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protector. “I know you told us not to run, but we couldn’t help it. The mean dog came after us again, and Lizzy couldn’t run very fast.” Big tears welled in the boy’s eyes. “Please, don’t be mad at her. I tried to stop the dog, but—” He paused, turning to show the rip on the back side of his breeches. “The dog got me, too.”
    Mercedes’ heart crumbled at the tender display and she rushed to the children, kneeling on the step in front of them. She reached out to touch them and they flinched.
    “Let me examine your knee, Lizzy .” Mercedes gently lifted the soiled pink dress to the scraped bloody skin underneath. “You are bleeding. We should clean that cut. It will make you feel better.” She moved to pick up the four-year-old, but the little girl darted behind her brother.
    “I will do it,” the boy said with authority.
    Lightly chewing on her bottom lip, Mercedes narrowed her gaze on the pair. She nodded. “If you do not mind, I would like to watch. Is that permissible?”
    The boy’s brows creased as he stared back at her. “Aye.”
    She followed the children up the wide staircase to the second-floor. Why were they so afraid of the woman who’d married their father? And they had yet to behave in the manner Kat had described.
    A nursemaid scurried from one of the rooms and swept Lizzy up in her arms. “Oh, Mrs. Braxton, don’t you worry about these two. I will take care of them.”
    “Nonetheless, I would like to assist,” Mercedes said.
    This time all eyes widened. The maid finally nodded. “If you are certain, Mistress?”
    “I am.” Mercedes smiled.
    While she helped the maid tend to Lizzy’s knee, she listened to the boy tell about the accident. She discovered his name was James. Though she had no clue to why the girl didn’t speak. After Lizzy’s knee had been bandaged, the maid pushed James off to his room to change his breeches.
    “James,” Mercedes called after him. “If you want to bring your breeches back to me, I will mend the rip and they will be like new.”
    Once again, all three stopped and stared with wide eyes, but James appeared more confused than the other two with his creased forehead.
    “It is all right,” she assured. “Make haste, and I will repair them.”
    James glanced at the older woman who shrugged. He started to his room, but then turned back to Mercedes. “Thank you.”
    She smiled. “For what?”
    “For not scolding us.” He grabbed his sister’s hand and they turned and ran to their rooms.
    Her heart twisted. Could her sister have lied again? What had Kat been doing to William’s children? Unless, of course, Kat had reprimanded them because of the way their father had instructed them to treat her. Yes, that must be it.
    “And I thank you, Mrs. Braxton.” The maid bobbed, then turned, but Mercedes grabbed her arm and stopped her.
    “Would you please explain something to me before you leave?”
    “What might that be?”
    “I wonder why the children call me Mercedes?”
    Confusion marred the maid’s face, her forehead wrinkling her expression. Perhaps Mercedes shouldn’t have asked, but she really needed to know.
    “Have you forgotten, Mrs. Braxton?”
    “Apparently so.” She massaged her temples. “I think my mind has been scrambled from my long and tedious journey.”
    “Well, you specifically instructed us not to use the name their father calls you. They see how upset you get when he uses that name, so they call you by your given name.”
    Mercedes released an agitated sigh and trailed her fingers down to rub the back of her neck. So, that was the reason William called her Kat. It was meant to upset her. Yet, why would her sister use Mercedes’ name at all? William should be calling her Katherine.
    Certainly another mystery to unravel.
    “I am sorry I have frightened those poor children. I shan’t do it again. After you help them change, have them come to the parlor. I wish to speak to them.”
    The maid nodded and hurried