“I think we’ll head back.”
“We don’t have to. Woody stayed home today.”
“It’s not Woody I’m thinking of. It’s my own reputation.”
“You weren’t thinking about your reputation a week ago.”
Before he could catch her smiling over the memory, Maddie turned and started back toward the house. Jace fell into step beside her but didn’t speak. He didn’t need to. With a single glance, Maddie could see by his face that he was pleased. She also knew that that look would mean she would have to keep her distance for the rest of the day.
Douglas waited until bedtime on Sunday to give Alison the gift. She was tired—they both were—but he was so pleased about what he’d found in the middle of the week that he didn’t want to wait any longer.
“I have something for you,” he said, climbing into bed after her.
Alison turned to look at him, her book still in her hand.
“For me?”
“Um hm. A little gift I picked up.”
Alison set her book down on the table by the bed and rolled to look at her husband.
“Why did you do that?” she asked, her voice pleased.
“Well, you’ve been tired lately and not feeling well, and I want to thank you.”
“For what?”
“For never complaining, and for all the hard work you do.”
Alison smiled at him. She had waited to share her news for two reasons. She had wanted the time to be special and also had the silly notion that talking about it would more likely result in another miscarriage.
“Dooner,” Alison began, using his old nickname. “I need to tell you something.”
“Okay.”
“I think I’m expecting.”
Douglas looked into her eyes and called himself a blind fool.
“Of course you are,” he said with wonder. “How could I have missed it?”
“It’s all right.”
Douglas put his arms around her and pulled her close, kissing her temple when she was settled against him.
“How do you feel?”
“Like always.”
“Are you afraid?”
“A little. The children are older now, and should I lose the baby, there’s always so much blood. I don’t want to scare them.”
For a moment Douglas knew his own fear. She had miscarried once after Hillary and twice since Martin was born. There had been a lot of blood and no guarantees that she would live through the ordeal.
“What did you get me?” Alison asked.
“It’s silly now. You’re giving me a baby, and I bought you a crystal ink pot.”
“A crystal one?” Alison asked, coming up on one elbow to smile at him.
Douglas’ doubts melted in the light of her pleasure.
“I’ve seen those but never thought I would have one for myself.”
Douglas reached down on his side of the bed and handed the wrapped package to her.
“Well, now you do,” he told her with great satisfaction.
Without even unwrapping the gift, Alison put her arms around his neck, kissed him, and told him how much he was loved. Douglas held her right back, asking God for grace and peace as He did His will in their lives and the life of this unborn child.
Jace couldn’t stay away. He didn’t have time to see Maddie on Tuesday evening and he was tired, but spring was in the air, and he went anyway. What he didn’t expect to see was Maddie with another man. His steps slowed as he approached the store, and as he watched, the man reached up and touched Maddie’s ear. Jace watched her laugh and then put a hand on his arm.
A foreign emotion filled him. He’d never known jealousy before and didn’t immediately recognize the source. He knew Maddie was not the type of woman to play false with him, but what he’d just seen gave him pause.
How well did he really know her? Doyle and Cathy were honorable people, and Maddie seemed to be the same, but she’d spent many years away from home. Was she still the woman that Shephards had raised her to be? Or had an experience with one man made it impossible for her to commit to him or any other man, no matter how much she might wish to.
Jace shook his head. He knew that Cathy would not do that to him. She had told him that Maddie hadn’t been interested in anyone since the man she loved in Boston.
Choosing not to read more into the situation when he had little or no facts, Jace finished walking to the store. As he hoped and expected, Maddie was just closing up and invited him to tea. And it turned out to be a good evening. Maddie was completely normal, and as long as Jace didn’t think about what he’d seen outside the store, he was normal as well.
Ten
Jace sat against the headboard of his bed, thinking about the evening. He had a full day of work starting early in the morning, and he was tired from the day right now, but sleep would not come.
He wanted to know where he stood with Maddie Shephard. He knew that some women threw kisses away while others only kissed men they wanted to marry. With Maddie he simply couldn’t tell. She seemed drawn to him, and she certainly enjoyed the kisses they shared, but at times she looked at him with complete distrust, almost anger. He knew that he had another man to thank for that, but who had she been so familiar with today? Jace let his head fall back against the wall, wishing answers would come from the sky.
He stayed this way for a time before reaching toward the small dresser that sat near his bed. He opened the top drawer and felt around until he found it. Jace pulled his mother’s bracelet from inside and cradled it in his hand, letting the candlelight bounce and sparkle as it caught the gold.
“I want to give this to you, Maddie,” he whispered, mindful of Woody sleeping in the next bedroom. “I want you to know how I feel.”
Jace fingered the intricate chain, knowing what a treasure it was. He would never give it to just anyone. He hoped he wouldn’t have to use a lot of words, but for him this was a gesture of love. If he only knew how Maddie felt about him.
Suddenly a small, breathless laugh escaped Jace, relief filling him. He knew exactly who he could ask. He would check with Cathy. The dilemma was solved; he was finally ready to sleep. Cathy would tell him how Maddie felt. Of this he was certain.
Eden arrived back in Tucker Mills seven weeks after she had left. Still angry, she had not written to her brother in that time but then realized she’d made only herself miserable. Jace had a new life, and probably a new love. His life was fresh and exciting, while she had only the day in, day out grind of the boardinghouse. She didn’t mind the work—most of the time she enjoyed it and prided herself on a clean establishment—but with Jace gone and not sharing his life with her, she felt cut off and lonely.
She didn’t plan to apologize, but she hoped he had put their clash behind him and assumed that she had done the same. She was not a person who gave up easily, and getting Jace’s affections back was the main goal of her visit. And she had a plan.
Since Jace and Woody were not expecting her, she didn’t rush from the train station to the farm but took some time to look around town for a while. She and Jace hadn’t really done this, and making a slow promenade, she walked around the green, taking in the houses and businesses. Nothing really struck her as noteworthy, but Eden planned to spend more time in town on this visit, and she wanted to get the lay of the land even before Jace showed her.
Not until she was completely satisfied that she’d seen everything did Eden begin the walk to the farm. She strode out purposefully, not willing to waste any more time, smiling a little when the farm came into view.
“Well, Eden,” Woody said pleasantly when he opened the door to find her there. “Come in.”
“Thank you, Uncle Woody. How are you?”
“Can’t complain. Here, have a seat. I’m just having my tea, and you can join me.”
“Thank you. Is Jace around?”
“No, he’s in town.”
“In town?” Eden asked, losing some of her calm control. “I didn’t s
ee him.”
“Well, you wouldn’t have from the train station,” Woody said.
“But I was in town,” Eden said before she thought, wishing she’d held her tongue when Woody’s brows rose. “When do you expect him back?” Eden asked, changing tactics.
“I’ve no idea.”
“Where did he go?”
Woody’s look was longsuffering.
“I don’t expect him to tell me, Eden, and I don’t ask,” Woody replied, uttering the half-truth. “I’m not his keeper.”
“Oh, certainly.” Eden backed down, her manner and tone changing to one of compliance. She had no desire to upset her uncle or be caught in her attempt to keep track of Jace.
Woody went ahead with his tea, and Eden did join him. The food was very good, and she was reminded of what a proficient housekeeper Clara was. Eden even thought about asking for her recipe for the scones they were eating.
But her contentment lasted only until she remembered that Jace was not home. Such a thing had never occurred to her. True, it was Friday evening, but Saturday was a workday, and she expected to find him working at the farm or settling in for the evening.
Well, no matter, she told herself. I’m going to be up when he arrives, and he’ll be so surprised to see me that he’ll tell me exactly what I want to know.
“Cathy,” Jace kept his voice low, aware that Maddie had slipped upstairs for only a moment.
“What?”
“Does Maddie ever tell you how she feels about me?”
“Not in so many words.”
“What does that mean?”
But the question had to wait. They both heard Maddie returning, and Jace knew better than to get caught asking.
“I found it,” she said, holding a small frame in her hand, one that showed a drawing of her parents.
“Let me see.” Cathy reached for it and stared down into the faces. “I haven’t seen this in years.”
“You gave it to me when I was six.”
“Do you keep it out or put away?”
“In Boston I kept it out, but when I arrived here I tucked it into a drawer and almost forgot about it.”
Jace came to look over Cathy’s shoulder. He didn’t know if feelings would be tender, but in his estimation, Maddie looked more like Doyle and Cathy than her parents. Cathy was an attractive woman. Maddie’s mother was not very eye-catching.
“I can sure see Doyle in Daniel, but I can’t find you in your mother, Maddie,” Cathy stated plainly.
“Paige used to say the same thing to me,” Maddie said with a chuckle. “When she was very tiny, she would stand in front of the picture and come right out and ask why I was so pretty. Her mother heard her one time, and when Paige was scolded, she didn’t say anything for a long time.”
“Who is Paige?” Jace asked.
“Paige Nunley. My last child left in Boston,” Maddie said fondly. “She’s a character.”
“But not so much of a character that she can’t spot beauty,” Jace complimented.
Cathy didn’t comment, but for Maddie everything else in the room faded away. She smiled into Jace’s eyes, asking herself how she’d been happy before they met.
It wasn’t extremely late when Jace reached the barn, but he was ready for bed. He yawned all the way from town and was relieved to climb from the saddle. He went through the motions, glad the day was over. What he didn’t expect was to find someone emerging from the shadows. For a moment Jace was startled, and then his uncle spoke.
“I snuck out to warn you,” Woody began, sounding pleased.
“About what?”
“Eden’s here.”
Jace chuckled softly. “I take it you didn’t tell her where I was.”
“You didn’t tell me where you were headed,” Woody exaggerated. “How could I tell her?”
Jace laughed again.
“You could really drive her mad and sleep out here tonight,” Woody suggested.
This time Jace’s laugh wasn’t so quiet. He had all he could do not to shout with mirth.
“I can finally see why you never married,” Jace said when he could catch his breath.
“On the contrary, I would have been a model husband. I just wouldn’t have married someone like Eden.”
“Nor will I,” Jace agreed.
The men went toward the house, but when Jace headed for the front door, Woody slipped around to go in by way of the kitchen.
As Jace expected, Eden was still up, handiwork in her lap, a candle burning on the table in the parlor. Jace heard the quiet sounds that Woody made coming in the side door and using the stairs, but he didn’t think his sister noticed.
“Well, hello,” Jace said, making an effort to sound surprised.
“Hello, Jace,” Eden said with a smile.
“When did you get in?” Jace asked as he took a seat.
“About teatime. Where were you?”
“In town. Didn’t Woody tell you?”
For a moment Eden hesitated. She knew she treated Jace like a child and needed to stop, but it had always been that way, and old habits are sometimes hard to get rid of. Right now she knew she was foolish to think that he would tell her anything he didn’t want to share.
“I was just surprised,” Eden started again. “Tomorrow is Saturday.”
“How was the train ride?” Jace asked, choosing to ignore her probing even as he told himself he was ready to have Eden meet Maddie.
“It was fine. Not very crowded.”
“I haven’t heard from you much. I figured you were still angry.”
“Oh, Jace,” Eden dismissed him with a lie. “That was weeks ago.”
“You have a long memory, Eden,” Jace reminded her, but he didn’t sound irritated.
Eden was irritated. She didn’t want Jace to confront her in his way, and it frustrated her to no end.
“How long can you stay?” Jace asked.
“Until the Monday train,” she replied, managing to keep her voice calm.
“Good,” Jace said and meant it. He didn’t hate his sister. He was just weary of her need to have the upper hand. “Well,” he finished, coming to his feet. “I’m for bed. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all.” Eden’s voice said otherwise, but Jace ignored it, believing she was impossible to please.
“Goodnight, Eden.”
“Goodnight.”
And for Jace it was a good night. He slept soundly. In a strange bed with strange sounds and her emotions out of control, Eden didn’t sleep much at all.
“Okay, boys,” Douglas said, kneeling down to be on a level with his two older sons, Joshua and Peter. “What are you quarreling about?”
With tears threatening, Peter said, “Josh says I took some of his blocks from his town set, but I didn’t.”
Douglas’ eyes swung to Joshua, who was the older of the two.
“First of all, Josh, I want you to tell me what is more important to you right now, your brother or your town blocks?”
Joshua’s eyes dropped. He knew the answer he wanted to give was all wrong, but he just wanted his small missing blocks: the wood barn, church building, and schoolhouse. He looked at his brother, saw how upset he was, and relented some.
“He took some of the blocks one other time, and I just thought he did it again.”
“Wasn’t that about a year ago, when he hid them in his bed?” Douglas reasoned. “I spanked him for that, and it’s never happened again that I know of.”
Joshua nodded.
“Now, listen to me, Josh,” Douglas went on. “If Pete has taken something of yours without asking, he will be punished, but by accusing him and then all but calling him a liar, you’ve made up your mind that he’s guilty, and I don’t think you know that for certain. Not to mention, you don’t have to get that upset about some toys. No one was hurt; no one was killed. It’s just a few toys.”
Joshua nodded, his face calming.
“Okay, Pete,” Douglas turned to his other son. “Rather
than panic or defend yourself and start shouting, how about offering to help Josh look for the missing blocks?”
“But he said I took them.”
“Yes, he did, but you just told me you didn’t, so the best thing for you to do is stay calm and talk about it. Listen to what Josh has to say and help him any way you can.”
While Douglas was working this out in his study, Alison was in the kitchen, well aware that the boys were in trouble for fighting. She was working over the table by the fire, putting some final touches on two loaves of bread to go into the oven, when Martin came in behind her.
“Mama,” he said quietly. She turned.
“Oh, Marty,” Alison said with compassion, seeing the pilfered blocks in his hands. “I’m very glad you showed me, but now you must go and tell Papa.”
“Do I have to?”
“You know you do.”
The little boy nodded, nearly breaking Alison’s heart.
“Come on,” she urged him. “I’ll walk with you.”
They were at the study door long before Martin was ready, but they had to wait anyway because Douglas was praying, asking God’s blessing on his sons. When he looked up, his eyes met those of his wife.
“Marty has something to tell you.”
Alison didn’t linger, but as she moved away, she heard Douglas say, “You did the right thing by telling your mother, Marty. I’m proud of you.”
“Maddie,” Cathy gently knocked on her door and opened it a bit. The older woman peeked her head around and found a half-asleep niece on the side of the bed.
“Is something wrong?” Maddie slurred, thinking morning had come way too fast.
“I’m going to work in the store today,” Cathy informed her. “Go back to sleep.”
“You’re going to the store?”
“Yes. You haven’t had a day to sleep in since you arrived. Go back to bed.”
“What about Doyle’s breakfast?”