A Daughter's Return

by Janet Lee Barton

  “Thank you. I will.”

  Ben turned to her mother. “Mrs. Heaton, do you have enough of that tea for me to have a cup?”

  “I certainly do. Please take a seat. I’ll sit here at my desk,” Rebecca’s mother said. She handed Ben a cup after he took the seat on the other side of the fireplace from Rebecca.

  “Thank you.” Ben took a sip and looked at Rebecca. “Several women asked about you in class tonight and Sarah and Molly asked if they might come by to see you. I wasn’t sure if I should say yes, but I didn’t want them to think you wouldn’t want to see them and—”

  “Oh, I’d love to visit with them,” Rebecca said.

  “I’m glad, because I told them yes and gave them the address. I do hope I didn’t overstep my—”

  “Of course, they’ll be welcome here,” Rebecca’s mother said.

  “I know they will, Mrs. Heaton, and I appreciate it. I’m not sure if they’ll come or just wanted to see if they could, though.”

  “Well, if they don’t make it, hopefully I’ll get to see them on Thursday,” Rebecca said. Surely she’d be able to get around on her cane by Thursday.

  “Do you think you’ll be able to go to class by then?” Ben looked doubtful.

  “I hope so. I think the Epsom salts are helping and I can put a little more weight on my foot.”

  She stood with her crutches to show them, but after a long day, her foot wasn’t as strong as she’d thought it would be and she winced as a twinge of pain shot up her leg. She quickly sat back down.

  “No scooting up the stairs for you tonight, dear,” her mother said. “If you’re finished with your tea, I’m sure Ben won’t mind carrying you up.”

  “It will be my pleasure,” Ben stood quickly.

  And, fight as she might against it, Rebecca had a feeling it would be hers, too.

  * * *

  Rebecca’s mother grabbed her crutches. “I’ll take these to your room and check on Jenny, dear.”

  Rebecca sighed and nodded. “Thank you, Mama.”

  Her mother hurried out of the room as Ben scooped Rebecca up in his arms, headed out the door and down the hall. “I can tell you’re frustrated that you can’t get up the stairs by yourself yet. But I do think you may have done too much today. Earlier, Jenny said Kathleen and Elizabeth came by for a visit this afternoon.”

  “They did, but visiting with them didn’t tire me out. It was good to see them. They brought me the most beautiful cane for when I can put a little more weight on my foot. And Kathleen told me she expects me to be at the housewarming on Friday, one way or another.”

  Ben chuckled as he paused at the bottom of the staircase. “Oh, I’ll see to it you are.”

  If he had to carry her most of the night, he’d make sure she was there. As if he minded. As if he hadn’t been thinking of her all day. He’d even cut class a few minutes early this evening to get back to Heaton House and see how she was. He hadn’t had a chance to talk to her alone, except for those few minutes in her mother’s study, until now.

  “How is your ankle feeling?” He looked her in the eye, trying to avoid the draw of his gaze to her lips. But the expression in her eyes had him holding his breath.

  She broke eye contact and looked ahead. “It’s a bit sore this evening, but better than yesterday. I’m going to soak it in Epsom salts again tonight. It seemed to help last night.”

  “Just don’t try to rush things. Jenny wants you to be able to skate again and if you don’t give your ankle time to heal completely, that might not be possible this year.”

  She did look at him then—with an arched eyebrow and a slight smile on those lips he was trying so hard not to look at. “Yes, doctor.”

  He smiled and kept moving. But at the top of the staircase, he paused, his heart beating so hard he wondered if she could hear it, feel it even.

  “Are you all right? I know it’s not easy carrying me up these stairs night after night.”

  Ben laughed. At least she didn’t know that it was the highlight of his day. “You’re light as a feather. It’s no hardship at all.”

  “Oh? You paused and I thought you were having to catch your breath.”

  Oh, he’d caught his breath all right, but it had nothing to do with it being hard to carry her. In fact, he wished her room were on the third floor so he could hold her longer.

  “Perhaps it’s your beauty that takes my breath away, my lady.” He spoke the truth but in a way that made her giggle.

  “Oh, I’m sure. You just don’t want to admit that near the top of those stairs I feel a bit heavy, do you?” There was a sparkle in her eyes as she smiled at him and he couldn’t keep his gaze from taking in those lips once more. Did she have any idea how much he wanted to kiss her? He hurried his pace to her door. “You are not heavy in the least. And you—”

  Ben broke off—what was he thinking? He couldn’t finish that sentence. He couldn’t tell her she was beautiful and there were times she did take his breath away and he wanted nothing more than to kiss her. Right now.

  He set her down gently, holding on to her until she got her crutches under her arms and looked up at him.

  “Thank you, Ben. I do appreciate you helping me up the stairs. Hopefully, you won’t feel you have to much longer.”

  “For your sake, I hope your ankle keeps getting stronger, but for mine—I think I’ll miss the opportunity I’ve had to help you.”

  “You help in all kinds of ways, Ben.”

  “I’m glad to help in any way I can.” There was something about this woman that had him dreaming about things he’d given up hoping for. Something that brought her to mind much too often during the day. He needed to distance himself from her and, yet, that was the very last thing he wanted to do. He leaned across her and opened her door.

  “Thank you.”

  He didn’t dare kiss her, but he couldn’t resist tucking an errant curl around her ear. “You’re welcome. I hope you sleep well, Rebecca.”

  “I hope you do, too, Ben. Good night.” She entered her room and turned back to him with a smile.

  “Good night. I’ll get the door.” Once she was well inside her room, Ben closed the door behind her and released a huge sigh. Dear Lord, I’m not sure what’s happening here, but please help me to figure it out soon. And to keep whatever it is I am feeling to myself until I do.

  He hurried to the landing and down the stairs, his insides churning. He was glad there was no one in the parlor, for he didn’t feel like speaking to anyone.

  Yet, knowing he’d never be able to sleep, he decided to take a walk. Maybe a bit of fresh air would do him a world of good. He let himself out quietly and took the steps two at a time. Striding down the street, he couldn’t get thoughts of Rebecca out of his mind.

  It had taken all the willpower he had not to kiss her tonight. And if he had given in to the temptation? How would she have taken it? Would she have slapped him? Or let him know in no uncertain terms that he’d crossed a line?

  His growing feelings could lead to heartbreak and that was the last thing he needed. He enjoyed her company and that of her daughter. He didn’t want to ruin it. Besides, she was his landlady’s daughter and if things were awkward between them, he’d feel he had to leave and this was home to him.

  He must strengthen his resolve to tamp down his attraction to Rebecca. But it wasn’t going to be easy. Each time she came into a room, she sent his pulse galloping like a racehorse at a county fair, and when she smiled at him, his heart tightened as if squeezed by a vise—both reactions that could spell trouble. He’d lived at Heaton House for several years now and while he found the women boarders attractive, he wasn’t attracted to them. They were like family to him. But Rebecca...was a different story altogether.

  Ben walked around Gramercy Park three times, trying to put Rebecca
out of his mind, but by the time he let himself back in Heaton House, he knew he’d failed completely in that endeavor.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The workers began tearing down walls on the third floor the next day, and the noise was enough to make Rebecca try to crawl downstairs, but Ben had come to get her that morning. And there was no way she could deny that she enjoyed the feel of being in his arms much more than scooting downstairs.

  And as Ben would have had to carry her up the stairs at the Y, she decided she’d wait until the next week to attend class. He’d assured her he didn’t mind, but two floors was a lot of stairs. Not to mention that she was sure someone from class would see him carrying her and could just imagine what kind of reception she’d receive from the other women.

  She continued to fight the feelings being in Ben’s arms brought, trying to ignore the racing of her pulse, the hammering of her heart, until he carried her back up that night and it started all over again. She’d never felt more cared for or protected than she did in Ben Roth’s arms. Ever.

  But she couldn’t dwell on those feelings. Ben was helping her as best he could but that didn’t mean he was as attracted to her as she was to him. And if he knew of her past...well, she couldn’t let herself even think of what his reaction might be.

  So she strived harder each day to put thoughts of Ben out of her mind, and she used her cane as much as possible. By Friday morning, she was confident she’d make it to Elizabeth and John’s housewarming without her crutches.

  She also had visitors that afternoon. She and Jenny were in the front parlor, trying to ignore the noise from the third floor, when her mother came in followed by Sarah and Molly.

  “You have guests, dear. These young ladies said Ben had told them about your accident and they wanted to see how you’re doing.”

  “Sarah, Molly, how nice to see you both! And how sweet of you to come to see me. Please come in and sit down.”

  While she still wondered if they might only be curious about where Ben lived, they were very nice to her mother and Jenny and truly seemed concerned about her.

  “Mr. Roth told us how you sprained your ankle and couldn’t come to class,” Sarah said. “Is there anything we can do to help you stay up with the lessons?”

  “We can help with your homework, if you’d like.”

  “Oh, that’s very nice of you both, but I’ve been managing to keep up, with Mr. Roth’s help.” Rebecca didn’t think she should refer to him as just Ben in front of them, at least not yet.

  They stayed for tea and she found out a little more about them. Molly wanted to find a good job so that she could help her family move out of the cramped quarters they lived in. And Sarah...Rebecca felt there was something on her mind, but she wasn’t ready to confide anything other than that she needed to be able to take care of herself.

  When they took their leave, Rebecca invited them to come back anytime. She was more determined than ever to befriend these young women and see if she could help them in some way.

  It was time to get ready for Elizabeth and John’s housewarming and her mother made sure the workers left early so that everyone could dress for the party without worrying about running into them.

  Ben seemed to show up at just the right time to carry her upstairs so that she could get ready for the party. Her mother helped Jenny get dressed while Rebecca washed up and managed to change into one of her favorite dinner gowns—a green velvet her mother had bought her for Christmas.

  Jenny and her mother took her cane down and told Ben she was ready to come back down. He must have been in the parlor because it was only a minute or two before he knocked on her door. He truly was the most thoughtful man she’d ever met. And he looked quite handsome all dressed up for the party.

  “You look lovely tonight,” he said as crossed the room and lifted her into his arms.

  “Thank you. You look very nice yourself.”

  “I’m glad we don’t have to do this every night, but it’s nice to see everyone all dressed up.”

  The others were putting on their wraps when they arrived downstairs and between her cane and Ben’s steadying her, she managed to put on her own. She grinned up at him. “I feel like I’m making progress. I dressed myself tonight!”

  “That can only mean one thing,” Ben whispered in her ear.

  “What is that?”

  “I’ll only have the pleasure of helping you up and down the stairs for a short while. I think I’ll make the most of it.” He scooped her up into his arms once more as everyone made their way out to the two hacks waiting for them.

  “But Ben, I can—”

  “Let’s save your energy for the party. You’ll have more fun if you aren’t tired out when we get there.”

  She couldn’t argue with his logic and, besides, she felt a little sad he wouldn’t be carrying her much longer. No matter how often she told herself she’d be glad when she could maneuver the stairs on her own once more—she knew she’d never forget the feeling of being in Ben’s arms.

  * * *

  Elizabeth and John welcomed them all into their home and it was even nicer than Rebecca thought it would be. It was a bit larger than Kathleen and Luke’s and it was furnished beautifully.

  “Aunt Bea helped me. She insisted that I take some of the family heirlooms—now that she and Papa are married and he’s selling the house in Boston, she wanted to make sure I got what I wanted from my childhood home.”

  “Oh, that was very nice of her,” Rebecca said.

  “Yes, it was. The parlor suite was a wedding gift from them, but the dining room furniture was my mother’s. Two of the bedroom sets came from home. And some of the knickknacks were my favorites, but I didn’t want too many for I want John and I to be able to add the things we love.”

  “Your home is lovely, Elizabeth,” Rebecca’s mother said.

  The couple seemed thrilled with the brass bowl they’d all gone in on for them.

  “I love it,” Elizabeth said. “It’s gorgeous and will look great with a fern in it in the front window.”

  Rebecca did the tour of the downstairs—the parlor, a small study, the kitchen and dining room—but elected to see the upstairs when she could make it under her own steam.

  “Jenny and I will describe everything to you later, dear,” her mother said.

  “Thank you. I look forward to hearing all about it.” Rebecca watched as Jenny took her grandmother’s hand and headed upstairs with her.

  “I’ll keep you company,” Ben said from behind her. “I saw the upstairs when I helped them move. Why don’t you take a seat in the parlor and rest your ankle while they’re gone?”

  “All right, I think I will, although it’s not bothering me too much and the cane helps immensely.”

  Ben took her arm and gave her what support he could and she found it much easier to maneuver around with his help. He made sure she was settled comfortably in one of the easy chairs and pulled a nearby footstool close so that she could elevate her foot.

  “You’re making good progress and if you’re up to it by Tuesday, I’m sure I can help you maneuver the stairs at the Y.”

  “I hope so. I’d like to get to know Sarah and Molly better. They came by to see me this afternoon.”

  “They did?”

  “Yes. And I asked them back anytime. I have a feeling Sarah would like to talk to someone, but maybe not with Molly around.”

  “You could be right. But I’m very glad they came to see you. I wasn’t sure they would.”

  “I didn’t think they would, either. But I’m glad they did. I’ll feel more comfortable around them in class now and, hopefully, they’ll feel more comfortable around me, should they need someone to talk to.”

  Everyone began to drift back downstairs then, and Rebecca felt like a special guest, as El
izabeth insisted she stay put and the party would come to her. Her aunt’s maid, who was helping that night, brought her a plate of food and soon everyone had joined her in the parlor.

  Rebecca was pleased to see how happy Elizabeth’s aunt and father seemed to be and wished her mother had found someone special to share her life with. If it could happen to Bea Watson, surely it could happen for her mother one day.

  The party was still going strong when Rebecca began to tire and wish she were home. Suddenly Ben was by her side as if he could read her mind. “You look tired. Your mother suggested we call a hack to take her and Jenny and you home. It should be here any moment now. I’ll go, too, so that—”

  “Ben, I’m sure I can manage the stairs—”

  “Not tonight, Rebecca. Please. I’d feel terrible if you couldn’t and I wasn’t there.”

  She knew from his tone he wasn’t going to change his mind—funny how she’d begun to recognize that about him in the short time she’d been living at Heaton House.

  She nodded and stood with the aid of her cane. When Ben offered his arm to help her out to the hack, she took it, wanting to show him how well she could do. But she was thankful for his arm to lean on, as all the practicing she’d done during the day had tired her out.

  He must have sensed it because when they got back to Heaton House, he helped her out of the hack and carried her to the house.

  “Ben, I can walk.”

  “I felt you bobble when we came out of John and Elizabeth’s. You can’t make it up the stairs and I have a feeling that’s where you want to go, isn’t it?”

  “Well, yes, but—”

  “No need to exhaust yourself. I’m sure you’ll feel stronger tomorrow if you don’t push it today.”

  “He’s right you know, dear,” her mother added from behind.

  “Let Mr. Ben carry you, Mama. I’ll bring your cane,” Jenny said with a yawn.

  Her daughter was sleepy and it would be easier on everyone if she just let Ben carry her from here. “All right.”