Just Above a Whisper

by Lori Wick

  “What’s this?” he asked with satisfaction. “A new coat?”

  “Helena couldn’t wear it anymore and sent it for Reese.”

  “Very stylish,” Troy approved. “You’ll be the envy of the green.”

  “Always my goal,” Reese teased back.

  “Did I interrupt something?” Troy asked next, his attempt at innocence not working.

  “It would give you way too much pleasure if I said yes,” Conner replied.

  “Come now, Conner, you know Dalton expects me to report.”

  Conner had to laugh at this, and Reese took that opportunity to slip away. She went out into the hall where a large mirror hung. She stood in front of it and stared at her reflection without really seeing it. Had it actually just been a few hours ago that she was discouraged, her emotions running away concerning Conner? Seeing him had changed all of that.

  Reese finally looked at herself in the glass, noticing that the brown of the coat made her eyes seem darker and more vivid. Reese then remembered what Conner had said about her nose. A smile lit her face as she turned away, unaware that Conner had come to the door to watch her and that his contented smile matched her own.

  “All right.” Troy had waited only for Reese to leave for the day to find Conner and have a few words. “No teasing, no reporting to Dalton—just talk.”

  “All right,” Conner agreed. “Talk about what?”

  “You and Reese,” Troy stated plainly. “I can see what’s happening between the two of you, and I know you’re not talking to anyone, so that begs the question: Is Reese talking to anyone? Much as I think the two of you are perfectly suited for each other, you both need to seek counsel on this.”

  “You’re right, Troy,” Conner agreed humbly. “You may ask me anything, and when I see Reese again, I’ll make sure she’s talking to someone as well.”

  “I think she would do well with several different people in town, but that’s the father in me wanting to take care of her.”

  “I’ll tell her you’re available too,” Conner said, and Troy could only nod. He wanted so much for these two young people. He wanted their lives to be built in Christ, and around each other and the church family. Suddenly he missed his wife so much that longing filled him.

  “Are you all right?” Conner asked.

  “Just missing Ivy.”

  “It would be impossible not to miss her. I wish Reese could have known her.”

  “She would be pleased to hear you say that, and I know she would have loved Reese.”

  The men saw that the conversation had taken a turn, a serious one, but they both knew that sometimes such sessions were needed. They never did get back to the topic of Conner and Reese that night, but spent time talking about Troy’s late wife and both of their families. Come bedtime, the men were weary.

  The long walks, Reese warm in her new coat, continued. Unless it was raining, the townsfolk once again saw their favorite couple walking, sometimes hand in hand, down the green, conversing all the while. At times people would stop them and visit, but for the most part they were left on their own.

  One lady, however, came with a purpose. She had something to say to Reese Thackery and wasn’t going to leave town until she did.

  “Reese,” Lillie Jenness called to stop her one day in early November.

  “Hello, Mrs. Jenness,” Reese greeted, coming to face the other woman.

  “You might have heard, but I’m leaving Tucker Mills. My house is sold, and Gerald and I are leaving.”

  “I did hear,” Reese was careful to say, seeing that the lady before her didn’t look overly happy.

  “I didn’t want to leave before I told you that I could have treated you better.”

  Reese blinked with surprise.

  “It wasn’t your fault you were sent to my house, and you worked without a word of complaint. You never encouraged my Gerald, who we both know is too young for you.”

  Reese nodded, not sure what to say.

  “I’m sorry, Reese.” Lillie’s voice dropped a bit. “Victor should never have kept those papers, and since he’ll not say the words, I’m saying them for him.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Jenness. I appreciate that. Is Mr. Jenness settled in right now?”

  “Yes. The doctors at the Massachusetts Mental Health Institute have agreed to accept him. He’ll be there for at least a year. Gerald and I will be in Boston, and we can visit.”

  “Thank you for telling me, Mrs. Jenness. I hope all of you, but especially you and Gerald, will be well.”

  Mrs. Jenness nodded, looking pleased for the first time, before turning and going on her way.

  Reese turned back to Conner, who held an arm out to her. She took it, and he spoke as he started them back down the green.

  “That was a pleasant surprise.”

  “Wasn’t it?” Reese still sounded shocked.

  “Glad to have it behind you?”

  “More than I can say,” Reese said quietly, finding it to be very true.

  “I want to be able to pray for Maddie’s baby,” Cathy suddenly confessed to Doyle one morning before he could leave to open the store.

  “I can understand that, but there are other things to cover first.”

  “Like my belief,” Cathy said, knowing what he meant.

  “Is it getting any clearer?” Doyle asked kindly.

  “Some days.”

  Doyle came back from the door and put his hands on her shoulders.

  “I won’t ever give up on you. You’re too smart not to see what God has done for you, and I’ll still be beside you when you realize you have to have His gift.”

  Cathy put her arms around him and hugged him close. Doyle went out the door a few minutes later than he planned, still praying for his wife’s heart.

  “Has he asked you to marry him?” Doc MacKay asked Reese when she stopped by his house in mid-December, having taken Troy’s advice about meeting with someone. He was like a father to her, and for that reason she had come to him each week.

  “No, and I don’t want him to until you think I’ll be all right.”

  “What do you think might be missing?”

  “He’s from a wealthy family and a big city. Right now he might be blinded by his feelings. Down the road, I don’t ever want to be an embarrassment to him.”

  “Dalton didn’t seem to think that would be an issue, and neither does Troy, but that’s not what I want you to find comfort in. Your worth is in Christ, and you’ve let that slip from your mind. You are the delight of this town. It’s a rare soul that doesn’t think the world of you, so none of us are surprised that Conner has fallen, but that’s still not to be your security.

  “You are died for, your sins paid for by the very blood of Christ. And you have chosen to take that seriously by listening to others who know more, being a student of the Scripture, and changing because of your fear and humility before God.

  “Don’t accept peace from any other source, Reese. You know how to keep a house and cook and bake. The new part in your life will be that of being a godly wife, and you’re already off to a fine start. Conner’s faith is just as real as your own, and between the two of you, you’ll help each other to be all God wants you to be.”

  The weight Reese had been carrying around on this issue lifted. She didn’t know where the fear had come from but knew Doc MacKay would have wise words on this topic. And because he’d taken her right back to her salvation and truth based in Scripture, he didn’t have to convince her that his opinion was right.

  The conversation turned to other topics about marriage during the next hour, before Reese had to get back to work. As always, Doc MacKay gave her a warm hug when she left. Remembering the things he said, and wanting still more changes in her heart and life, Reese was confident that God would bring it to pass.

  Conner was at Shephard Store. He’d gone in for some personal effects but ended up glancing around. That’s when he spotted the fabric. It was paisley with a background of dark green, an
d a brown and gold print. It was elegant fabric, and he was certain it would be beautiful on Reese.

  “May I help you, Mr. Kingsley?” Doyle came over to ask.

  “Hello, Mr. Shephard. I was noticing this fabric.” Conner reached up and touched it, and Doyle brought the bolt down. It was even more beautiful up close.

  “How much would you recommend for a woman’s dress?”

  “A tall woman?” Doyle asked with a smile, wringing one from Conner.

  “As a matter of fact, yes—not overly big around, but quite tall.”

  Doyle did the measuring and cutting, even wrapping it in brown paper because Conner Kingsley was not a man who shopped with a basket. The rest of his needs were also put into brown paper, and Conner settled his bill before he left.

  He walked home, trying to figure out how he could best present the fabric to Reese. Anyone who happened to notice his slow progress down the green guessed him to be a man with something on his mind.

  “I have a little dilemma,” Conner confessed to Reese a few days after Christmas.

  “Just a little one?” she teased. “That’s good news.”

  “I don’t know about that,” he teased back. “You see, I’m in love with you, and I’d like to ask you to marry me, but I have a rule. I can’t ask any woman to marry me when I don’t know her middle name.”

  Reese smiled into his eyes but said, “You’ll change your mind about asking.”

  “Try me.”

  With a roll of those dark brown eyes, Reese admitted, “Valentina.”

  Conner smiled. “Charisse Valentina. It’s a beautiful name. Unusual, but beautiful.”

  “Now I know you’re in love.”

  “Why is that?”

  “You’ve been robbed of your good sense.”

  Conner didn’t keep his distance any longer. He’d been leaning in the doorway of the small parlor and now came to where Reese stood by the small table she’d been dusting. He took her face in his hands, looked down into her eyes, asked her to marry him, and bent to kiss her.

  After a moment, he asked, “Did you answer my question?”

  “I don’t think I did out loud, but in my heart I said yes.”

  “Oh, I almost forgot,” Conner suddenly said, releasing Reese and going into another room. He returned with a package.

  “I found something for you.”

  Reese’s response when she tore back the paper and saw the fabric was priceless to Conner.

  “Oh, Conner,” she whispered, which was nothing new in Conner’s presence, but this time it was out of delight. “I’ve seen this at the store. It’s so pretty.”

  Conner didn’t say anything but continued to watch her.

  “I could wear this when we get married,” Reese suddenly realized. “I could have a new dress for that day.”

  Conner was almost too pleased to speak.

  “When are we getting married?” she suddenly asked, hoping it wasn’t too good to be true.

  “How long will it take you to make the dress?”

  Laughing in unabashed pleasure, Reese threw her arms around him. Conner hugged her right back, his heart dreaming of the day he could make this woman his wife. They could have stood and hugged all day, but they were too excited for that. They had to find Troy and Doc. This news had to be shared.

  “You would think we were getting married,” Alison confided in her husband as they all made their way to the big house on Sunday afternoon, January 26, 1840. “I’m that excited.”

  Douglas smiled at her, excited himself. He had talked with both Conner and Reese at length two weeks ago and was extremely pleased by the things they had shared and talked about.

  He warned them that marriage was serious but also a one-of-a-kind experience for those who are anchored in Christ. Without a qualm, Douglas had agreed to marry them. Today was the day.

  “Thank you for everything,” Reese said to Mrs. Greenlowe, hugging her again.

  “I didn’t do anything,” that woman protested, and Reese only smiled at her.

  She was the last to leave. Troy was making himself scarce for a few days, and the couple planned to go to Linden Heights the following weekend, but for the first time that day they were alone in the house.

  Conner shut the door and turned to find Reese watching him. He walked slowly toward her.

  “It was a wonderful wedding,” he said.

  “Yes, it was. And the ladies cleaned everything up.”

  “You look amazing in that dress, by the way.”

  “Do you think so?” Reese teased. “A very handsome, distinguished gentleman picked it out for me.”

  “Shall I tell you a secret?” he asked as he finished covering the distance between them and slipped his arms around her.

  “Yes.”

  “I love beautifully wrapped presents.”

  A small laugh escaped Reese just before they kissed. And Conner, living out an image he’d had in his mind since asking Reese to marry him, lifted his wife in his arms and carried her up the stairs to their room.

  Epilogue

  Reese Kingsley stopped the sleigh in the yard at the Randall farmhouse in mid-February, smiling when Jace came to meet her.

  “Congratulations!” Reese cried as she gave Jace a hug.

  “Oh, Reese, you should see her. She’s so tiny and perfect.”

  Reese smiled, reached for the gift in the back of the sleigh, and took Jace’s arm to make it through the snow and to the kitchen door. She slipped inside, knowing the way upstairs, and went quietly that direction.

  “Maddie,” she whispered at the bedroom door she found open, but Maddie seemed to be asleep. Reese went quietly into the lovely room, spotting the cradle in the corner, the very one Mr. Zantow had made. It was hung with a beautiful quilt and soft-looking sheeting.

  “Oh, Reese.” Maddie had woken and spotted her. “Come over and meet our daughter,” she invited, holding the baby in the curve of her arm.

  “Oh, my,” was all Reese could say for the first few minutes. Before her was a rosy-cheeked infant, just three days old. She had a head full of dark hair and hands so tiny and perfect that Reese was afraid to touch her.

  “What’s her name?”

  “Valerie.”

  Reese laughed with pleasure. “Hello, Valerie. I’m so glad to meet you.”

  “Do you want to hold her?”

  “Yes. She’ll be a change after Jeffrey, who’s already so big.”

  While the exchange was being made, Jace had time to join them. The pride and pleasure on his face was contagious. He and Maddie kept smiling at each other and then at their daughter.

  “I’m so happy for you,” Reese said, staring down into that enchanting, tiny face.

  “She’s a good eater,” Maddie confirmed, “and her cry is so tiny.”

  “But we hear her,” Jace put in dryly. “She makes sure of that.”

  Reese looked up at them. “It’s amazing, isn’t it? I mean, such a miracle.”

  Both Jace and Maddie were still in shock.

  “What do Doyle and Cathy think?”

  “They can’t stop crying,” Maddie said. “Both of them are so emotional over her.”

  “And I wrote my sister,” Jace put in. “I’m sure she’ll be on the weekend train.”

  “She’s in for a treat,” Reese said, her eyes still on the baby in her arms. She was filled with the most unexplainable emotion at that moment, and much as she wanted to stay and hold the baby all day, she was glad it was time to leave after they’d visited for nearly an hour.

  The sleigh took her back toward town, and Reese was glad the day was running away fast. She wanted to be with Conner, and she wanted to be near him right now. She let herself back into the house, glad the bank would be closing soon.

  “What did they name her?” Troy asked over tea that evening.

  “Valerie.”

  “That’s a pretty name. It’s nice with Randall.”

  “And Maddie?” Conner asked. “Is she doing wel
l?”

  “She looks wonderful. I think she’ll be up and around in no time.”

  “I don’t even have to guess about Jace. He must be pretty excited.”

  “You should see his face,” Reese told them, smiling at the thought.

  In fact she was still thinking about it in bed that night. With the Argand lamp burning on the bedside table, Conner looked over to find that his wife had a thoughtful look in her eyes.

  “Did you tell Maddie your suspicions?” Conner asked.

  “No,” she answered, smiling a little. “I didn’t want to detract from her news, and we’re not sure yet.”

  Conner gave her that skeptical look that she loved. Reese rolled toward him and looked into his eyes.

  “You don’t know, Conner … not for sure.”

  Conner kissed her nose.

  “You might as well face facts, Reese Kingsley. You’re going to have a baby nine months from when we were married. It’s just like that for some couples.”

  “People will think the worst.”

  “Not people who know us, and that’s who really matters. If we had been trying to do something we shouldn’t, why did we court on the green, walking in the freezing cold for all the village to see? I didn’t make you my wife in that way until after the vows were said, and God knows that.”

  “I like being your wife,” she said as she smiled into his eyes.

  Conner didn’t say anything.

  “You’re supposed to return the compliment,” she teased him.

  But Conner was still quiet, and Reese misunderstood. “Is this one of those times when words come hard?” she asked compassionately.

  “What are you talking about?” Conner frowned in confusion.

  “Douglas told me. Right after you returned from Linden Heights, he came and said you wanted to talk to me but couldn’t find the words.”

  Conner began to laugh and could not stop. His wife watched in confusion, a bemused smile on her face. It took some time, but eventually he was able to explain. Reese’s mouth opened.