The Visitor (27 page)
Henry suddenly felt very emotional, another facet added to his life as he learned to show love to others. How God would choose to give him a friend like James Walker he didn’t know, but he was eternally grateful.
The men turned to a passage in Hebrews 13, one that reminded them that the God of peace, who raised His own Son from the dead, would help them to do the things that were pleasing in His sight.
After reading the passage over and discussing it, they spent a long time in prayer, Henry giving his family over to God and asking for his trust to be increased, and Walker, for his example before his lost children and grandchildren.
Pembroke
“You’ve been crying,” Tate said after Cassandra had read all of two sentences.
“How did you know that?” she asked, feeling almost betrayed.
“I can hear it in your voice.”
Cassandra said nothing for a moment. She thought his not being able to see her red eyes and puffy lids would disguise how she felt.
“Do you want to tell me about it?”
“You weren’t supposed to notice,” she told him, her voice wobbling again. “And if you’re going to be so kind, I’ll be in tears all over again.”
Tate thought she sounded adorable and couldn’t quite stop his smile. He didn’t, however, manage to school his face before she noticed.
“You’re laughing at me!”
“I’m not, truly, I’m not.”
Cassandra sniffed, knowing it was rude but unable to locate her handkerchief. She looked up to see Tate holding his out to her.
“I told you not to be nice to me,” she said, tears now coming in earnest.
“Cassandra, what is it?”
“Charlotte and Barrington have left. They’ve been away from home for a very long time, and they’re most eager to get to Bath, but it feels as if they just arrived.”
“Would it have helped to remain home?”
“I don’t know. I don’t think so. At least if we read something interesting I won’t have to think about them.”
“And I interrupted you.”
“It’s all right.” Cassandra dried her tears, seeing that she’d made him feel bad. It made her want to cry all over again, but she held herself in check.
“Don’t worry about my feelings,” Tate guessed, frustrating his reader to madness.
“You must stop reading my mind!” Cassandra demanded, meaning it.
Tate laughed, not able to help himself.
“Trust me, Cassandra, there’s plenty I can’t read.”
“What does that mean?” Her tears were now completely forgotten, the handkerchief balled in her hand.
“Only that you’re not all that simple to figure out.”
“What is it you wish to know?”
Tate mentally stopped in his tracks and wisely said, “I think those questions might need to wait for another day.”
Cassandra fell silent.
“I was rude just now,” the redhead confessed. “I’m sorry.”
“I didn’t find you rude at all.”
Again Cassandra was quiet.
“Do you feel like reading?”
“I would be happy to read to you, but not if you would rather I leave.”
“Why would I want that?”
“Because I haven’t been restful for you. I would never forgive myself if I lost sight of that and hindered your healing.”
“That’s very good of you, but I find that your presence alone is restful.”
“Do you really, Mr Tate?” Cassandra asked in some amazement.
“Yes, and don’t you think you know me well enough to drop the Mr from my name?”
“I don’t know about that,” Cassandra told him. She never thought of him as Mr Tate. She mentally called him Alexander, but she was careful never to say it.
“Well, you let me know when you do.”
“All right. I’ll finish this article now.”
Tate agreed with just a nod, thinking it wise not to say another word. He thought that if he couldn’t someday tell this woman that he loved her, he would slowly lose what was left of his mind.
Newcomb Park
Lizzy had no idea what she was doing in the garden, only that it had gotten to be something of a habit.
“When you can’t help yourself, and Morland comes to mind,” she whispered the horrible routine to herself, “go to the garden. Make yourself pick flowers in an effort to dispel him from your mind.”
Lizzy shook her head at the foolishness of it all and determined not to cry. No easy task with Charlotte and Barrington’s departure still so fresh in her mind.
With a complete lack of interest, Lizzy chose another bloom, an ugly one in her estimation, and added it to the basket. Not until she shooed a fly away did she look up to see him standing some 20 yards off. The moment they had eye contact, he came forward.
“Morland!” Lizzy said, her breath coming fast. “You’re back.”
“Hello, Lizzy.”
“Hello.” She worked to compose herself and think fast. “Is Edward with you?”
“No, he decided to stay on.”
“Are you back because someone is ill? Is your aunt well?”
“She’s very well. I was ready to come home.”
Morland stopped himself from smiling over how flustered she was. Seeing her with more knowledge gave new meaning to everything she did. The calm face she presented to him covered feelings he’d never read in her eyes before. The way she clasped her hands was not a sign of a quiet heart but an effort to stop their shaking.
“Did you enjoy Africa?” she finally asked, nearly smiling in triumph that she came up with a question at all.
“It was marvelous. I’ll look forward to telling you about it.”
“Is Edward coming anytime soon?”
“In another month to six weeks, I imagine.”
“Where did you leave him?”
“He’s with the Middletons.”
Lizzy nodded. Her brother had written about that. She glanced around, her mind searching for something witty or even intelligent to say.
“Have you seen Henry or Cassie?”
“No, I wished to see you first. Jasper told me you were out here.”
Lizzy didn’t know what to say to this, and Morland stopped fighting the smile that wanted to break through.
“If memory serves me, Lizzy, you’re not overly fond of picking flowers and arranging them.” He paused, their eyes meeting and not looking away. “It causes a man to wonder what a woman might have on her mind.”
Lizzy couldn’t say a word. Indeed, she could barely breathe.
Morland stepped forward, picked a perfect rose on his way, and held it out to her.
“Add this to the basket. It’s almost as lovely as you are.”
Lizzy took it without a word and watched as Morland turned and walked toward the house. She waited, expecting to see his carriage exiting the drive, but that didn’t happen.
“He’s inside!” It occurred to her very suddenly, causing her to almost dump her basket. Forcing herself to move slowly, to hold the basket still and not trip, Lizzy walked to the house, certain that her heart was going to beat through the wall of her chest.
He’s back,
she said to herself, wondering at this mixture of terror and excitement that filled her.
For an instant she wondered if her brother might have spoken to him about her feelings but dismissed the idea almost immediately.
Edward wouldn’t do that. I know he wouldn’t. Don’t read something into this, Lizzy, that’s simply not there.
Knowing she wouldn’t take a word of her own advice, she finished the walk toward the house, willing herself to be as normal as she could be if they again came face-to-face.
Henry listened with genuine interest as Morland described his trip with Edward, the sights they had seen and the people they’d met, but it didn’t leave his mind for a moment that this man was back in England for a specific reason.
“Will you go back, do you think?” Henry asked after some time.
“Someday, I hope, but not anytime soon.”
“Why is that?”
Morland smiled. In the past Henry always seemed to be distracted when they talked. Not today. Today he was taking in every word.
“I have some unfinished business here, Henry. It involves your sister. Not until that is settled will I plan to go anywhere or do anything.”
“Does Lizzy know that?”
“No. I believed Edward when he told me of her feelings, but I guess I need to see it for myself, not to mention gain your approval.”
“You have that, Morland. You always have.”
“Thank you.”
The men continued to discuss Africa, but now it was Morland’s turn to be distracted. Now knowing that Henry approved of his suit, he wanted to do little but see Lizzy. While still traveling it seemed that all he needed to do was return and everything would fall into place. Now he realized that getting close to the lady herself might not prove that easy.
“Jasper just told me Morland is here!” Cassandra whispered furiously the moment she arrived back from Pembroke and found her sister in the library.
“He’s in with Henry.” Lizzy sounded much calmer than she felt.
“Did Edward come?”
“No, he’s here alone.”
Cassandra smiled a smug, complacent smile that caused Lizzy to shake her head.