The Brightest of Dreams

by Susan Anne Mason

  The only problem was, Quinn didn’t know where he would take her.

  With her weakened lungs and heart, the doctor advised she needed a clean, warm environment to live in, not the drafty, germ-infested workhouse. If Mum was stronger and able to make the ocean voyage, he’d have taken her back to Canada with him. But the trip would only set her health back, if she even made it there alive.

  Which left Quinn trying to come up with a viable alternative here in England. He’d already started making inquiries in the area about possible work and had taken on a few odds jobs here and there to pay for their room and board.

  He’d yet to hear back from the earl, which meant he likely wouldn’t respond to Quinn’s message. He’d hoped Cecil might find employment with him. Then at least one of them would have a decent income.

  Quinn calculated the time he had left before Julia’s baby was due, which was sometime before Christmas. That meant he had less than three months to find a more permanent job and a suitable place for his family to live before he returned to be with Julia in time for the birth.

  But would a new employer even allow him the time off to make such a long trip? His gut screamed with the frustration of needing to be in two places at once.

  The only other option rested with Cecil and Harry. If Cecil could secure a decent job, and Harry start doing some deliveries like Quinn used to do, then perhaps they could afford to rent a small cottage while Quinn was away in Canada.

  “Do you ever stop worrying, big brother?” Becky’s teasing voice drew him out of his thoughts. “You’re going to have permanent ridges etched into that hard head of yours if you’re not careful.” She laughed out loud, a pretty, carefree sound that drifted in the wind.

  His lips twitched in response. Becky looked so young and happy today, obviously eager to get back to her fiancé. He tried hard not to envy her the freedom to do so. “I wish I could go with you,” he said. “You’re certain you’ll be all right traveling alone?”

  Quinn had half-expected Cecil to return to Canada with her. But when he questioned his brother, Cecil admitted that he’d burned his bridges with Mr. Sherman. When he’d asked the farmer for some time off to visit his ailing mother, the man had coldly refused, and for the next week, Sherman had found continual ways to punish Cecil, reminding him that he was nothing but cheap labor. Finally, Cecil made the decision to leave for good, not taking time to contact Quinn but simply heading straight for Halifax. The fact that Cecil had breached his contract, risking potential punishment and forfeiting any money owing him, showed Quinn how intolerable his circumstances had become.

  “I’ll be fine,” Becky said. “I’ll find a nice group of women and stay close to them.” She reached up to kiss his cheek. “And I’ll be sure to deliver your letter to Julia in person once I’ve had a chance to settle in.”

  “I appreciate it.” Quinn swallowed hard. “I want you to know how grateful I am to you for making this trip. I realize it cost you a lot to do so, but as you can see, it was worth it for Mum.”

  Her face softened. “She is much improved. I never thought that would be the case when we first got here.”

  He nodded. “I prayed it would. That knowing her children were all safe and alive, she would find a renewed will to live.”

  “What are you going to do now, Quinn?” Becky kept her voice low.

  He set his jaw. “Whatever I have to do to ensure my family stays together.”

  “And Julia?” Her brow furrowed.

  “I’ll go back in time for the baby’s arrival. I promised her that.”

  “But what then? I might be wrong, but I didn’t get the impression Julia intended to return to England.”

  Tension snapped up Quinn’s spine. He didn’t even know if Julia would want to stay married to him once the baby was born. “I’ll face that problem when the time comes.” He reached out to squeeze Becky’s hand. “I only wish I could be there to attend your wedding. I can’t imagine you not having your family with you on your special day.”

  Moisture welled in her eyes. “It would have been nice. But as long as I have Ned, that’s all that matters.”

  The ship’s horn blared, causing a flurry of activity on the dock.

  “I’d better get on board.” Becky threw her arms around Quinn in a tight hug. “Take good care of everyone, and I’ll see you when you get back to Toronto.”

  “Be happy, Becca. You deserve it.”

  “I will.” With one more hug for Harry and Cecil, Becky grabbed her bag and rushed up the gangplank. At the rail, she found a spot between the passengers and waved down at them.

  Cecil and Harry waved back, but Quinn just stood and stared, wishing with every fiber of his being that he was going back with her.

  “Mr. Aspinall? There’s a message for you.”

  Quinn halted on his way through the boardinghouse lobby and headed over to the desk.

  A clerk handed him a slip of paper.

  Quinn unfolded it and read the few words jotted there. Instantly, his heart started to race.

  Come to the house tomorrow at ten o’clock. We have unfinished business. Lord Brentwood.

  “What is it?” Harry hovered at Quinn’s elbow.

  “The earl wants to see me tomorrow.” Quinn glanced at Cecil. “I suppose we’ll find out then what he has to say.” He tapped the paper against his palm. “I will pray very hard tonight that he sees fit to grant you a post at Brentwood. That would be good news indeed.” His brother knew Quinn had asked about a possible position for him there.

  “I won’t hold my breath,” Cecil huffed.

  Harry’s eyes widened. “Maybe I could work for the earl too.”

  “I don’t know, lad.” Quinn ruffled Harry’s hair. “Let’s wait and see what tomorrow brings.”

  The next morning, Quinn accompanied his brothers to the infirmary and left them visiting with their mother while he went to meet the earl. He prayed the whole way over, asking for the Lord’s help to accept whatever the man had to say.

  After the previous night’s rain, today had dawned cool and sunny. When Quinn arrived at the townhouse, Mr. Davis informed him the earl was out in the back garden. Quinn thanked him and walked around the outside, through a side gate to the rear of the house.

  The earl was seated on the terrace, reading the morning paper.

  Quinn stood at attention beside the table until the earl looked up. Then he gave a slight bow. Even though he was no longer in the earl’s employ, old habits died hard.

  “Mr. Aspinall. Thank you for coming. Please, join me.”

  Hiding his surprise, Quinn pulled out a chair and sat down.

  “Would you care for some tea or a crumpet?”

  “No, thank you, my lord. I just ate.”

  The earl motioned to a maid hovering behind him. She quickly came forward to refill his cup. He added milk and sugar, leaving Quinn waiting for him to get to the reason for the visit.

  “Thank you for the letter you wrote,” his lordship said at last. “It showed great dignity in the face of my adverse reaction to your news.”

  “I didn’t want to leave matters on a sour note. Not after everything you did for me when I desperately needed work.” Quinn tried to relax on the hard chair. “Also, Julia cares about you a great deal and worries about your opinion of her.” He tilted his chin. “I told her that if you truly cared about her, her welfare should be all that mattered.”

  “You’re right.” The earl’s gaze slid away. “I’m ashamed to say my first thought was how her circumstances would affect my family’s social status. Once I read your letter and had time to consider the situation from all angles, I came to the same conclusion. Julia’s happiness and well-being are what’s most important.”

  Quinn clenched his fingers together. Was this a dismal attempt at an apology?

  The earl patted a linen napkin to his lips, then set it back on his lap. “I also appreciate the noble gesture you made on behalf of my niece by marrying her. You went beyond the call of d
uty, and as a gesture of thanks, I’m prepared to honor the offer I initially made you.”

  Quinn stiffened. “Do you mean the tenant farm?”

  “Precisely.”

  “But I didn’t fulfill your requirements.”

  “Not to the letter, but you did find my niece, and you did ensure her safety. And you have facilitated the start of a reconciliation between us, if Julia’s letter is any indication. I have written back to her, offering my apologies for our estrangement and assuring her that it is my wish that we find a way to move forward.” The earl drummed his fingers on the tabletop. “As long as we don’t advertise the fact that she married beneath her station, no one will really be the wiser.”

  Irritation snapped along Quinn’s nerves. “You plan to hide your niece away like you’re ashamed of her?”

  The earl sighed. “That’s not what I meant.” He rose and crossed the terrace, hands in his pockets. “My daughter, Amelia, is about to make a very advantageous match with the son of a duke. Their betrothal will be announced very soon.”

  Quinn waited for him to continue, willing his system to settle.

  “By the time Julia’s child is born and you’re ready to bring them back—likely next spring, I would assume—Amelia should be wed. I can’t take the chance that any perceived stain on Julia’s reputation might cause the duke to change his mind about uniting our families.” He turned to give Quinn a hard stare. “Will you agree not to interfere with this marriage?”

  Quinn gritted his teeth, picturing Julia’s hurt at not being welcome at her cousin’s wedding. “I will explain the situation to her and make sure we stay away until after the ceremony. Though if Amelia’s fiancé truly cares about her, it shouldn’t matter who her cousin has married.”

  “A lovely notion, but I fear reality is not quite so forgiving.” He resumed his pacing. “Now, back to my offer of the farm.”

  Quinn’s mind whirled with possibilities. His initial reaction was to refuse the offer outright. But in truth, he owed Julia the chance to voice her own opinion on the matter. “Thank you for your generosity, sir, but I will need to discuss this with my wife first.”

  The earl returned to the table and resumed his seat. “A prudent response. I hope Julia will realize the merit of my offer. Where else could you obtain your own property with a working farm and a home to live in?”

  Indeed, wasn’t that the dream Quinn had entertained the whole time he was in Canada? It would be perfect for his mother and brothers as well. “Unfortunately, it will be some time before a letter reaches Julia and she sends her reply.”

  The man studied him. “In the meantime, let’s address the other request you made in your letter.”

  “My brother.”

  “Correct. You said he’d been working on a farm in Canada for several years?”

  “That’s right. He’s a hard worker. And he’s good with horses.”

  “What about your youngest brother? Didn’t he also work on a farm?”

  “He did, but it was . . . far from a pleasant experience.” Quinn sucked in a deep breath and slowly exhaled. Why did he want to know about Harry?

  The earl frowned. “I’m sorry to hear it. Still, I imagine the boy learned a fair bit over the years.”

  “He did.”

  His lordship stroked his chin in a thoughtful manner. “Then what I propose is that you move your family onto the farm now. Between the three of you, you should be able to manage the work. And when you leave for Canada, the boys should be able to keep things running smoothly until your return, perhaps with a little help from some of my other tenant farmers.”

  Quinn’s pulse leaped in his veins. His dream of having his family back together shimmered before him once again. He rose to pace the terrace alongside the earl. “Why would you take such a risk? Surely there are a lot of contenders for the farm.”

  “True. But none of them is married to my niece.” The earl gave him a frank stare. “And they haven’t proven their loyalty to me.” He turned toward Quinn. “Consider this a gesture of goodwill, proof of my sincerity to reconcile with Julia.”

  “What if she wants to stay in Canada?” A muscle twitched in Quinn’s jaw.

  The earl shrugged. “We can adjust the plan if Julia is against the idea.”

  Quinn quickly tried to process the situation, a flare of hope igniting in his chest. If he accepted, he and his brothers could move onto the farm immediately and get the house ready for his mother. With the three of them working hard through the fall, they could have the property well in hand before Quinn had to leave for Canada around the beginning of December. “Has anyone been tending the land recently?”

  “I had a temporary man overseeing the property. Everything is in decent shape. Except for the house, which will need a good overhaul.”

  Quinn approached the man and stretched out his hand. “Then I accept your offer, sir.”

  His lordship stood and clasped Quinn’s hand. “Excellent. I’ll be leaving for Derbyshire tomorrow. Shall I plan for you and your brothers to arrive within the week?”

  “That should be fine.” If Mum wasn’t ready to leave by then, he’d make arrangements until she could join them.

  “I look forward to a prosperous relationship. I only hope my niece agrees.”

  A niggle of unease crept into Quinn’s gut. This arrangement hinged on Julia, and unfortunately, she was the unknown factor in all of this.

  Quinn nodded. “As long as it’s God’s will for our lives, then I believe she will.”

  As he headed back to the infirmary to tell his brothers the good news, he prayed Julia would be as pleased with the outcome as he.

  CHAPTER 32

  Harriet stepped out the door of the Dr. Barnardo’s Home with Geoffrey right behind her. They had met with the administrators of the facility and had presented their plan for having clergy members take turns visiting the farms to ensure the proper treatment of their young wards. Happily, Geoffrey had recruited a dozen clergy from different Christian faiths in the area, all eager to help in their campaign. The only task remaining now was to create a schedule and begin implementing it.

  “The meeting went well, don’t you think?” Geoffrey positioned his fedora on his head and glanced over as they walked.

  “Better than I expected,” she said.

  “How about I buy you lunch to celebrate?”

  Harriet released a slow breath. “I’d like that. Thank you.” With a firm lift of her chin, she did her best to put her melancholy behind her. She was slowly getting used to life without Harry, as well as other changes in the boardinghouse. Emma and Jonathan had left to return to England, and though Julia lived nearby, she was busy with her position as companion to Mrs. Middleton. Harriet reminded herself every day that her role as proprietress was an ever-changing one. She knew better than to get too attached to any one tenant, for they always left her at some point or another.

  Yet lately, a pervasive loneliness had seeped into her very bones.

  Geoffrey opened a door for her, and she stepped into a dimly lit restaurant. As her eyes adjusted, she looked around and frowned. This was not some everyday eatery. This was a fancy restaurant with white linen tablecloths and candles for ambience. She turned and almost smacked into Geoffrey’s chest. He grasped her elbow to steady her.

  “This is too posh, Geoffrey. Couldn’t we just get a sandwich in a diner?”

  “I want to treat you to a nice meal. How long has it been since you’ve been to an elegant restaurant?”

  She blinked. In all honesty, she couldn’t remember. She was always too busy with her boarders, making sure their meals were appealing and the residence was clean and inviting.

  “Your inability to answer says it all.” Geoffrey smiled. “Please allow me to spoil you a bit.”

  A hostess appeared. “A table for two?” she asked brightly.

  “Yes, please,” Geoffrey answered before Harriet could protest any further.

  She huffed out a breath and followed the wo
man across the room. Geoffrey was quick to pull out a chair for her. She sat down, her handbag on her lap.

  The hostess set two menus on the table. “Your waiter will be right with you.”

  “Relax, Harriet. I want you to enjoy this.” Geoffrey set his hat on the empty chair and took a seat beside her. He picked up a menu and began to read. “I believe I’m in the mood for a thick steak.”

  “Then I hope you have a thick stack of bills to pay for it,” she muttered as she scanned the entrées.

  Geoffrey chuckled. “It’s not like I eat steak every day.” He lowered the menu. “Anything strike your fancy?”

  She looked up. “I think I’ll try the Waldorf salad.”

  “A salad is all you’re going to have?”

  “Yes. Why?”

  He stared at her. “You’re right. You can choose whatever you wish. But please don’t worry about the cost.”

  She focused back on the menu. “If spending money makes you happy, I’ll be sure to leave room for an extravagant dessert.” She struggled to hide a smile, her mood definitely lifting. Keeping this man off guard proved very satisfying.

  After they had ordered, Harriet did her best to soak in the lovely atmosphere and appreciate Geoffrey’s gift. “This is very nice. I’m sorry I wasn’t as enthusiastic as you probably hoped.”

  “Not to worry. As long as I manage to distract you from your troubles for a while, I’ll be glad.”

  She frowned. “Have I seemed that unhappy lately?”

  “To be honest, yes. I’ve missed my best friend’s sunny nature.” He reached over to cover her hand with his. His warm eyes radiated concern. “I’m hoping she’ll come back to me soon.”

  Harriet’s throat tightened. Why were tears so near the surface at every turn lately? She looked down at his hand, relishing the strength paired with gentleness. Where would she be without Geoffrey in her life? Without him to steady her, to lift her spirits, to go out of his way to ensure she was taken care of?