Homespun Hearts (53 page)

He shook his head. “You fell out of a tree on top of me. How could I think anything you do after that is unladylike?”

She blushed, sighing heavily. “I got in a lot of trouble over that.” She wished he didn’t remember, but how could he forget the moment she’d fallen in love with him?

“Really? What happened?” He hadn’t heard another word about it, except for Rose going on and on about how difficult it was to live with a sister who persisted in thinking she was a boy.

“Well, Rose told my mother of course, who was already unhappy with me, because I’d sneaked out of the house the day before wearing my pants and gone to the park. She always got angry when I wore boys’ clothes out in public.”

Daniel nodded encouragingly. “And?”

Lily sighed. “Mother had a stern ‘talk’ with me, and I had to spend the rest of the day in my bedroom.” She shook her head. “It was the worst punishment for me, because I love being outdoors so much.”

“I’m sorry you got in trouble because of me.”

“I didn’t get in trouble because of you. I got in trouble because I made the choice to throw a shoe at my sister.” She giggled. “It was worth it to see her face, though.”

He laughed. “She was so mad at you. I think that’s when I realized she wasn’t as perfect as I’d thought she was.” He hugged her to him more tightly. “Why did you always wear boys’ clothes?”

“They’re just so much more comfortable. When you wear a skirt, the wind blows up under your dress and you get cold. You can’t climb trees as well in a dress, because you always have to be worried someone will see up your dress. Skirts get in the way when you run.” She shrugged. “Pants are just so much better.” She watched his face as she told him that, wondering if he would change his mind about courting her.

“If your mother told you that you were allowed to wear pants every day for the rest of your life, would you do it?”

She thought about that for a moment before shaking her head. “No, sometimes I don’t mind the dresses as much as I used to. I mean, I still prefer pants for running and fishing, but for a dance? I need to wear a dress.” She didn’t add that if she thought he’d still be interested in courting her, she’d wear pants every day, but she really didn’t want to scare him away.

“Well, you should wear your pants when we go fishing next Saturday then.”

She shook her head. “My mother would have a heart attack. I can just see it now. ‘You’re not going out with your beau with pants on. You will dress like a lady if it kills us both!’” She changed her voice to imitate the higher tones of her mother. Once she was finished, she clapped her hand over her mouth. Would he mind that she’d called him her beau?

Daniel laughed. “Well, if I don’t mind, then she shouldn’t either.”

She eyed him for a moment. “Maybe I’ll wear pants under my skirt. That way I can tie my dress up while we fish.” Would he change his mind about her if she really did it?

He grinned. “That sounds perfect.”

“You really don’t mind that I prefer pants to dresses?” How could he not mind?

He shrugged. “I don’t know why I would. You’re still the same girl underneath. I probably wouldn’t want you to wear pants
all
the time. If we go to a play or for a dance, I’d rather you were dressed like a lady. Fishing? You should wear whatever you’re comfortable in.”

She sighed contentedly, leaning closer to him. She’d had no idea such a perfect man existed. She’d thought he was wonderful before, of course, but this clinched it. If for some reason it didn’t work out between her and Daniel, she knew she would never be nearly as happy with another man.

Daniel watched her as they drove through the quiet streets toward her house. He hated that people had made her feel inferior because she was different than they were. In his eyes, there was not a better woman around.

When he pulled up in front of her house, she didn’t want to get out of the buggy. She wanted to spend more time with him, but how could she just come right out and say that? “Would you like to come into the parlor for a few minutes?”

He studied her for a moment. “Sure.” He jumped down and walked around the buggy putting up both hands to lift her down. “Will your sisters leave us alone?” he asked.

She shrugged. “Probably not. I guess I’ll just have to get used to their nonsense.” She walked toward the house, holding onto his arm and thinking about how the only home she’d ever known would look to an outsider. It was a large home, but not huge. It was made of wood and painted white with bushes planted along the front. To her it was a perfect place to live.

They stepped into the foyer, and he helped her take off her coat, leaving his own with the butler who came to the door when he heard it open. She took his hand and pulled him toward the parlor, leading him to the couch along one side. Amaryllis was lying on her stomach on the floor with her feet kicking in the air reading a book as usual. She barely glanced up when they came in, preferring her book to their company.

Lily felt badly for Amaryllis. She’d been courted by Higgins’s stepson, and it had looked as if they would be able to court, but her parents had found out, and refused to let them even write any longer. Amaryllis had been heart broken. She still saw Alex occasionally, but it was always in passing, and they were never allowed to spend any time alone together.

Lily turned to Daniel, asking him what he liked to do in his spare time. She was surprised at how well she knew his personality, but not his likes and dislikes.

“I enjoy being outdoors more than anything. I like hunting, fishing, hiking, swimming, but I like to read sometimes, too.” He shrugged. “Normal things I guess.”

Lily’s eyes danced. “They all sound normal to me! You’ve listed my favorite things.”

He grinned. “What about you? Anything other than what I already know?”

She shrugged. “I do occasionally like to read a book, if I can pry it out of Amaryllis’s hands. I never realized until Freddie was born how much I like children.”

“Do you want children?” His eyes met hers and suddenly the conversation felt very intimate.

“Very much. I think I’d like to have two or three, all boys. I can’t imagine myself as the mother of a girl!” How would she do at making certain a little girl was able to mind her manners and always keep her skirt down? If her mother was scandalized by her, she could just imagine how she’d feel about any little girl she raised.

Daniel laughed. “I can’t either. Who would teach her to sit up straight and embroider her days away?”

Lily threw back her head and hooted with laughter, only realizing when he gave her an odd look that she was probably being a bit too exuberant. He seemed to accept her for who she was, though, and she needed that desperately. If only he loved her and not Rose, all would be good in life. Wouldn’t it?

When he finally stood to say goodnight, she took his hand and walked with him to the door, leaving Amaryllis who had remained in the room with them without talking the whole time. At the door, he put on his coat, then looking both ways, brushed his lips softly against hers before disappearing into the night.

Lily closed the door and leaned heavily against it, sighing contentedly. Even though he was still in love with her sister, he was kind to her and treated her like she was important. That’s what really mattered, wasn’t it?

M
onday morning
, Lily hurried through the cold to get to Rose’s house. It was her day off from the battered women’s shelter where she worked three days a week. Her sister had worked there until little Freddie was born, but not since.

She knocked on the door a couple of times before one of the maids opened it to her. “Miss Lily. Your sister is in her parlor.” Lily was a frequent visitor at her sister’s home, so she was pretty much given free run of the place.

Lily gave the maid her coat and wandered back toward the room she knew her sister would be waiting for her in. The door was open and she walked in, sinking down into the chair across from where her sister sat on the couch. She had the baby on her lap, having just finished feeding him. “I saw Daniel sitting with the family at church yesterday!” Rose looked excited that her sister was dating her former beau.

Lily grinned and nodded. “He’s courting me.” She was ready to burst, because she had to tell someone and Rose had become her closest confidante in the year and a half since she’d married Dr. Shawn.

“I knew it! I’m so happy for you!” Rose grinned from ear to ear. She’d known how Lily felt about Daniel since shortly after her own marriage to Dr. Shawn. She was genuinely happy to see her sister getting what she wanted.

“That’s why I’m here, actually. I need your help.”

Rose nodded at her. “Anything.”

“I need to have a dress made for a dance on Friday night. Or I need you to help me pick out something I already have that’s suitable.” She bit her lip trying to think of something that would be suitable for dancing.

Rose’s eyes gleamed and she clapped her hands together. Anything that had to do with boys and fashion thrilled Rose to no end. “I’d love to help. And you definitely need something new. Mother won’t mind.” She jumped up and walked to the door. “Jill!” she called loudly.

When Jill came to the door, Rose handed Freddie to her. “I need to go out with my sister for a few hours. He’s just been fed, so he should be fine.” She kissed Freddie’s cheek, a look of love on her face. Lily was always amazed at how Rose had taken to motherhood.

Rose hurried to the hallway, and shrugged into her coat while Lily put hers on. “I’m excited for you!”

Lily was pleased that Rose was genuinely happy for her. It was obvious that she was thrilled Lily was finding love, even if it was someone she would have once felt possessive of.

They walked the short distance to the dressmaker’s shop together. Rose spent so much time there that the dressmaker merely nodded. “Give me a moment!” she called out.

Rose sat down and began looking through the dress books, trying to find just the perfect gown. “I saw the perfect dress for you just last week. Let me see if I can find it again.” After a moment she stopped and pointed. “There! I think that in a soft green would be perfect for you.” She stood and waited for the dressmaker, eyeing the different silks over the counter. She obviously needed to choose something she already had in stock. After a moment she pointed. “See? That mint green there is exactly what we’re looking for.”

“How can I help you, Mrs. Henry?” the dressmaker asked. Rose came in at least once a week, so she knew her on sight.

“We’re here for my sister, Lily. She needs a new dress for a dance.” She put the big book onto the counter and pointed to the dress. “This one, in that mint green silk.”

The dressmaker looked at Lily and then back at the book before nodding. “That will be perfect for her. You have an excellent eye.”

Rose laughed. “I buy new dresses for myself often enough that I should be very skilled at it by now.”

Lily watched the whole thing in awe. It would have taken her four hours to do what her sister had just done in five minutes. “That one is fine, I think.” She had no idea what to look for in a dress. How did someone know what looked good on them?

Rose tucked her hand through her sister’s arm. “It’s perfect for you. Trust me.” She sat down to look through the dresses some more while Lily went back to be fitted. “I’ll wait. We’ll want to get you some jewelry to match when we’re done.”

Lily sighed. She was happy her sister was so good at this sort of thing because just thinking about it all made her wish she was anyone else in the world. She hated trying on new clothes. She hated buying them and being fitted for them. She’d rather be doing just about anything else. “How long will it take?” she asked.

The dressmaker looked at her in surprise. Lily almost never spoke in her shop. She just did as she was told. “About ten days probably.”

Lily bit her lip. “I need it Friday.” Was it even possible to have a dress made so quickly?

“I’ll put a rush on it, but it will cost a little more.” The dressmaker smiled at her, knowing her parents could afford it.

“I think that’s okay.” Lily put her hands out to have her bust measured. “My mama will just be happy I’m getting a new dress.” Lily had gotten several new dresses right after Rose got married, but she hadn’t bothered since.

A few minutes later Rose wandered to the back. “I found four other dresses she needs, but not as quickly.” She had marked each page with a swatch of cloth and showed them all to the dressmaker. “How long will it take for all four of them?”

The woman shook her head and sighed. “Three weeks. I have other customers, Mrs. Henry.” She wouldn’t tell Rose ‘no’, but she wasn’t putting a rush on that many dresses.

Rose laughed. “Three weeks should be fine.”

Lily watched the byplay between the two women with a laugh. They seemed to actually enjoy all of this dress stuff.

After the fitting, which seemed to take hours, Lily and Rose went to lunch at the restaurant. They had just ordered their food, when Daniel and their father walked in. Rose waved to them, making Lily blush. “Stop it!” She didn’t want Daniel to think they’d gone there just so she could have lunch with him.

Rose just laughed. “Maybe they’ll join us!”

Both men walked over and greeted them. Daniel smiled down at Lily as if Rose wasn’t even there. For a moment, Lily’s eyes lit up in excitement that he’d chosen her over her sister, but then she realized that he probably didn’t want her or their father to see him looking at Rose, because they wouldn’t be able to miss the love in his eyes.

Rose smiled up at her father. “Why don’t you join us?” Rose asked slyly.

Fred looked between Lily and Daniel. “I think that’s a fine idea. That okay with you Daniel?”

Daniel nodded, his eyes never leaving Lily’s as he sank into the seat beside her, his hand finding hers under the table and squeezing it. “It’s good to see you here.” His eyes communicated that he wanted to be alone with her.