The Love Note

by Joanna Davidson Politano

  Celeste sniffed. “That Dr. Tillman had to go and ruin everything. Now all I can think of is marriage and children and . . .”

  “And now you’ll find someone far better, and much more dashing.”

  What if Tillman was interested, though? The man would make his sister a fine match. Perhaps it was time to play a little chess himself—only, he’d unite the forlorn with the one she truly loved.

  He let out his breath and turned to go, but something drew him back. They giggled together, then there was another sniff. How uncouth it was to spy this way, yet he was compelled to simply watch. Their conversation hummed in the background, but it was his wife’s face that drew him, sweet and charming in the midst of Celeste’s turmoil.

  I’ve seen the strength and kindness you believe go unnoticed . . .

  The lines of that fool letter had burned themselves into the back of his eyelids, and now they returned as he watched the woman for whom they were written. Kindness. Yes, that described her immensely. And in that kindness, he saw the strength her admirer noticed. Bent near to his bereft sister, her very posture exuded a powerful sisterly empathy for this woman who had once been quick to snub Clara when she entered their household. Clara had, in fact, been more accepting of any person in this entire house than they had been of her.

  . . . breathless with wonder and profound respect for who you are.

  How much that woman had shifted the atmosphere of that room, even in her quiet—from dinner to now, Celeste was completely changed. He’d never thought of Clara as especially accomplished or mature, but there was a settled look in her eyes, a look of patient intelligence. How utterly appealing.

  You inspired in me a passion both bright and deep . . .

  He blinked, unable to tear his gaze away from the lithe figure perched on the settee like a little gem of sweetness in this stale old house.

  Burke pulled back and shook his head. What nonsense. It was only some primal territorial instinct brought out by this admirer that made him see her so. The unknown letter writer had nothing on him, anyway. Nothing. Burke was her husband. He gave her everything she had, including a family name and home. Even those paints she loved so much had come from him. What had this letter writer given her in comparison?

  As if on cue, another sentence from the letter surfaced in his brain. Dearest, if only you could see yourself from where I stand—how brave and unstoppable you would become.

  And now she did. Through that wretched letter, Clara had the benefit of seeing herself through the rosy, dewy-eyed lens he handed her, with all the pent-up passion and admiration a woman could want.

  Yet that was foolish. Foolish! How could mere words outweigh everything he’d given her? This man was simply spouting off flattering turns of phrase to catch her attention.

  Quite suddenly, pieces of the letter interrupted his little rant, thumping through his head with every pulse of his heart. Let me remind you that I’ve known you long enough to see it all . . . I’ve watched when you thought no one was looking, and observed what exists below the surface . . . I even know that secret you hoped to keep from everyone.

  He stretched his neck and forced a swallow as fear and anger wrestled in his gut. Somehow that stranger knew something he did not. Burke stared with new intensity at the woman on the settee with one thought burning in his skull—he simply had to know that secret. If it took his whole life, his entire marriage, he would know that one part of his wife that she had not shared with him.

  nineteen

  If I should happen to fall in love, the outcome of such a plight depends, like any big fall, on who is there to catch me.

  ~A scientist’s observations on love

  My words . . . they’re still wrong, Aunt Maisie.

  Because they’re yours.

  I clambered up the crumbling rock slope as the sun crested the next morning, the household behind me still abed, and braced myself against the wind. It was time to have one more private conversation about that letter, before I said another regrettable word.

  I should have realized what had upset Celeste. Or at least, I should have kept quiet until I did. That letter had been shaking up the household ever since it had been unleashed here, and now it seemed to have somehow landed with her.

  When Celeste had finally told me about her secret admirer, quoting lines I recognized from the letter, I’d forced myself to swallow the truth that was ripe and ready on the edge of my tongue. “It likely isn’t what it seems, Celeste,” was all I’d said in the moment. After our last conversation, I would not say more until I’d first talked it over with the One of infinite wisdom.

  Now, stepping into the center of the ruins, those massive old stone walls became a barrier from the wind, creating a small square of quiet in the big loud world. There I knelt and rested my soul before God. I sank into his presence, offering up my raw worries and hope as the sun warmed the back of my neck.

  The air of Crestwicke had felt even thicker lately with the longing for authentic love, the silent pain of disappointment in dashed hopes. I’d come to uncover a single broken love story and encountered a house full of brokenness and unsettled hearts longing for a safe place to land.

  Time elapsed with the muffled crash of waves below. Finally my legs grew stiff, my skin chilled with moisture. With a sigh I rose, filling my lungs with fresh air and looking over the bracken-laden cliffs that all spoke in vivid color of their Creator. Flowers gave a fresh powdery scent to the air. Drenched in God Almighty was exactly how my heart felt then, seeing traces of him everywhere, beating a steady rhythm of strength for whatever came next.

  I made my way down the path and across the misty yard, but the sound of my name from a familiar voice arrested me.

  Gabe stood framed in the stable doorway. “I have something for you.” Something in his demeanor had changed, but I couldn’t place what it was. He was more watchful of me, his gaze burrowing through all the layers, and I looked away, neck warm. Perhaps the aura of Crestwicke had invaded me too.

  The aroma of horses and fresh hay greeted me, drawing me in, inviting me to stay. Just as Gabe’s smiling eyes did while he guided me, enticing me to follow him, and I was glad I did. Around a corner I caught a glimpse of the most majestic, wild-eyed creature I’d ever seen, circling the square enclosure and tossing her head. Around she paced, as if she’d find an exit and dart to safety. The wild white-gray horse stopped to stare back at us from the far end of her enclosure, eyes wide and glassy with fear, then spun into her circle again, tossing her wavy mane. Even disheveled and jittery from head to flanks, she was magnificent.

  “Oh, Gabe.”

  When the horse stopped again, Gabe entered the enclosure, arm out, and approached with steady steps. His gaze was fixed and gentle, his very aura permeating the space and calming the beast’s frayed edges. Thawing my heart. It was beautiful to witness their interaction. Gabe was tall and steady as granite, his nature just as solid.

  He looked my way. “Give her any name you like, Willa. She isn’t broken yet, but she’s yours.”

  My heart lurched. “You . . . bought me a horse?”

  He gave the slightest shake of his head, and the horse flinched, ears back and head high. “Brought her in last night from the beach. She has a nasty gash on her hind leg that’ll be infected if she’s left on her own.” One more step and she jerked back, prancing in a circle again. “I patched her up, and she’s here to heal.” Gabe exited and came to stand beside me.

  “How, pray, did you patch her up?”

  Another shrug, arms folded on the fence as he leaned over to watch her. “A few stitches. They should hold.”

  The horse stepped closer, neck out toward Gabe as if she couldn’t keep away, despite her fear. Looking at this rock of a man who exuded a magnetic gentleness, I couldn’t help but understand. What was this enchantment he wielded over all wild creatures?

  The horse inched close to Gabe again, ears back, and I held my breath for their contact. She sniffed in a few times and huff
ed out, jerking away and circling again. Our eyes met and I recognized myself once again in the creature. My heart pounded as I took in the flared gray nostrils, quivering flesh, mane still wild with the wind and freedom she’d so recently had, and something within me trembled. “I can’t do it, Gabe. I cannot keep her. Beautiful as she is, she’s a wild animal. She’d be miserable. She’d make you miserable.”

  “Right, then.” He eyed me, and I wondered if he glimpsed the deeper thoughts on my face. “Just until she’s healed. Would that suit?”

  I glanced his way with a smile. “I suppose that’ll do.”

  “While she’s here, you might as well come and spend time with her, get her used to the idea that humans aren’t terrible. It’ll make it easier for me to treat her wounds.” More time here? More of these stables and this man, working his charm on all things wild?

  “You’ve never had trouble earning the trust of a horse.”

  He considered me. “Thought she’d be good for you too. Give you something to do besides caring for a rather demanding patient.” I blinked, and he shrugged. “No harm in admitting the truth now and again.”

  “I’m beginning to think your mother isn’t so terrible.”

  Something beautiful swelled in his expression, glowing from every plane of his face. “After winning her over, a mere horse should be no trouble.”

  I turned back to the creature still hovering in the corner. “I shall make it my special mission to love the fear right out of this horse. You see if I don’t.”

  “I have no doubt. Your impact is felt wherever you go.”

  I sighed as the horse skittered about the stall. “For better or worse.”

  Just like his horses. “Be patient with her, no? It’ll take time, but she’ll be worth it. I promise.” A hint of a smile tugged his lips. “The best ones always are.”

  I dropped my gaze. “The horse or the patient?”

  “Have your pick.”

  “I thought we were freeing this horse once she healed.” I turned and placed a hand on the gate, watching the caged thing.

  “Perhaps.” He stepped up behind me, placing his hand beside mine. “Don’t be surprised if she decides to stay. Funny thing about scars is that when they heal, they rebuild around whatever they’re touching. You very well might be stuck with her.”

  I smiled. “I suppose I could live with that.”

  We stared at one another, that horse and I, her breath puffing quick and short through those flared nostrils. How I longed to smooth my hand along that velvety gray muzzle and up into her mane. I laid my cheek on my folded arms. “There, now. We’re to be friends, you and I. Perhaps someday you’ll let me ride you. What if I promise to go bareback? Yes, I think that would suit you. Besides, you’re far too pretty to be covered up with a saddle. What do you say, shall we make a go of it?”

  She jerked her head, then danced back and forth across the farthest part of the stall, neck arching and tangled mane feathering out behind her. Keeping my eyes on her, I stepped up onto the bottom rail of the gate and held out my hand, palm up. What lovely, wild eyes she had, and I could see the fear sparkling in their depths. Back and forth she went, trying to make sense of me.

  Then she darted forward and nipped. I jolted back with a cry and laughed, stumbling off the gate. I turned to Gabe to share the moment with him and found him watching me with deliberate interest, as if he were evaluating something. His look sobered me, and I stood in the quiet stable staring back at him, trying desperately to read what I saw there. He did not let me. Long lashes dropped and guarded his secrets.

  I forced a smile into the heavy silence. “Thank you, Gabe. She’s perfect. For however long she lets me keep her.”

  “I’m betting on forever.” His voice rumbled from his chest as he lifted his gaze again.

  I looked down, unsure what to say.

  “I was thinking Luna for her name. After the French word for—”

  “Moon.” I lifted a smile to him. “Yes, it’s perfect. She’s like a lovely moonbeam, lighting up this dark stable as she shoots across the sky.” I faced the skittish horse. “All right then . . . Luna.”

  “You’ll be perfect for each other.”

  “Yes, perfect.” I turned to him as he tossed a bridle over his shoulder, my heart still full of letters and broken hearts and solemn vows. “Gabe, why does your mother separate so many couples?”

  He didn’t flinch at the randomness of my question, but instead lifted an armload of leather bridles and things from a chair, continuing his work. “She has a keen eye, and she isn’t blinded by a cloud of feelings. She can see things better than the people in the midst of their infatuation. She practically saved Celeste’s life years ago.”

  Poor Celeste. “That’s all it was with her Frenchman—infatuation? She still bears the scars of that break, you know.”

  “She might bear a lot more if she’d gone forward with him. The truth is, he enjoyed the company of ladies a great deal. Or rather, the company of a great deal of ladies. Maybe he’d have settled on Celeste for life, maybe not.”

  “So she was protecting her.”

  “Burke has a good woman because of her, even if they’ve managed to muck it up a bit, and me . . .” His jaw jutted to the side. “Well, Caroline would mean the fulfillment of a great many dreams for me, and she’s kind and beautiful. My mother may be prickly as a pincushion, but she knows the desires of her children and seeks to fill them in whatever way seems logical.”

  Yet from where I sat, she’d done nothing but form business alliances and tie everyone into knots. No one ever knew how it would be until a person was in it, it seemed, all freedom signed away.

  Soon afterward, I walked back to the house, staring up at it with a deep gratitude for my spinsterhood. There existed in me a dull, general ache for the love story I didn’t have, for a lasting home for my heart, but that discomfort seemed far better than giving up my future and living through a marriage like those at Crestwicke. Not a single pairing outside of my sainted parents’ marriage was better than flying across the beach, mane fluttering and an ocean of possibilities before me.

  Days later, a storm rattled the very bones of Crestwicke Manor, slicing the sky with light followed by ominous rolling thunder that vibrated through the timbers. I sat curled into Golda’s sitting room window to study, drawn there in spite of the moist air stealing through the casement. Golda sat at her desk, writing. Rain swelled the clouds, threatening to fall but not making good as of yet. Just like the night Rose and Grayson were married.

  I hadn’t been able to get that story from my head, for the sadness of it remained heavy in my heart. Had she felt clammy, standing there in the rain-pregnant air with her best gown, praying she could wed Grayson before they were caught?

  I forced my attention onto the text on my lap, an abstract from Dr. Henry Currey on his “pavilion principle,” which is what I’d finally decided on for Father’s new clinic design. Basic and logical, it allowed for ventilation of every part of the building and kept contagions from becoming cooped up with the patients. It had proved wildly successful in France already.

  Each strike of lightning jerked my attention back to the window, every rumble sent a shiver through me. Then one sharp crack split the peace, and I dropped my book with a cry. Below a stable door banged. A horse’s frantic neigh echoed. Wood splintered, and I strained to see the stables.

  Golda’s voice made me jump. “Go and see what that’s about, will you?”

  “Oh yes, of course.” I flung aside my wrap and hurried down the hall, planting my face in the leaded glass window at the end of the hall. Then I saw her—that familiar white-gray creature bucking wildly, tangling her legs in the broken corral fence. Another pop and the animal tore into the open field, stumbling on her lame leg.

  I spun to bolt outside, but a gentle hand on my arm stopped me. I nearly fell backward in my shock, as if touched by a specter.

  “No need to panic.” Another flash of lightning illuminated Aunt
Maisie, who must have come down the hall for the same reason. “Just wait here.”

  “But that horse is horribly injured.” As thunder rumbled in the background, images of that sleek body tumbling over jagged cliffs ripped through my mind. “I’ve got to find her. I need a lantern, and rope. And a groom, and—”

  Her gnarled hand clamped onto my shoulder. “You need nothing but to stay right here, out of the way.”

  “But—”

  “Look.” Her raspy voice arrested my attention as she lifted one crooked finger to the window. Another horse tore out of the stables, a cloaked rider clinging to its neck.

  “Gabe.” I breathed his name in relief and touched the rippled glass.

  I waited for their return, watching my breath steam the window, counting endless seconds. Then they crested the far hill, both horses side by side with Gabe tall and able on his. Lightning crackled as they came down the hill, the white horse favoring her injured leg but no longer fighting. In fact, she seemed eager for the shelter as they reached the stable, head bowed as they stopped under the eaves.

  She’d begun to make her peace with us lately, to hesitantly take an apple from me, a calming stroke from Gabe, and it had solidified my heart toward her, filled it with protectiveness. Gabe loosened the rope around her neck and smoothed his hand down to her shoulder. She threw her head back when thunder rumbled, giving little bucks, then she visibly eased under Gabe’s soothing touch.

  “Belonging to Gabe Gresham is not the worst thing that’s happened to that wild horse.” Aunt Maisie’s voice was faint and thoughtful.

  My heart squeezed, watching Gabe coax the horses back to the stable. She’d given up her freedom, but she had someone to go after her in a storm. My heart stretched in many directions, tainted with longing.

  Yet not everyone’s story ended that way. Few did, in fact. Images of Rose and Grayson in that Gretna Green stable flashed before me with each lightning bolt. “Oh, Aunt Maisie, how can you possibly want me to fan those desires into flames when they only consume a person and leave her so broken and alone.”