A Love For Keeps (Truly Yours Digital Editions)

by Janet Lee Barton

  “Oh, why … thank you, Nate.”

  The way she ducked her head, he had a feeling she was blushing as she often did when he paid her a compliment. If so, he wished he could see the captivating color flood her cheeks. “You’re welcome. I thank you for accompanying me this evening, Meagan. And thank you for letting me teach you to dance the waltz. I can’t remember when I’ve had a better time.”

  “It was a wonderful evening. I’ve never been anywhere as nice as the Crescent before. Obviously, I’d never danced before tonight. Thank you for teaching me and for asking me to accompany you, Nate.”

  “Please—quit thanking me. I was honored to be your escort.” More than honored. He was also proud just to be seen with her. More than one man had come up to him and asked who she was while she was in the ladies’ room. The whole evening had been one to remember, but the highlight for him was waltzing with Meagan on the terrace. No. He would never forget this night.

  “Everyone looked so elegant, and oh, the food was so delicious.”

  Nate chuckled. “It was very good. They hired an excellent chef.” He loved Meagan’s fresh perspective on the evening. When the carriage stopped at her house, Nate helped her down and asked the driver to wait for him. He walked her to the door and admitted, “I hate to see the evening end.”

  “Mama and the girls will be up, wanting a full account of the opening. Would you like to come in and have some lemonade? I’m sure Mama has some made.”

  “I would love some if you are sure your mother won’t mind.”

  “She’ll be happy to see you.”

  Meagan opened the door, and her mother must have been listening for the sound, because she came out of the kitchen, followed by Sarah and Becca.

  “Mama, I asked Nate in for lemonade or something cool to drink, but he wants to make sure it’s all right with you.”

  “Of course it is.” Mrs. Snow smiled. “You are always welcome in this home, Nate. We’ve all been waiting to hear about the evening. Please, come on back to the kitchen.”

  Nate was beginning to feel at home in this kitchen. He loved it there. It was warm and welcoming, even when nothing was on the stove or in the oven.

  Meagan looked beautiful as he held out a chair for her. She didn’t look out of place at all sitting at their kitchen table in all her finery. Her sisters helped her mother, and soon he had a glass of lemonade sitting before him.

  “Thank you,” Nate said and took his first sip. “The last time I sat in a kitchen and drank lemonade, I was about Sarah’s age. This takes me back to my mother’s kitchen, Mrs. Snow. It’s a good memory. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome, Nate.”

  As they all sat around the table, he and Meagan filled the others in on the Crescent gala. He mostly listened unless Meagan asked for his input.

  She described the inside of the Crescent in detail, although her mother knew what it looked like from working there. But it hadn’t been quite as dressed up then, she said. Meagan went on to describe the gowns some of the women had been wearing and how they’d sat at the same table as their neighbors, and she told them about meeting the Claytons.

  It was while Meagan described the women and how lovely they all looked that Nate realized how very different she was from Abigail. Abigail would have been critical of each and every woman there and what she had on. It was what she and her friends always did, and then when one of them left the table or room, the others talked about that one. He often wondered how they could not recognize that they were all talking about each other.

  Even if Meagan and her family didn’t like someone, he didn’t think they would talk about them that way. He’d never heard any of that when he was around them. Sitting in this kitchen with this family made him aware of the fact that he really hadn’t been true to himself or his upbringing in the last few years.

  When the clock struck the hour, he knew it was time to leave. He certainly didn’t want to wear out his welcome. As Meagan and her family saw him to the door, Nate realized he had a lot to think about. Perhaps it was time he made some changes. He left the house that had become some kind of haven for him and headed home.

  He was falling in love with Meagan Snow, but he wasn’t sure she was even aware of how much he cared for her. Part of him was afraid to let her know, and the other couldn’t wait to tell her how he felt. He wasn’t sure the time was right. He prayed for the Lord to help him sort it all out and to be able to find a way to convince Meagan that he truly cared for her.

  Once Nate and that Snow woman left the gala, Abigail was no longer interested in staying. She insisted her escort take her home, although he wasn’t happy about it. She didn’t much care. All she wanted to do was get home. She wasn’t in the mood to make small talk when all she could think of was Nate and the fact that he appeared to be very interested in Meagan Snow. That just wasn’t going to do at all.

  Millie helped her out of her gown and brought a pot of tea to her room as Abigail always expected. “Here you go, Miss Abigail. How was the gala? You looked so beautiful tonight—I’m sure it was an evening you’ll never forget.”

  “No. I never will, Millie.” Abigail couldn’t hold her anger in any longer. “Actually, it was one of the worst nights of my life!”

  “Oh, I’m so sorry. What happened?”

  “Nate and that—” Abigail caught herself before she confided in her hired help. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  Millie nodded and poured a cup of tea for her. “I understand. Would you like anything else, ma’am?”

  “No. You may retire for the night.”

  “Thank you, Miss Abigail. Good night.”

  Abigail sighed as her housekeeper left the room. She did like tea; it usually settled her nerves. Not tonight. She sipped from her cup as she looked out the window into the night.

  She was too keyed up to stay still, and she felt like a caged tiger as she paced her room. There must be something I can do to nip this little romance in the bud. She couldn’t just let Meagan Snow win Nate’s heart!

  Abigail had been biding her time ever since her sister, Rose, had died, hoping that one day Nate would realize how much she loved him. She’d resented Rose since the day Nate began to court her and even more once they’d had a child. Nevertheless, she loved her niece. That day of the fire was one she rarely let herself think about, but now she couldn’t keep the memories back.

  She’d stopped by to bring a present to three-year-old Natalie. When the fire broke out, there was confusion. She and Rose ran from one window to the next, trying to see where it was. When they found that the flames were jumping from one building to the other up the hillside, they knew they didn’t have much time to salvage anything.

  “Abigail, the fire will be here any moment. We must get Natalie to safety!” Rose handed the child to her. “I have to get the picture albums. I’ll hurry!”

  Rose started up the staircase. Hugging the child close, Abigail followed. “No, Rose. There isn’t time! We need to go now.”

  “It won’t take a minute. I must get the mementos that mean so much to us. Take Natalie to safety. I’ll be right behind you.”

  “No, Rose, you must come now! The fire is almost here!” Abigail grabbed Rose’s arm, but her sister pulled away, losing her balance. Abigail screamed as she watched her sister tumble from the landing to the bottom of the staircase. She rushed to help her, but Rose was badly hurt. By then the flames had reached the house.

  “Get … Natalie to … safety,” Rose whispered before she passed out. Abigail grabbed the child and ran, intending to come back to help Rose, but when she turned back, the house was engulfed in flames. Nate showed up and rushed past her, trying to save his wife. But flames surged out of the house, and it was too late.

  As she and Nate tried to comfort each other in those moments, hugging Natalie close, Abigail hated herself for the errant thought that came to mind. Finally, Rose is out of the way. Maybe now, Nate would make her his wife.

  Abigail shook her h
ead, trying to push away the guilt she’d felt that day. She had loved Nate long before he married her sister. And ever since Rose’s death, Abigail had hoped that one day Nate would look at her and realize he loved her, too. Yet it had been four years since her sister died—four years of waiting and hoping.

  It hadn’t been terribly hard. Nate wasn’t interested in anyone else. His life revolved around Natalie, and that was all right with Abigail. She loved her niece as if she were her own. Life hadn’t been bad. She spent a great deal of it with Nate and Natalie, and she had been hopeful that he would finally see it was in Natalie’s best interest for them to marry. Now time seemed to be running out, and she must do something. She hadn’t waited all these years to let some new woman come in and take away the only man she’d ever loved. It just wasn’t going to happen.

  After Nate left, the girls went upstairs to get ready for bed, and Meagan helped her mother clean up the kitchen. It was then that she told her about running into Abigail.

  “She’s not happy with me at all, Mama. I probably shouldn’t have accepted Nate’s invitation.” She put up the last cup and leaned against the doorframe.

  “She’s not married to him, Meagan. He was free to ask anyone he wanted to accompany him to the gala. It was you he wanted to go with.”

  “I know. But she is one of my customers now—not to mention that her father owns the bank that gave us the loan.”

  “I doubt her father does business according to his daughter’s moods, dear. Besides, Nate runs that bank. I don’t think that Mr. Connors is that involved in the day-to-day managing of it anymore.”

  “But he—”

  “Meagan, I’m sure he has Nate’s welfare to consider also. After all, he’s the father of Mr. Connors’s granddaughter. He has her welfare to take into consideration, too.”

  “That’s true. I just hope tonight doesn’t cause problems for Nate. Will you help me out of this gown, Mama?”

  “Of course I will. I’m ready to go up, too.”

  Meagan didn’t bring up the subject of Nate again while her mother helped her out of the gown. She hung it in the wardrobe while Meagan changed into her gown and wrapper. “You looked lovely tonight, my Meagan. I’m sure there wasn’t a woman there who looked any prettier than you did. I’m so glad you got to go.”

  “Thank you, Mama. Many women there looked more elegant than I did, but I had such a wonderful time. It’s a night I’ll never forget.”

  “I’m glad. Good night, dear.”

  “Good night, Mama.”

  After her mother left, Meagan read her Bible and said her prayers, but she still had a hard time getting to sleep. She was much too excited to settle down. She went downstairs and made herself a cup of tea, then took it back to her room and sat down in the chair beside her bed. It had been a night to remember. Nate had treated her as if she were the most special woman in the world, and for a while, she had felt as if she were … particularly when he’d held her in his arms and danced with her.

  Then she remembered running into Abigail. Meagan took a sip of tea. She wasn’t sure how to act when the woman came into the shop this next week for a fitting, but she couldn’t worry about it now. What she must do was realize that she could never fit into Nate’s social group. She had enjoyed the evening and knew it was a night she would never forget. But she was beginning to care too much for Nate Brooks, and there was no future in that. Oh, how he made her stomach flutter when she was around him.

  Meagan sighed and took another sip of tea. Although she was glad she’d accepted his invitation, part of her wished she hadn’t gone with him this evening. It was only going to make it harder to accept the fact that there was no future in giving her heart to him. There would only be heartache ahead. Abigail Connors had not liked it at all that Nate was with Meagan tonight. And even if he wasn’t interested in Abigail, she was part of his daughter’s family and could make life miserable for him.

  No. For everyone’s sake, she had to stop dreaming about a future with Nate. It was going to lead nowhere. She took one more sip of tea and then got on her knees.

  “Dear Lord, You’ve been with me through all the heartaches in my life, and I know You will help me now. I’m afraid I’m falling in love with Nate Brooks, but I would never fit into his social circle … nor would I really want to. We live in two different worlds, and I don’t see how they can ever merge. Please help me to accept that and quit thinking of him night and day. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.”

  twelve

  Knowing that she needed to put Nate out of her mind and quit dreaming about him was one thing, but during the next few days, Meagan found doing it was quite another. She saw him and Natalie at church, but Abigail had a grip on his arm as soon as the service was over, and they were out the door before Meagan had a chance to even wave. Natalie wasn’t coming in for a fitting until later in the week.

  Abigail, however, would be in for a fitting on Wednesday afternoon. She brought her mother with her, and Meagan found that Mrs. Connors was nothing like her daughter. She was gracious and kind and had only good words to say.

  “I’ve been meaning to come in and see about having you make me a few things. After I saw samples of your work at the gala, I didn’t want to delay any longer, so I insisted Abigail bring me with her today.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Connors. I have several magazines with the newest fashion plates. Would you like to look at them?”

  “I’m not sure we have the time, Mother,” Abigail said.

  “Of course we do, dear. I can look at them while you are changing and having your fitting. If I need to make an appointment to come in by myself, I’ll do that. But yes, Miss Snow, I would love to look at your magazines.” She settled herself in the settee and took the magazines from Meagan.

  “My mother will be in shortly with tea, Mrs. Connors. She always brings some in this time of day.”

  “That will be lovely, dear,” the older woman said. “I’d enjoy a cup of tea.”

  “Very well, Mother.” Abigail sighed in resignation as she went behind the screen to change into the dress Meagan was making for her.

  While Meagan could tell Abigail wasn’t very happy, she was quite relieved that Abigail’s mother was with her. Meagan had been dreading this fitting ever since the evening of the gala. From Abigail’s attitude, Meagan was fairly certain that if it hadn’t been for Mrs. Connors’s insistence, Abigail would have come by herself—probably to warn her away from Nate.

  When her mother brought in the tea tray, Meagan introduced the two women and was very pleased that they seemed to like each other. She left her mother to serve tea to Mrs. Connors while she went to help Abigail with the hooks on her dress.

  But even with both of their mothers in the room, Abigail managed to get in her barbs.

  “How did you enjoy the gala?” Abigail asked.

  “I enjoyed it very much.”

  “I thought it was very nice of Nate to introduce you to so many people. Of course, that’s Nate. He’s always looking after the bank’s interests.”

  Meagan took a sharp intake of breath at Abigail’s words. Was that why Nate had asked her to accompany him? It easily could have been. Her heart twisted at the very thought.

  She didn’t know what to say, so she said nothing. Still, Abigail didn’t let up. For the rest of the time she was there, Abigail managed to let Meagan know that she had a prior claim to her brother-in-law. As she swept around the screen to show her mother the dinner gown Meagan had made her, she turned this way and that. “I think this will work for the dinner I’m hosting for Nate’s birthday, don’t you, Mother?”

  She stood on the small platform Meagan had asked Mr. Adams to build for her to make it easier to pin hems. Abigail turned when Meagan asked her to, while she pinned the hem of the garment.

  “It’s beautiful, dear. It would work for any dinner you might host,” her mother replied, watching her daughter turn slowly as Meagan pinned.

  Once she was finished, Abigail slowly t
urned again, looking in the mirrors Meagan had set up in the shop. The red on red-striped silk did look wonderful on her, bringing out the blue in her eyes and her blond hair.

  “I think I’ll have you make me a new gown to wear to the opera, too, Miss Snow,” Abigail said. “When Nate took me, although he told me I looked lovely in my blue silk, I realized I needed something new to add to my wardrobe for the upcoming season.”

  Meagan felt another twinge at the mention of Nate taking Abigail to the opera. Obviously, the woman was trying to let Meagan know that just because he’d taken her to the gala didn’t mean that he was going to be escorting her anywhere else. Abigail was getting her message across quite well.