn't even
saved one for himself, even though he surely must have been starving. As
they mounted and turned toward Denville Castle, everyone came out,
shouting goodbye. Louise looked back to see the small, blonde girl poking
her head out from the skirts of the old woman who had been the recipient of
the chicken. The little girl waved shyly, and Louise could again feel the
tears fighting their way to the surface.
     
          As they plodded on in silence, she finally had to ask the questions
tugging at her heart.
     
          "Alexander, those children knew you would have that candy for
them, didn't they?"
     
          He nodded. "It all started with Nell, the little girl that came first.
She is my favorite. Both of her parents were killed in a horrible accident. I
tried to talk to her, but she just wanted to hide from me. I found out she
hasn't talked since the day of the accident. So, one day, I pulled out a piece
of candy to give to her. I told her she was beautiful, and I loved her, and
that was what the candy meant. Pretty soon I was giving it to all of the
children. I've just started bringing it every time I come, and they know I'll
have it. I enjoy doing it at many of the towns I visit."
     
          "Do you visit lots of towns?" Louise asked.
     
          "As many as I can," he replied.
     
          They rode on in silence for a long time, but the events of the day
kept gnawing at Louise until she asked some more questions.
     
          "Alexander, who is the old lady she is with?"
     
          "That is her grandmother. I've thought of seeing if Nell could come
live at the castle, but they're all each other has in the world, and her
grandmother would never leave the mountain."
     
          Louise found herself troubled by what had happened with the
children. She wanted so desperately to hate Alexander that anything that
drew her feelings in another direction bothered her. She worked hard to