Alice crouched beside the storage bench, Robert's tall riding boot balanced carefully against her knee as she peered at it with intense concentration.
One hand hovered near the sole, as if measuring it with her eyes, while the other clutched a neatly folded sock, clearly handmade.
June walked quietly toward her, curious to see what she was so focused on that she hadn't noticed June calling her name.
"Hm."
She cleared her throat, and Alice shrieked.
She jumped so hard the boot nearly flew out of her hands, then spun around, her eyes wide.
She shoved the boot behind her back as if that might make it disappear.
"J-June! You scared me!" Alice blurted out.
June raised an eyebrow slowly, her arms folding across her chest.
"I should be asking what you are doing," she said calmly.
"Why are you holding Commander Robert's boot like it's a state secret?"
Alice's cheeks turned bright red.
"I... I... it's nothing! I was just… cleaning."
"Cleaning one boot?" June asked dryly.
