Groom Wanted

by Debra Ullrick

  “I’ll go check on them for you, Uncle Michael.” Thomas, Jess’s oldest son, pressed his shoulders back and stood up tall. Tall for an eleven-year-old anyway.

  “We will, too,” Rosie and Emily both said.

  “Me, too,” Jess’s other son, William, tossed in. It was obvious the six-year-old didn’t want to be left out.

  Jake smiled, taking it all in. This loving family supported one another and cared for one another. Watching them made him wish he had brothers and a family like this one. Homesickness for his own family drizzled through him. He wondered what they were doing now.

  “Okay. Okay.” Michael handed Joey to the maid, but his attention stayed riveted on the babies until they disappeared into the next room.

  Leah hooked her hand through Mr. Barrington’s. “Shall we?”

  His feet remained in place. “Pardon me, Leah, but it is highly improper for us to go in before our host.”

  “Huh? Oh.” She waved him off. “We don’t care about stuff like that out here. Out here, guests go first.”

  His forehead wrinkled. “Highly improper. Most disagreeable to be sure.”

  Jake scanned the Bowens’ faces, hoping the man hadn’t offended them, but no one seemed to have heard him but Leah, Elizabeth and himself.

  “Brother.” Elizabeth laid her hand on his arm. “Please, do not make a scene,” his sister whispered, her cheeks a dark shade of red.

  Jake stared at Fitzwilliam with one brow hiked and sent the man a warning glare that he’d better fall in line.

  Fitzwilliam sent a disapproving look back at him, one that turned into a challenging, smug look, then he looked at his sister. “You’re right, Elizabeth dear. Thank you for pointing out my own faux pas.”

  Faux pas? What in the world was a faux pas?

  Fitzwilliam turned his attention to Leah. “My apologies to you, Leah. My sister is correct. Again, I must beg you to bear with me. I am quite used to things done differently, but this is your home and we are your guests. Please accept my sincere apology.”

  Leah’s smile showed her relief and her pleasure. “Of course I accept your apology. Now, let’s head into dinner.” She glanced at Jake. “You coming?”

  “Wouldn’t miss it.” Jake sent his lazy grin her way, the one she enjoyed. Then it was his turn to send Fitzwilliam a smug look. Narrowed eyes stared back at him until Leah turned toward him. Immediately Fitzwilliam’s glare changed to a smile. That man was phonier than a fifteen-cent piece.

  “May I?” Elizabeth offered her hand to him.

  Jake smiled down at the woman who was inches shorter than he. “You may.” He looped her hand through his arm and followed Leah into the dining room, thinking how interesting this evening was going to be.

  * * *

  Leah glanced at Elizabeth’s hand draped over Jake’s arm and his hand patting it in a friendly gesture. Her gaze slid to Elizabeth’s face. Miss Barrington stared up at Jake with stars in her eyes. Leah wished she could see Jake’s eyes, but from where she stood, they were hidden from her view.

  A throat cleared. Leah’s gaze slid to Michael, who nodded for her to head into the dining room. Oh. She stepped inside and thanked God that her mother knew how to entertain the wealthy and elite society. From what she’d seen so far, Fitzwilliam was both. That both excited and intimidated her.

  She raised her chin and proudly led Fitzwilliam into their formal dining room. Surely he couldn’t find fault with anything in here. Two years before, her brothers had added on to Mother’s house a large parlor, a library, an office and a formal dining room. For Christmas that year they had all gotten together and surprised Mother with a solid oak Queen Anne dining set, including chairs, table, china hutch and serving table, along with a blue, gray and maroon Victorian rug that gave a nice ambience to the room. Last year they’d bought her two silver candelabras and a crystal chandelier laden with fresh candles, which went great with Mother’s bone Limoges china with delicate purple and blue roses and gold trim.

  Little by little they were restoring what Mother had left behind to move here. And little by little the place was starting to look like their home back in New York. Except this home wasn’t as large, and Leah had to admit, it was much homier.

  Mother strolled to her place at the head of the table, and Haydon pulled out her chair. After all the women were seated, the men took their places.

  Haydon sat at the other end of the table, opposite his mother. Rainee sat on his right, then Emily, Rosie, Jess, Hannah and two of their children, Thomas and William.

  Michael sat on Haydon’s left, then Selina, Fitzwilliam, Leah, Jake, Elizabeth and Abby.

  “Let’s pray.”

  Leah closed her eyes and bowed her head. She felt Fitzwilliam shift next to her. She slatted one eye and peered at him. His gaze traveled around the room and landed on her. He slammed his eyes shut and quickly bowed his head.

  Leah smiled. He’d been caught. She couldn’t blame him for being curious. She would be, too. For a brief moment, her attention touched on Elizabeth. Unobserved, Leah watched Elizabeth as the woman stared moon-eyed at Jake until Haydon finished the prayer and everyone said amen. Uneasiness stroked Leah’s soul. Later on she’d ask herself why that bothered her.

  Veronique and Zoé came in and served the first course.

  Fitzwilliam picked up his spoon, tipped it away from him and took a sip. “This is quite delicious. What it is it?”

  “It’s ärtsoppa.” At his frown, she explained. “Pea soup.”

  “I see.” He took another sip and so did she.

  Leah reached for a slice of kavring—dark rye bread—dunked it into her soup and took a bite. She turned to ask Fitzwilliam if he’d like some but didn’t because he looked aghast. “Something wrong?” she whispered.

  He leaned toward her and spoke quietly. “Is this another American custom? Eating with your fingers?” His gentle tone belied the shock plastered on his face.

  “Yes. Is something wrong with that?” Rather than take offense, Leah reminded herself that Fitzwilliam had asked her to bear with him.

  “Brother, would you please pass me that delicious-

  looking bread?” Elizabeth made direct eye contact with Fitzwilliam, and his face unpuckered instantly.

  “No. No. Not at all.” He smiled, and she smiled back at him, relieved that everything was okay.

  He picked up the plate and handed it to Leah. She passed it to Jake, and he handed it to Elizabeth. Their hands lingered longer than necessary. Leah frowned, then shook herself mentally, driving the image from her mind.

  During the whole time they ate their meal of mashed potatoes, Swedish meatballs, cream sauce, carrots with parsley sauce, kavring bread with lingonberry jam and apple pie with sweet whipped cream on it, her brothers bombarded Fitzwilliam with a million questions. Mr. Barrington answered each one graciously. He also politely pointed out what he considered to be a faux pas in dining: using the wrong fork.

  Eating with her fingers.

  Not using a knife to gather her food onto her fork.

  Talking when her mouth wasn’t empty and so on.

  She paid close attention, knowing she would need to learn those things if they were to marry. After all, she wouldn’t want to embarrass him or herself.

  By the time the meal ended, however, Leah was torn. She enjoyed Fitzwilliam and found him extremely handsome and loved his accent, and she was grateful he showed her the correct way to do things, but being around him and talking to him wasn’t anything like being around or talking to Jake. With Jake she could just be herself. She didn’t have to worry about what fork to use or anything else. Now she was worried about everything.

  Leah looked over at Jake. He and Elizabeth were engrossed in a conversation. Elizabeth’s eyes lit up and she held on to Jake’s every word. Was it her imagination, or was Jake leaning closer to Elizabeth than necessary? Leah stared. Feelings she’d never experienced before stirred inside her. Feelings she didn’t understand.

  Thankf
ul her brothers occupied Fitzwilliam, Leah continued watching Jake interact with Elizabeth. Then, as if he sensed her watching him, his ear turned her way, and then his head, until those gunmetal-gray eyes that reminded her of a beautiful gray tabby cat locked onto hers. He offered her that lazy grin of his, and her heart tripped.

  Jake turned to Elizabeth, “Excuse me a moment, Elizabeth.” He shifted his focus back onto Leah. “Everything okay?”

  “Sure.” She nodded. “How about you?”

  “Yep. Having a great time.”

  Was he having a great time because of Elizabeth? If so, why did that bother her?

  “I’m here with you and your family, Leah. How could I not have a great time?” That lazy grin of his showed up again.

  The heaviness lifted from her heart. Jake always had a way of making her feel better.

  * * *

  Jake sat on the porch swing, rocking his heels back and forth. Leah’s brothers and their families had gone home hours before, and Fitzwilliam and his sister had finally left, too. The man didn’t want to until Jake had assured Fitzwilliam he, too, was leaving as soon as he finished up a few evening chores for the Bowens. Truth be known, he’d had every intention of doing that very thing until Leah had invited him to stay for some Swedish bird nest cookies and milk.

  Leah stood at the door holding a tray. Jake jumped up and opened the door for her. She set the tray on the table next to the porch swing and sat down. The swing creaked when he lowered his tall frame next to her.

  She handed him a saucer of cookies and a glass of milk and grabbed the same for herself. He took a guzzle of milk and a bite of a cookie, which had strawberry jam in the thumbprint center hole and walnuts surrounding it. “So, how do you think dinner went?” he asked, brushing the crumbs off his lips and trousers.

  Her hand froze midair. She placed the cookie back onto her plate and looked at him. “It was okay. I know one thing, though.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I can see why Rainee despised all those rules. There’s so many of them. Who cares what fork you use or if you eat with your fingers? Fingers were here before forks, anyway. Even though I know I need to learn all those things...” She shrugged and left her sentence hanging.

  “What are you talking about?” Jake continued to eat his cookies and drink his milk.

  “Well, during dinner Fitzwilliam pointed out things I was doing wrong.”

  “Doing wrong? Like what?”

  “Oh, that I ate with my fingers, that I used the wrong fork, that spouses never sat next to each other at the table. That children were to be seen and not heard and never should have been allowed to sit with the adults at the dinner table. I know he’s only trying to help.”

  Jake didn’t agree, but he’d keep that thought tucked inside. Leah needed to decide for herself if that Barrington fellow was the man for her.

  “He also thought it was strange that we had a French maid who served Swedish food.”

  Jake frowned. “What’s wrong with that?”

  “I don’t know. I didn’t ask. To tell you the truth, I didn’t care why.” She giggled.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “I was thinking about the look on his face when Haydon told him we raised pigs. He couldn’t believe anyone would want to be around those ‘smelly, filthy animals.’” Leah imitated his British accent. “Then Rainee chimed in about how before she’d come here she was scared to death of them and now she loved them. I thought he was going to choke on his food, he gasped so hard.”

  Jake laughed over that one. “All joking aside, what do you think of Fitzwilliam? You think he might be the one?” He slowly raised the last bite of his cookie to his mouth and popped it in. Leah did the same. Waiting for her answer was pure torture.

  “I’m not sure,” she finally said several swallows later. Her answer did nothing to alleviate his fear of losing her forever.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Leah stretched in bed and glanced at the clock. 7:45. Last evening had been a long night. Jake hadn’t left until after eleven. She yawned and wondered if he was as tired today as she was, especially because he had to get there even earlier than normal so he could finish his chores in order to go on their ride this morning. Before he’d left, Leah had invited Jake to go along with her and Fitzwilliam and his sister on a horseback ride around the ranch, and Jake had readily agreed. Had his readiness been because of Elizabeth? After all, he didn’t seem to care for Fitzwilliam. He hadn’t said as much, but she saw it in his eyes when he looked at the man.

  She herself still wasn’t sure how she felt about Fitzwilliam. He made her laugh, but not as much as Jake did, of course. Then again, he wasn’t Jake, and she needed to remember that and give Fitzwilliam a chance. After all, she’d only known him all of two days.

  She glanced at the clock again and sighed. 7:52. If she was going to get ready by the time they got here, she’d better get going.

  Leah bathed in a tub of rose water. After drying off, she slid into a brown, split riding skirt and a tan blouse before lacing up her brown brogan boots. Today, she didn’t have to worry so much about her appearance as she had the first two times she’d been around Fitzwilliam. And she knew Jake didn’t care what she wore.

  Down the stairs she skipped. She didn’t know if her excitement stemmed from the idea of seeing Jake or because she was about to spend more time getting to know Fitzwilliam. Either way, happiness brightened her heart like the sunshine that now filled the clear blue skies outside.

  “Morning, Mother,” she chirped. Leah kissed her mother’s soft cheek and grabbed a biscuit, two slices of bacon, and a cup of coffee and sat down at the table. “Thank you for letting me sleep.” She folded the two slices of bacon between the biscuit and took a bite.

  “You’re welcome. I knew you didn’t get to bed until late. Did you and Jake have a nice visit?”

  She and Jake? Why didn’t she ask about her and Fitzwilliam? “Jake and I always have fun. So—” she leaned forward with her elbows on the table “—what did you think of Fitzwilliam?”

  Mother set her coffee down and looked at her. “He seems nice. Rather formal, though. It seemed like all he did was correct you. You sure you want to marry someone like that, Leah? Are you ready for a lifestyle filled with necessitates?”

  The sunshine in her spirit dropped a notch. No. She wasn’t sure. All she knew was that she’d craved it all her life. It would take some getting used to again, of that she was certain. Who better to help her and mentor her than the well-traveled, handsome Mr. Barrington? “Yes. I think I am.”

  Mother pursed her lips and nodded. “I hope so. And I hope you know what you’re doing.”

  “I do, Mother.” She scooted her chair out.

  “Aren’t you going to finish eating?”

  “No. I’m not hungry. I’m too excited to eat.” She looked around the tidy kitchen. “Where did Veronique put the lunch I asked her to pack?”

  “In the pantry.”

  “Where is Veronique, anyway?”

  “I sent her home. She needed a rest after last night.”

  “She sure did. Veronique and her sisters did an amazing job. They are such hardworking people. And so sweet. I really like them.”

  “Me, too.”

  “Well, I’d better run, Mother. I’m meeting Jake down at the barn at nine.”

  “Jake?”

  “Yes, Jake. I invited him to go with us.”

  “I see.”

  Leah didn’t like the look on her mother’s face. “It’s not like that, Mother. I invited him to come along to keep Elizabeth company.”

  Mother just smiled. A smile with a slight smirk to it, one Leah wasn’t sure she liked. “Well, run along and have fun, dear. I’ll see you later. Oh, I almost forgot. I’m dining with Charles, I mean, Mr. Barker, this evening.”

  Leah forced a smile. Just hearing those words made her cringe. This was so hard. She wanted her mother to be happy. She truly did. But the struggle was too much for
her. She looked forward to getting to know Fitzwilliam better in hopes that he would want to marry her and take her away from this place and all its troubles as soon as possible.

  “Okay.” She gave her mother a quick kiss again, grabbed the food and a wrap, then flew out the door and down to the barn. “Jake.” She swung the door open. Disappointment met her instead of Jake. Where was he?

  She checked all the outbuildings and couldn’t find him. Worry pounced on her. Surely he made it home safely last night, hadn’t he? Leah saw Jess near the woodshed and hurried over to him. “Have you seen Jake?”

  Jess leaned on the ax handle resting on a tree stump they used to split wood. “Good morning to you, too.”

  She tsked and rolled her eyes. “Morning, Jess. Now, have you seen Jake?”

  Jess laughed. “Yes. He’s standing right behind you.”

  Leah whirled. Behind her stood Jake with his arms crossed and a smile on his face. His horse grazed in a clearing in the trees.

  “When did you get here?”

  “Been here and back home already.”

  “You have?” She took in his freshly clean appearance.

  “Yep.”

  “What time did you get here this morning?”

  “Five.”

  “I told him he didn’t have to come in at all today, but he wouldn’t hear of it,” Jess interrupted. “Guess he can’t stay away from this place. Can’t imagine why.” Jess shot her a cocky grin, then looked at Jake with an approving nod.

  Jake didn’t seem at all fazed by Jess’s comment. Perhaps he didn’t get her brother’s meaning. She sure did. Heat flooded her cheeks. She couldn’t believe her brother would imply something like that. When was everyone going to get it through their brains she and Jake were just friends?

  “Me, neither.” Jake winked at her.

  Jake winked at her! And right in front of her brother. What was he thinking? Her whole neck and face warmed this time. To cover her embarrassment, she turned and strode to the barn, calling over her shoulder, “You coming?”

  “Yep.” His chuckle followed her and continued when he caught up with her. “Why are your cheeks so red?”