Anastasia nodded. “And you cannot help but make comparisons between Mr. Lyndhurst and Mr. Baxton. Correct?”
Charlotte sighed. Why did she even attempt to hide it? Yes, her sisters knew her better than anyone. But even the average passerby would be able to observe her behavior when in Thomas’s company and see her heart wasn’t in it. Maybe she just needed more time. Or perhaps she needed to allow her heart and mind to be open to the possibilities.
“Have you received any word at all since his departure?” Bethany asked, her face reflecting compassion and understanding.
“Not even a quickly scrawled note letting me know everything is all right.” Charlotte glanced down at her hands.
“And what about Grace?” Anastasia asked. “Have you heard anything from her or seen her since the operation?”
“Yes. We have written, and I have paid her one brief visit thus far. I did write to her again just a few days ago. I expect I’ll receive a reply very soon.”
At least, Charlotte hoped Grace would again reply. She didn’t see any reason why the girl wouldn’t. Grace had responded promptly to the other two missives Charlotte sent. Unlike Richard. Just thinking about the situation sent her into a melancholic state. Why couldn’t she have things back the way they were just before Grace’s operation? Life had been so simple, so unencumbered. Then there was the operation, the special kiss she shared with Richard, and him being called away on urgent business. Charlotte didn’t know what to do anymore.
“That’s it,” Anastasia spoke out. “I simply cannot sit here and abide this any longer.”
Bethany and Charlotte both stared at their younger sister.
“Abide what?” Bethany asked.
Anastasia aimlessly waved her hand in Charlotte’s direction, gesturing up and down. “This. . .this downhearted and dismal state our sister is in.” She stowed her needlepoint material and supplies in the basket next to her then hopped to her feet, making a beeline for Charlotte. “Come on,” she said without preamble, grabbing Charlotte’s hand and pulling her toward the door. “We are leaving.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Are you coming, Bethany?”
Charlotte planted her feet and halted their progress. “Where are we going?”
Bethany stood, not appearing in any great hurry to join them. “Yes. Where are we going?”
Anastasia looked as if someone had delivered a personal insult to her. “I cannot believe you two are not following my thought process.” She held up Charlotte’s hand and pointed at it. “Our dear sister here is in dire need of something to take her mind off her current worrisome problems. There is no better place than down at the beaver pond.” She smiled in triumph, like a barn cat proud to bring his latest catch. “The antics of the beaver pups always put us in a more jovial frame of mind. I would suggest a visit to the marketplace and a tour through the dress shops.” She cast a sly smile at Charlotte. “But that will never do. Nature has always been your area of interest.”
Charlotte glanced at Bethany, who shrugged. Their sister was right. What could it hurt to have a change of scenery and do something different for a change? At the very least, it would be an enjoyable afternoon with her sisters, and they’d be back in time for dinner.
“Well?” Anastasia tapped her slippered foot. “Are we going or not?”
❧
Dear Miss Pringle,
I received your note yesterday and did not want to wait another moment to reply. Recovery continues to go well, and I am increasing my movement every day. The doctor says I am his best patient, but I think he only says that so I will try harder. I have not heard much from Uncle Richard, but he sent word to say he misses me and had to go to New York. I guess that means he will be gone a little longer still. I miss him and pray he is not too lonely wherever he is. It would make me very happy if you could come see me again. Please come soon. It is hard being here with only Grandmother, the house staff, and the nurse who is taking care of me. I look forward to you coming.
Yours sincerely,
Grace
Charlotte pressed the folded note to her chest, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. Grace wanted to see her again! And she wanted it to be as soon as possible.
“Is that a letter from Grace?” Anastasia approached from the side hallway, licking her fingers free of what appeared to be chocolate icing. “What does she say?”
“She’s doing quite well in her recovery, but she’s lonely.” Charlotte tapped the note against her lips.
“So, why don’t we go see her? I would welcome the excuse for a little journey away from the house. Summer sometimes is the most difficult season.”
Charlotte stared at her sister. Could they do it? Would Mother and Father allow them to go? The first visit had been to check on Grace right after the surgery. This would be a purely social visit to the home of the very man against which her parents had cautioned her.
“Perhaps you should ask Mother and Father,” Charlotte suggested to her sister. “You will likely have far greater success than if I mentioned it.”
Anastasia shrugged. “Very well. I do not mind.” She bounded off in search of their parents.
A little over an hour later, the two sisters were ready to depart. Already eager to make the journey to Ashbourne Hills, Charlotte had the butler arrange for a carriage to be brought around front. No sense dawdling and keeping young Grace waiting.
They didn’t have to worry about arriving at an inconvenient time. As soon as the Baxton’s butler stood in the doorway to the drawing room and announced Charlotte and Anastasia’s arrival, Grace squealed. Charlotte waited for the man to step around her before she and her sister entered to see Grace sitting upright on a sofa. A quick glance around the room revealed a makeshift cot that no doubt served as a bed, a pair of crutches propped against the sofa, and a rather substantial pile of books on the table near Grace.
“Miss Pringle! Anastasia! You came!” Grace placed both hands on either side of her legs and bounced up and down. As her note said, she seemed to be doing rather well. “I had hoped you would get my note and come straightaway. And you did.”
Charlotte smiled. “Of course I did. You didn’t think I could stay away any longer, now did you? And I brought Anastasia as an added bonus.” She walked toward the sofa and dropped down to be at eye level with Grace. “Besides. You are not the only one who is missing someone these days.”
Grace extended her arms, and Charlotte shifted to her knees to give the girl a hug. Oh, it was so good to be with her again and to see her in such a cheerful state. Despite her circumstances and what had to be a rather painful set of exercises set up as an aid to her full recovery, Grace remained positive and buoyant. Perhaps Charlotte should take lessons from the young girl.
After pulling back, Charlotte peered into Grace’s face. “Your letter said the doctor considered you his best patient. I take it that means your recovery is going well?”
“Yes.” Grace smiled. “Do you want to see what I can do already?”
The girl seemed so eager, but was it wise for her to exert herself so much? “I don’t know, Grace. I do not wish you to harm yourself by attempting to do more than you’re able at this point.”
“Yes,” Anastasia added, looking from the crutches to the wheeled chair to Grace and back again, appearing uncertain. “You should take it easy.”
“I promise I will take it slow.” She turned and looked over her shoulder. “Laura, could you come help me please?”
The nursemaid approached, looking more like a lady’s maid than a trained nurse. But if she accomplished what Grace’s doctor wanted, that was the important part. Laura handed Grace the crutches, and Charlotte backed out of the way. Laura then reached for Grace’s arms to help bring her to her feet. At that point, Grace placed the crutches under her arms and slowly bore all her weight on her legs.
Charlotte watched with baited breath. Amazing. This girl had gone from being confined to a wheeled chair to standing in just five weeks. When Grace started to take a
step, Charlotte inhaled sharply. “Grace, be careful!”
“It is quite all right, Miss Pringle,” Laura replied with a reassuring smile. “Grace has mastered this several times already.”
The warning came out automatically. She should have known Laura wouldn’t let Grace do anything the doctor hadn’t instructed her to do. But Charlotte couldn’t help it. The protective instinct seemed so natural. And in a way, she felt responsible for Grace. Richard might not have left her fully in charge, but his parting words had been to ask her to be there when Grace awoke. So in a small way, she served as his proxy in his absence. Not that Grace’s grandmother couldn’t perform that role. Charlotte merely felt she owed it to Grace.
With a deep breath to calm her nerves, Charlotte stepped back again and took a seat in the nearest chair. She bit her lip to keep from calling out any more words of caution. Laura had things well under control, and Grace didn’t appear to be overexerting herself or to be in any kind of pain. Before she knew it, Grace changed directions and headed her way. In no time at all, she stood in front of Charlotte, grinning from ear to ear.
“I did it! I did it!” the girl cried. “I actually walked.”
“Wow!” Anastasia stared, clearly impressed.
Charlotte cupped Grace’s face between her hands and placed a kiss on the girl’s forehead. “Yes you did. And you are looking quite well, too. I don’t think your doctor jested when he called you his best patient. I believe you are. You should be proud of all you’ve accomplished.”
“All right, Grace,” Laura admonished. “It’s time for you to rest. I shall be sure to make note of your progress so the doctor can adjust the next schedule of exercises if necessary.”
Laura helped Grace back to the sofa and returned the crutches to their resting place. She poured a glass of water and handed it to Grace.
“Thank you very much, Laura,” Grace replied. She took a sip and swallowed. “Now, if you do not mind, could you leave Miss Pringle, her sister, and me to talk privately? I have something I wish to ask.”
“Very well, Miss Grace.” Laura made her way to the door, turning as she reached it. “I shall be just outside should you need me.”
Charlotte raised her eyebrows as the door clicked shut behind the nursemaid. Grace had something she wanted to discuss? What could it be? The girl looked so serious.
“So,” Grace began, folding her hands in her lap. “You said when you arrived I wasn’t the only one who had been missing someone lately.”
Had she really said that? Surely it was in reference to missing Grace. Wasn’t it? She didn’t know if she wanted to acknowledge anything else right now. But Grace wasn’t about to let her get off so easily, not if that look in her eyes was any indication.
“Are you saying you have been missing someone other than me?”
The girl’s piercing gaze seemed to see right through her. Charlotte shifted in her seat. Oh, how easy it would be to refute that question. But that meant Charlotte would have to lie.
“Of course she is,” Anastasia burst out.
“I knew it!” Grace snapped her fingers and grinned. “You do miss Uncle Richard. I can see it in your eyes.”
There was no point in denying it now. “Yes.” Charlotte sighed. “I do.” She brightened. “But I believe I missed you more.”
Grace giggled. “I don’t think so.” Again, the intent gaze returned. “Do you love him?”
Charlotte’s breath hitched. She tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. “Pardon me?” Her voice came out sounding more like a croak. She cleared her throat. “What did you ask?”
“I asked if you love Uncle Richard. He talks about you all the time, so I know he cares about you.”
“I. . .uh. . .that is. . .I’m not certain I have an answer to that.” Wonderful. A twelve-year-old girl asks her about her feelings, and she stumbles through a reply. She couldn’t even come up with a viable answer. And the answer she did give was even more revealing. “It doesn’t usually take a lot of thought. Either you love someone or you don’t. That should be easy enough to know.”
“Actually, Grace, it’s not that simple.” If only it were. “There is far more involved with loving someone than simply admitting it or knowing it. And right now, I do not know for certain.”
“And he hasn’t written to Charlotte.” Anastasia jutted her chin in the air. “You would think if Charlotte was so special and if he cared about her, he would keep in touch.”
“I am sure he would write if he could,” Grace said in her uncle’s defense. “But he is probably very busy and cannot find the time.”
Ah, the innocence. Charlotte wished she could believe as Grace did or even trust for that matter. Things were left so unsettled between her and Richard, though. They didn’t have time to discuss the kiss they shared or what that meant to their relationship. How could she begin to sort through the confusing haze of her feelings? But she needed to come up with some sort of answer for Grace.
Charlotte knelt in front of Grace again and took the girl’s hands in hers. “Grace, I appreciate your reassurance. I do care for your uncle. You both are very special to me. But so many other factors are at play in this situation.” Not the least of which was her relationship with Thomas Lyndhurst. Grace didn’t need to know about that, but she did deserve an honest response to her statement about Richard’s reasons for not writing. “And your uncle’s notes home or lack thereof are only a small part of the situation. Please understand me when I say I wish there was a simple solution. For now, let us leave it at you both being a very important part of my life. Anything other than that, we shall have to wait and see.”
Grace nodded. “I do understand, Miss Pringle. But I also am certain it will all work out. Have faith.”
❧
Faith. Grace made it sound so simple. But another month had passed and still no word from Richard. Grace wrote to say he was now in Boston and would be home as soon as he could. The news didn’t make Charlotte feel any better, though. And if he could write to Grace, why hadn’t he taken an extra moment or two to write to her? True, he didn’t owe her an explanation, and neither one of them had declared any intentions toward the other.
Still, it was hard not feeling neglected and forgotten in everything. Two months, and she didn’t know any more now than she did when Richard left that day at the hospital. So each time Thomas came to call, she had no good reason to turn away his suit.
One evening in early September, they sat together on a bench in the park. Charlotte kept her hands folded in her lap as she looked out across the small acreage. The silence pounded against her ears. Why had Thomas been so quiet tonight? Normally by now he’d have delivered several jokes or shared a few tidbits on his daily work. But not tonight.
“Miss Pringle. . .uh. . .Charlotte,” he said softly.
Charlotte leaned closer to hear better. “Yes, Mr. Lyndhurst. . .I mean. . .Thomas.”
He avoided looking at her and stared straight ahead. “What I have to say tonight is not easy, but I ask that you hear me out fully before you say anything.”
She nodded, wishing she could see his eyes. He turned her way, and she wished he hadn’t. Resignation and pain danced with a certain dismal determination.
“I am no fool. I have known for quite some time that your heart is not fully engaged in our courtship.”
Charlotte’s shoulders fell. He stated it so plainly, without any rancor or condemnation. Yet she felt the sting of his words just as deeply.
“That does not change the fact that our families would like to see a union forged between us. And I must say, I cannot see any reason why that shouldn’t occur. You possess a great deal of intelligence, and your ability to manage your bookshop will aid you in the managing of a household.” He reached for her hands and held them loosely in his own, centering his focus on her in an unwavering gaze. “I know I am not saying this in the best manner possible, but I have grown quite fond of you in our time together the past two months. And I believe given m
ore time, our relationship will become much dearer.”
He reached into his vest pocket, and a moment later the moonlight glinted off the gemstones of a beautiful amethyst, sapphire, and emerald ring. Charlotte gasped. Could he really be doing this? Right here? Right now?
“Forgive me for not presenting this with more preamble. But I feel any further delays are unnecessary.” He cleared his throat. “I would like to ask you to be my wife, with all the affection and honor I hold for you. Everything I have will be yours, and our alliance will secure the future for us both.”
Well, it certainly wasn’t the romantic proposal she’d envisioned. Practical seemed to be the best word Charlotte could find to describe it. But Thomas was sincere. And he was right. Further delays wouldn’t change anything other than to delay the inevitable. She would be twenty-one next month. A spinster by anyone’s determination. Her parents were eager to see her wed, and she needed to make a decision. As much as it pained her to admit it, she needed to face the facts. Richard didn’t care for her as she thought he might. Otherwise, he would have found a way to notify her by now. Marriage to Thomas was a good match. She could certainly do much worse.
A resigned sigh escaped her lips as she regarded the ring Thomas held out in front of her. Charlotte really didn’t have much choice. She mustered up her best attempt at a smile and extended her right hand toward him. “I should like a week to ponder this before I give you my answer. Until then, I trust you will not be offended if I ask you to keep this ring in your possession.”
Thomas returned the ring to his vest pocket then leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek. “I promise I will do everything in my power to make you happy. Please notify me as soon as you come to a decision. If your answer is a positive one, I’d like to announce this as soon as possible.”
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