by Lori Wick
“It’s here,” Quintin pointed out as Chase tried to control his heart. “Right here under this tree.”
“Oh, yes,” Chase returned as he squatted down to look. “It is a big bird, a—” Chase had been on the verge of naming it but stopped. “What is this bird, Quintin?”
“It’s a starling,” he said confidently. “We didn’t see a nest, but then we couldn’t look very high.”
Chase began to move among the trees, his height giving him a firm advantage among the low branches. He searched for several minutes before finding a possibility.
“Here, Quintin, look at this one.”
Quintin came over and without thought Chase swung him up into his arms.
“Do you see it?” Chase stood so Quintin could look over the tree branch and into the nest. “Is this the one?”
“It might be,” Quintin said after he’d looked at it carefully. “I need to check my book.”
Chase looked back into the nest and made a few more comments. He knew a little about birds and took a moment to point something out to his son about the way the twigs were laid in the nest. He glanced back to see if Quintin was understanding, but he found the younger McCandles watching him, not the nest. Chase was so overcome by emotion that he felt a sting behind his eyes.
“Thank you for showing me the bird, Quintin,” he said quietly.
“We’re up high.”
Chase could only smile, his heart melting into a puddle when Quintin smiled in return. Just a moment later, however, Chase began to feel awkward and gently lowered Quintin to the ground. The little boy looked up at him, clearly waiting for the next order. Chase was at a complete loss.
“Do you suppose Aunt Rusty is downstairs now?” he tried, wondering why his voice sounded so strained.
“I don’t know. Was she coming to the woods too?”
“I don’t think so. Maybe we should go and check on her.”
“All right.”
Quintin didn’t notice that anything was amiss with his father. In truth, he knew Chase McCandles so slightly that anything his father did was new to him. Quintin walked back toward the house, seemingly without a care in the world. Chase was not quite so at ease.
What does Katherine find to do all day with my son? She never seems to be at a loss. But he had no answers and prayed only that she would be down from her room and ready to take Quintin, or at least help him to know what to do. His sigh was very quiet. No one had to tell Chase that he still had a lot to learn.
“I didn’t know. I had no idea! I can’t believe his face. Did you watch his expression?”
Rusty nodded, a smile coming to her lips, but Chase didn’t see it. It was much later that day. The three of them had eaten dinner together, and Chase had volunteered to help with Quintin’s bath. He then read him a story. But as with the nest, Quintin’s eyes had been on his father, not the book.
Now Quintin was asleep, and Chase was pacing in the drawing room downstairs, too excited to sit down. He had asked Rusty to come down so he could speak to her, but he only talked to himself and paced.
“What do you have planned for tomorrow?” Chase asked suddenly, turning to her.
Rusty shrugged. “I don’t usually plan too far in advance. Was there something you wanted to do?”
“That’s just it. I don’t know.” With that, Chase stood and stared at her, his expression revealing that he expected her to produce a day’s plan at a moment’s notice.
Rusty started to laugh. She didn’t want to but she couldn’t help herself.
“What did I miss?” His hands had gone to his hips, and he tried to look indignant.
Still chuckling, Rusty tried to explain. “You don’t do anything in half measures, do you? You want to get to know Quintin, and you want to do it now. It’s like a piece of land you’ve spotted and want to buy. You want the deal settled by sundown!”
Chase dropped into a chair and tried to frown at her. Rusty had never seen him so dramatic. She couldn’t keep the smile from her face.
“You’re still laughing at me.”
“I can’t help myself. I never realized before how intense and driven you could be, but I shouldn’t be surprised.”
“Why is that?”
“All of this.” Rusty’s head moved as she looked around the elegant, expensively furnished room. “You don’t come by things this nice by sitting on your hands.”
“As a matter of fact, this was my parents’ home. I grew up here.”
Rusty’s eyes widened. “I had no idea.”
It was Chase’s turn to look around the room. “I’ve taken it all for granted, but now that I think about it, it was a great house to grow up in.”
“It must have been.” Rusty studied the bay window. The surroundings were so lovely. “Did you tell me at one time that your mother lives in Texas?”
“Yes. That’s why I live here at Briarly.” Chase stared at her for a moment. She knew nothing about him. She’d come in to take care of Quintin and asked no questions. He felt a sudden need to explain.
“I was as spoiled as any child could be,” Chase began again. “My mother was ill for most of my childhood, and my father was very preoccupied with her health and his business opportunities. I was raised by a series of nannies who basically gave me anything I wanted to keep me out of trouble. My mother had tuberculosis and was at a special care facility here in the city. I was allowed to see her only once a month. She had no idea how I was growing up, and when she came home, I was 16 and already very set in my ways. Not for some months did I understand how my actions and attitudes were breaking her heart, but I came to Christ and enjoyed a wonderful relationship with my mother. When she asked me to go to school in the East, I agreed.
“My father passed away while I was home one summer, and I thought my mother would curl up and die. I was wrong. She took on much of my father’s business dealings and threw herself into a life she hadn’t had since she’d become ill.
“It was during that time that she hired a secretary, a young woman who had grown up at the Fountain Creek Orphanage. Her name was Carla Bensen, and my mother talked of her in every letter. When I finished school and returned home, I knew it was my mother’s greatest wish that Carla and I be married.
“It wasn’t a love match,” he admitted, “but we cared for each other, and I think we were happy. We lived in a small house here in town, and I began to work with my mother. No one could have predicted what came next. A man from Texas visited church one Sunday. He and Mother took one look at each other and fell in love. I remember the shock I felt the first time I saw him put his arm around her, but then I also remember the shine in her eyes that hadn’t been there since my father died.
“It wasn’t long before they were married and she moved to Texas with him. My father’s business dealings, this house— everything—was handed over to Carla and me. Quintin was born, and as with my mother’s second marriage, it never occurred to me that anything might happen to my wife. But a nasty virus came through the area. Carla was struck down. At first she couldn’t walk, and then she couldn’t breathe. One month she was healthy and active, and the next month we had her funeral.”
“I’m so sorry,” Rusty said softly. “I’m also sorry if it hurt you to speak of it.”
“It’s all right, Katherine. It feels good to talk about that time of my life and to look back on the way God took care of me. My only real ache is for Quintin. He needs a mother.”
Rusty nodded, feeling suddenly awkward. Chase seemed to be out of things to say, and as Rusty thought was proper, she rose to say goodnight. It was best that she not forget she was employed here.
“I’ll say goodnight now,” she said softly.
Chase came to his feet, the feeling of disappointment now familiar to him. He said goodnight as well, but before she could get too far, he called her name.
“Katherine?”
Rusty stopped on the first step of the stairs and turned back. Chase came and stood right in front of her, the
ir eyes much more level with her up a step.
“Have I thanked you for today? Have I told you how well you’re doing?”
Rusty shook her head no.
“Then I will now. Thank you for everything. Thank you for today and for working so hard with Quintin. You’re right. He’s a special little person.”
Rusty smiled but felt a strong need to repeat herself. “I’m glad you’re pleased, Mr. McCandles. And please accept my apology again over shouting at you.”
“Of course. I hope in the future you’ll come to me as soon as you see a problem. Don’t wait until you’re angry, Katherine. Come to me right away.”
“I’ll do that. Goodnight, Mr. McCandles.”
“Goodnight.” Chase said these last words very softly. He watched her go up the stairs, but even when she was out of sight he didn’t move.
It’s just the emotion of the day, he told himself. That’s all. A passing thing. Just ignore it, and it will go away. The words were all well and good, but they didn’t work. More than anything Chase McCandles wanted to take Rusty Taggart in his arms and kiss her. As he looked into her eyes, the thought had come on him so suddenly that he’d almost acted on it. He had teased Rusty in the past about her impetuous nature, but he had been strongly tempted to take a page from her book.
With a firm resolve, he walked into his office. He had achieved almost nothing today in his paperwork, and right now he needed a diversion. He naively thought that work would do the trick. It would be the next day before he knew differently.
35
“I think we should go out to lunch today,” Rusty said to Quintin as he watched her do her hair. He had asked her to put it up again, and wanting to please him, she obliged. “What do you think, Quin? If Whit can take us, would you like to eat out?”
“Yes, I would.”
“Good.” Rusty crossed her eyes in the mirror at him, and Quintin laughed.
“Can I have chicken and dessert?”
“May I have chicken, and, yes, you may. We’ll see about dessert after we get there.”
“What will you have?”
“Oh, I think I’ll just eat the menu.”
“Aunt Rusty.” His tone was indulgent.
“Yes,” she insisted, her eyes big. “I’ll use a little salt. It should be just delicious.”
He fell backward onto the bed now, and Rusty had to scoot him off since she’d already made it up.
“Is your bed made?”
“Yes, but it’s not flat like yours.”
“That’s all right, as long as you did your best. Come here, Quin. Let me do something with your hair.” He stood patiently as she worked. “I think a haircut is in order today too. Mrs. Harding always saw to that, didn’t she?”
“Um hum.” He was busy making faces at himself in the mirror.
“Where did she take you, Quin?”
Quintin was too busy looking down his throat to answer.
“Quintin McCandles, listen to me. Where did Mrs. Harding take you for your haircuts?”
“Into town.”
“Well, that’s a big help. Maybe Whit knows.”
“Or Rick. He came one time.”
“All right. Let’s go get breakfast and see if anyone is free to take us to town today.”
“Why can’t we take Dobbins?”
“Your father is afraid that he’ll get spooked and run off with us.”
“Is he going to read to me tonight?”
“Your father? I don’t know. Would you like him to?”
They were at the bottom of the stairs now, and Quintin only nodded, a small smile on his face.
“You could ask him if he plans on it,” Rusty suggested.
They were in the breakfast room just a moment later, but to their surprise, Mr. McCandles was not there. His newspaper was at his place, but it didn’t look as if he had eaten. Rusty went ahead and got Quintin settled with his plate before slipping into the kitchen to see if she could locate Whit.
“Good morning, Cook. Do you know if Whit is around?”
“Good morning, Rusty. I believe he’s in the stable. Did you need him?”
“I have a question for him. Quintin is having breakfast, so I’ll just pop out and ask him.”
“Or I can tell him you want him. He talked as though he’d be right back.”
“Oh, all right. Thank you.” Rusty returned to the breakfast room and to her surprise and pleasure found Chase. He was talking to Quintin. Rusty stood very still so as not to disturb them.
“I found something I thought you might like,” Chase was saying. He took a small box from his pocket and placed it next to Quintin.
“Should I open it?”
“Yes, you should. It’s yours to keep.”
Quintin opened the box, and his little mouth opened in surprise.
“Can you get it out?” Chase asked him.
Quintin pulled on the chain and out came a miniature pocket watch. The little boy stared at it in awe.
“My father gave that to me when I was five,” Chase explained. “I know you were five last month, so this is late, but I still wanted you to have it.”
“It’s so small.”
“Yes, and it still tells time. You’ll take good care of it, won’t you?”
He could only nod.
At that moment, Chase noticed Rusty. He came swiftly to his feet, and she felt free to enter.
“I hope I’m not interrupting.”
“Not at all. I was just giving something to Quintin.”
Rusty looked down at the little boy, but his complete attention was on the pocket watch. She looked at Chase and found his eyes on her. Something in his face arrested Rusty’s attention. She realized not for the first time that the events of the previous day had to have been upsetting. Her employer looked very vulnerable to her right now. It seemed a little too familiar, but Rusty had to question him.
“Are you all right, Mr. McCandles?” she asked softly.
No, I’m not, he said in his mind. This feeling was supposed to stay behind with yesterday, but it didn’t, and now I don’t know what to do.
“Mr. McCandles?”
“I’m sorry,” he covered smoothly, “my thoughts wandered.” He cleared his throat. “I realized this morning that I don’t know what plans you have for Quintin today.”
“A haircut,” Rusty told him. “If Whit can take us to town. We also thought it would be fun to go to lunch, but I think the haircut is more important.”
Chase nodded. “I have some work that should take just a few hours, and then I could see you to town.”
“Oh, thank you.”
Rusty dished up her food and sat at the table. She leaned over Quintin’s shoulder and looked at the watch he still had in his hand.
“Isn’t it nice, Quin? Did you remember to say thank you?”
“Thank you,” Quintin said immediately.
Rusty watched as the little boy went right back to the watch. Rusty could see that he wasn’t going to eat a thing. The last thing she wanted to do was interfere, but she still had a job to do.
“I’ll tell you what, Quin. We’ll put the watch right here in the box where you can see it while you finish your breakfast.”
“Okay,” he agreed absently.
Rusty exchanged glances with Chase.
“It looks like you’ve made someone’s day,” Rusty said softly.
“I think so too,” Chase agreed with her, but he wasn’t just thinking of his son.
I wasn’t prepared for the way it would feel to have her here every day, Lord. She’s sweet and sensitive, and when I don’t see her, I miss her. I’ve asked You if it’s time to seek another wife, and right here…
Chase caught the direction of his thoughts before they could roam too far. Right now his heart couldn’t take it. He also knew he would make them both miserable if he didn’t handle the situation wisely. If she knew what he was feeling, she’d be overwhelmed. She would most certainly quit on the spot, and he knew he coul
dn’t handle that. He had to keep things light or talk of business. Rusty couldn’t possibly know of his change in feelings, and it simply wasn’t fair to try to court her without warning.
“I found the dates you left for me on my desk,” Chase said, his voice mild.
“Oh good. Are those going to work out all right?”
“They’ll be fine. Whose wedding is first?”
“Tibby’s. I shouldn’t be gone for more than the weekend. In August, however, I’ll probably need a little more time. I had a sudden thought this morning. I wondered if it would be possible to take someone with me when I go to Boulder.” Rusty’s eyes darted down to the little boy with the pocket watch and then back to Chase. As she had hoped, Quintin missed the whole thing.
Rusty watched Chase’s brows rise and could tell he liked the idea.
“That would be the August date?”
“Yes. I think he would have a wonderful time with my family.”
Chase nodded; he was sure of the fact. However, he said only, “I’ll think about it and get back to you.”
They finished the meal in relative quiet, and it wasn’t long before Chase excused himself and went to work. He was striving desperately for a balance. Early that morning as he’d shaved and dressed, he had been tempted to seek out Quintin and spend the whole day with him, but before he even left his room, he knew that was going too far. He still had business matters to see to, and there would be time later to get to know his son a little better.
Added to this was a deep desire to spend more time with Rusty as well. His new awareness of her could have come at a better time, but he knew he was going to have to find ways to deal with it. A protectiveness toward both of them swelled up so swiftly inside of him that for a moment he sat at his desk and did nothing.
I’m going to lose my mind if I go on this way, Lord. Either I trust You to take care of them or I don’t. Chase was tempted to tell God that he would feel at ease if he only knew how Rusty would welcome his overtures, but he knew better. Trusting meant having a “no matter what” attitude. It wasn’t always going to be easy, but he was willing to try. Without warning, Chase remembered the Bible study that Pastor Radke had invited him to join and knew very clearly in his heart that he should. He would talk to the pastor the next time he saw him. Chase spent a few minutes in prayer and then threw himself into his paperwork. It did the trick. Before he knew it, the morning had flown by.