“Daisy, this is foolish. What do you hope to accomplish by wearing yourself out with all this unnecessary extra work?”
“It’s something I want to do, something that’ll be all my own. Just like this newspaper is all your own.”
“Reporting the news is my profession, not a hobby.”
So much for him believing in her as a businesswoman. “Are you telling me I can’t do this?” What would she do if he said yes?
“No, of course not.” He moved toward his desk. “Look, there will be enough adjustments for both of us with this upcoming marriage. Why don’t we give ourselves a couple of weeks to see how things go and then discuss this again.”
She took a deep breath, then nodded. “That sounds fair. But I warn you, I’m not going to just let this drop.”
His cynically amused expression was back. “I didn’t for one moment believe you would.”
* * *
Later that morning, Daisy opened the oven to check on her cobbler as Abigail snagged one of the peach slices that hadn’t made it into the oven.
“I think we should make some changes to this place after the two of you are married,” the girl said thoughtfully between bites. “Or even better, before you get married.”
One thing about Abigail: she seemed to have an endless supply of ideas. “What do you mean?”
“It would only make sense to take down the wall between the two living quarters. I mean, there’s no need to keep separate spaces once we’re a family.”
Daisy paused in the act of closing the oven. She’d expected Abigail to mention new curtains or pictures for the walls, but nothing on this scale. She straightened and gave the girl a pointed look. “There’s no need, as you say, but there’s no pressing reason to change, either.”
“But just picture it.” Abigail rose and walked to the wall in question. “If we tore this out, we could transform your kitchen and sitting room areas into a proper parlor.”
Abigail spread her arms to encompass her brother’s sitting room. “Once we did that, we could turn this area into a dining room, big enough to accommodate guests.”
Daisy smiled. Whatever Everett lacked in imagination, his sister more than made up for. “Planning dinner parties, are you?”
“It’ll be nice to entertain our friends occasionally, don’t you think? For instance, in Everett’s letters he mentioned the Sunday lunches at the Barrs’ home. Wouldn’t you like to be able to repay them for their hospitality?”
That thought did evoke wonderful images of cozy gatherings with family and friends. Could she and Everett build that kind of home together? Is that something he even wanted?
Abigail stood and studied the other end of the living quarters with a finger to her cheek. “And don’t you think the bedchambers are rather small? I mean, not tiny, but wouldn’t you like something grander for you and Everett to share?”
Daisy shifted uncomfortably and turned back toward the stove. This was something she and Everett hadn’t discussed yet. Everything had been so businesslike to this point, but they were getting married. Did he expect the two of them to share a bedchamber? Was that something she wanted?
“We could take the wall out between Everett’s room and mine,” Abigail said excitedly. “That would make one nice-size bedroom for the two of you. And if I moved into one of the bedchambers over on your side, that would give the two of you more privacy, as well.”
Daisy was still mulling over the whole question of what Everett might or might not be expecting after the wedding. But she realized Abigail was waiting for her response. “That all sounds good in theory, but it also sounds like a lot of work and expense. I don’t think it’s something we should undertake right now.”
“Now you sound like Everett.” Abigail’s tone made it clear she hadn’t intended that as a compliment.
It was time to rein the girl in. “Be that as it may, there are enough other things that’ll need attention between now and the wedding. There’s no need to add to that list unless absolutely necessary.”
She saw the argument poised on Abigail’s lips and quickly added, “Why don’t we find something else to talk about?”
“Oh, very well.” Abigail returned to the table and rested her elbows there while she watched Daisy. “If I haven’t told you so already, I want you to know I’m very excited that we’re going to be sisters.”
Daisy smiled. Now, there was a subject she was in perfect agreement with Abigail on. “Me, too. I always felt cheated not to have any brothers or sisters.”
“I was beginning to despair that my brother would ever marry.”
“Oh, come now. He’s not so old as that.”
“He’s twenty-seven.” Abigail said that as if it were ancient. “But it’s not just his age. Everett always seemed too cynical to allow himself to fall in love.”
Daisy was surprised—did Abigail really see her brother that way?
“But I can see now he needed just the right woman to come along and capture his heart,” Abigail continued with a happy smile. “It’s ever so romantic that he proposed so quickly after he met you. Tell me, was it love at first sight?”
Daisy hesitated. How much should she say? It seemed cruel to disillusion the girl. But she couldn’t lie. “Abigail, please don’t overly romanticize this. My engagement to your brother is more practical than romantic.”
Abigail waved that aside. “That sounds like Everett, but don’t let that worry you overmuch. I think in this case he’s just letting himself believe that because it’s what he’s comfortable with. I see that little spark between the two of you, even if he won’t admit it’s there.”
Spark? Now who was just seeing what she wanted to?
But while they were on this subject, there was one more thing Daisy felt compelled to say. “Abigail, I want you to understand that, while we both know I’m not the kind of girl your brother wanted in a wife, I promise to make him the best wife I know how to be.”
Abigail sat up straighter. “I know nothing of the sort. You’re exactly the kind of woman he wants and needs. And deep down, he knows that—he proposed to you, didn’t he?”
Daisy felt she was getting in deeper and deeper. “Yes, well, I think it may have had more to do with me being convenient than anything else. But I’ve prayed about it, and both of us are committed to making it work.”
“Well, if he’s not head over heels in love with you now, he soon will be.” Abigail gave Daisy a surprisingly mature look. “I know Everett can be stuffy at times, but he truly is a good man with a kind heart. You’ll be there now to make sure he doesn’t take everything so seriously—including himself.”
Daisy moved to the stove while she contemplated Abigail’s words. She was so lost in thought that she didn’t realize Everett had joined them until he spoke up.
“What is that dog doing in here?”
Daisy started and glanced over her shoulder. Sure enough, at some point Kip had stepped across the threshold and was now blissfully allowing Abigail the honor of scratching his side.
“Don’t get all stiff and grumpy,” Abigail said. “I lured him over here. After all, he’ll be part of our family soon, too.”
Everett’s frown deepened. “That dog is not family.”
“Don’t be so stuffy. Of course he is. He’s the family pet. And since Daisy will be moving over to this side after the wedding, and the whole place will then be one home, it seems ridiculous to let Kip have the run of only one half of it.”
Daisy cast a quick glance Everett’s way to see how he reacted to Abigail’s statement, but could detect nothing except displeasure with his sister.
Finally, he gave a stiff nod. “Just make certain he doesn’t make a mess.”
“Of course.” Abigail shot a triumphant look Daisy’s way as she moved to the cupboard to collect the dishes for their meal, and Daisy was almost certain she saw a quick wink.
A moment later, as Abigail set the table, she assumed an innocent expression. “I was just talking to Daisy about some chang
es I think you should make to the place.”
“Were you, now?” Everett’s tone was dry. “Something more than allowing that animal to impinge on my home, I take it.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Well, you may as well tell me before you burst from holding it in.”
Abigail explained her grand plans while Daisy busied herself at the stove. When the girl mentioned the bedroom idea, Daisy again glanced Everett’s way, but again saw nothing more than an indulgent, long-suffering attitude toward his sister. Did that mean he’d taken it as a given that they would share a bedchamber? Or was he just good at hiding his reactions?
As uncomfortable a topic as it would be, she’d have to find a way to bring up the subject of future sleeping arrangements soon.
“So what do you think?” Abigail finally asked.
“I think, as usual, you are dreaming big and not giving any thought to what it takes to make those dreams a reality.”
Abigail seemed undeterred. “That’s what dreams are for. But you do agree it’s a good idea, don’t you? We’ll be one family after the wedding, which means there won’t be any need to keep the quarters separate.”
“True. But there’s no burning need to make any changes right away, either.”
“Except for your bedchamber.”
“Abigail, must you be so indelicate?”
The girl’s only answer was an unrepentant grin. Then she continued on as if he hadn’t interrupted. “It wouldn’t take much to accomplish the changes, and I think you really should take care of it all before the wedding.”
“Do you, now? And how do you propose I pay for all these grand plans of yours?”
“You can use the money you’d set aside for Miss Haversham’s fees to take care of it. And we need to get new furnishings, as well. If we order a few essential items right away, they may have time to arrive before the wedding.”
“I daresay we’ll disagree on our notions of what constitutes essential.”
Daisy set the meal on the table then, effectively silencing the siblings for the moment. But once they were seated and the blessing had been said, Everett turned to Daisy. “What do you think of my little sister’s grand plans?”
Daisy tried to keep her tone noncommittal. “It sounds rather ambitious.”
“That’s my sister—she dreams on a grand scale.”
Abigail pointed her fork from one to the other of them. “I can hear you, you know. And why would anyone want to limit their dreams to the mediocre?”
Daisy couldn’t argue with that philosophy. Her own dreams of opening a restaurant might seem overly ambitious to some.
Everett still kept his gaze on Daisy. “Even so, perhaps we can do some of what she suggested.”
That capitulation, the second from him in less than thirty minutes, caught Daisy by surprise. “Oh?”
Abigail’s response was much more vocal and enthusiastic. “You mean it? Oh, Everett, that’s marvelous. I do believe love has softened you a bit.”
Daisy started. Love? Abigail couldn’t be more wrong.
But Everett held up a hand. “I said we’d see about doing some of it. It would obviously be inappropriate for us to remove the wall between the two living quarters before the wedding.”
“But—”
“That’s not negotiable,” he said firmly. “But, assuming Miss Johnson is amenable, perhaps we can move you over to her side of the building and work on enlarging the bedchamber over here.”
Both looked to her for approval.
“Oh, Daisy, please say yes.”
Daisy was still trying to figure out what he might be thinking. But she quickly nodded. “Of course. But I warn you, the bedchambers on my side are not nearly as nice as the ones over here. For one thing, there’s no furniture in the extra bedroom.”
Abigail dismissed Daisy’s concern. “That’s not a problem. I can move my things over there. In fact, I’ll need to clear the room out, anyway, so the walls can come down.”
Everett passed the bread platter to Daisy. “As for the rest, I suppose we can see about ordering a few more furnishings, as long as we agree on a budget and you stick to it.”
Abigail clapped her hands. “This’ll be so much fun. I have some fabulous ideas for what we can do.”
Everett gave his sister a pointed look. “I think it would be more appropriate to let Daisy take the lead.”
Abigail cast a chastened look Daisy’s way. “Oh, of course, I only meant—”
“We can do it together,” Daisy interjected quickly. “I would love to hear your ideas.”
“You may live to regret that statement,” Everett said dryly. “But I shall leave the specifics to you ladies. I’ll work out a budget for you this afternoon.”
Abigail turned to Daisy. “The wedding is in less than three weeks, so we should start planning right away. How quickly can I move in with you?”
The girl certainly didn’t waste time. “As soon as you like, I suppose. It’s clean, but like I said, there aren’t any furnishings to speak of.”
“As soon as we’re done with lunch, let’s go look it over and figure out how we want to arrange things.”
Everett frowned at his sister. “Don’t nag at Daisy—it isn’t ladylike. And your wrist hasn’t healed yet, so don’t try moving any furniture yourself. You two figure out what you want moved, and I’ll either take care of it or hire someone who will.”
Abigail apparently knew when to give in gracefully, so she merely nodded and turned her attention to her meal.
Later, just about the time Daisy finished the dishes, Constance topped the stairs.
“Oh, hello,” Abigail greeted her friend. “Have you heard about Daisy and Everett’s engagement? Isn’t it wonderful?”
“It certainly is.” The girl smiled shyly Daisy’s way. “I offer my best wishes, Miss Johnson.”
“Why, thank you, Constance.” Daisy dried her hands on her apron. “If you girls don’t mind keeping an eye on Kip, I need to speak to Abigail’s brother.”
“You mean your fiancé,” Abigail corrected archly.
Daisy controlled the urge to roll her eyes. “Yes, him.”
“While we’re watching Kip, Constance can help me plan my move.”
Constance gave Abigail a frown. “You’re moving?”
“Not far...”
Daisy left the two girls chattering as she removed her apron and headed down the stairs. She was relieved to find that Everett was alone.
She cleared her throat, and he looked up questioningly. “Yes? Have you already finished planning my sister’s move?”
“I left Abigail and Constance to it. Your sister seems quite excited about it, though I’m not sure I understand why.”
“Abigail is always up for an adventure, no matter how small.”
Daisy smiled, then quickly remembered her mission. “I was wondering if I could discuss something with you?”
He set his pen down and gave her his full attention. “Of course. What is it?”
She took to fiddling with her collar. “I’d prefer to discuss this somewhere we’re less likely to be interrupted, especially by the two girls upstairs.” Her cheeks warmed. “It’s of a personal nature.”
It was all she could do not to squirm under the look he gave her.
But he nodded and stood. “I see. And where would you suggest we have this discussion?”
“I thought perhaps we could take a walk.” She hated the nervous tentativeness. “But if now is not a good time for you to get away, we can—”
“No, no. I can spare whatever time you need.” He crossed the room to retrieve his coat. “Have you let Abigail know we’re going out?”
Daisy nodded.
“Very well.” He held open the door. “Shall we?”
As they stepped onto the sidewalk, he paused. “I’ll let you decide on the direction this time.”
She pointed south. “This way, I think.” As they set out, she explained her choice just to make conversation. “
There’s an open field past the schoolhouse where Kip and I take a lot of our walks. It’s also where I gather berries.”
“I know the place.”
“There’s an old log near one of the trees that makes for a nice bench, and we could sit comfortably while we talk.” It would also allow them to be openly visible, as propriety dictated, without worrying about interruptions.
They strolled along in a not uncomfortable silence, for all appearances just enjoying the sunshine and fresh air. And after a moment or two, Daisy managed to relax.
When they reached the spot she’d described, however, all that peace fled, leaving her edgy and uncertain.
Everett handed her down, but remained standing. “Now, what is this matter you wanted to discuss?”
She wasn’t quite sure how to start. “It’s rather indelicate.”
That earned her an amused look. “Thanks for the warning. Now that I am suitably prepared, you may continue.”
She cleared her throat, then decided it would be best to dive right in. “Based on our earlier discussion, it’s obvious Abigail assumes you and I will be sharing a bedchamber after we’re married.” Her cheeks were on fire, but she was determined to keep her voice steady. “It’s something we haven’t discussed, though. I mean, I’d like to know if that’s what you want.”
There was no flash of shock or surprise in his expression, which indicated he’d probably anticipated her question. “I have no objections.”
His tone held that amused edge she was coming to really dislike. And she wasn’t about to let him off that easy. “That wasn’t my question.”
He spread his hands. “I suppose my expectation is that we treat it as any other marriage.” He raised a brow. “However, if you are averse to that, or need time—”
“No.” That had come out more emphatically than she’d intended, and her cheeks burned hotter at the look he gave her. “I mean, I’ve always wanted a large family, but I don’t, I mean, if you don’t—”
He touched her shoulder. “Daisy, it’s okay.”
This was the first time he’d called her by her first name. She rather liked the sound of it.
But then, as if coming to himself, he pulled his hand back and tugged on his cuff. “To be more precise, I believe that our sharing a room would be the best course of action, for a number of reasons.”
Winnie Griggs Page 17