The Pursuit

  “And for that I thank you, but I do wish you would go to your daughter. Please don’t stay on my account.”

  “We won’t,” Walker stated, having seen that she was most sincere. “And if a need arises, you can always send word. Bertram will know how to reach us.”

  Niki smiled at him, and he bent to kiss her cheek. Niki’s heart swelled with pleasure, even as she found herself hoping that she and the boys would never have to leave Blackburn Manor.

  Newcomb Park

  “You didn’t ask me to accompany you today, Henry, but I would like to go with you when you see Walker.”

  “I’m not going to Blackburn today.”

  “What do you mean you’re not going?” Edward looked as surprised as he felt.

  “The Walkers have gone to visit their daughter Elinore. They’re not home.”

  “Where are Niki and the boys?”

  “Still there.”

  For a moment Edward was quiet, but it didn’t last long.

  “Well, that’s just fine!” He was more than a little put out. “How will I have an excuse to see Niki and the boys?”

  Henry couldn’t stop the amused sparkle that lit his eyes. Edward saw it and shook his head.

  “It’s not fair laughing at me, Henry. I didn’t get to speak to her at all on Sunday. I was patient because I thought I would see her today.”

  “Well, I just learned of it myself; Walker sent word early this morning.”

  Edward didn’t comment, but Henry read the discouragement in his eyes.

  “You’re trying to devise a way to go over there, Edward, and you know it won’t work.”

  Edward looked at him.

  “When did you become a mind reader?”

  “You’re the fourth of my siblings to fall in love. The players have all been different, but the script basically looks and sounds the same.”

  Edward had to smile. His brother’s voice had been so dry and resigned. Henry gave him a smile of his own, touched him gently on the shoulder, and went on his way.

  Edward watched him depart. As he turned away to find something to do, his sigh was quiet, heard only by himself. He thought he was quite alone in his thoughts concerning Niki, but in truth Henry had already decided on a plan to rescue him.

  “Where are we going?” Christopher and Richard asked their mother as the coach took them toward Ludlow on Thursday afternoon.

  “We’re going to visit Mr and Mrs Morland. Do you remember meeting them?”

  “No.”

  “Mrs Morland is Edward’s sister,” Niki said, not remembering in time to call him Mr Steele. She shook her head a little; the boys were rubbing off on her.

  “Will Edward be there?”

  “I don’t believe so, but we’ll still have a nice time, and I expect you to behave very well.”

  The boys looked into her eyes and found them serious. There had been a fight that morning. Niki hadn’t been able to get all the details because the boys were crying by the time she got to them, but one had kicked and the other had bit. Niki had punished them both.

  Not wanting them to think she was still angry, Niki gave the boys a small smile before turning her attention to the window. She was glad to get out of the house for a time—it was probably what the boys needed—but in truth she was not well acquainted with Mrs Morland and knew Mr Morland even less. Realizing that the couple was very close to Edward should have been a comfort to her. So why was she so nervous?

  “Mama,” Christopher broke into her thoughts, “I have to be excused.”

  “Oh, Chris, didn’t you take care of that at Blackburn?”

  “I have to again,” the child told her, squirming a bit in discomfort.

  “We’ll be there shortly,” Niki told him, wondering if that might be somewhat embarrassing.

  Thank you for having us, Mrs Morland, Niki pictured herself saying. I hope you don’t mind if I take my son to relieve himself.

  The thought alone made Niki hot around the collarbone. She was glad that the boys were talkative for the remainder of the ride, helping to take her mind from the inevitable.

  Newcomb Park

  “Edward, you’ve done nothing today but lie around,” Henry said over lunch. “And that was all you did yesterday.”

  Edward didn’t comment but glanced up before spearing a carrot with his fork.

  “Get out today, Edward. Go into town. Or better yet, go visit Morland.” Henry’s voice was a study in nonchalance. “He always cheers you up.”

  “He has a wife now,” Edward said quietly.

  “Yes,” Henry’s voice was dry. “A woman you barely know. One who just tolerates you.”

  Edward smiled.

  “All right. I’ll go see Morland.”

  “Good. If you think of it, Lizzy has a book I want. It’s a field guide on bird life. She keeps it on the shelf in the library behind the large sofa.”

  “How do you know where it is?”

  “That’s where I looked at it last time we were there. She might know just where it is, but if she can’t find it, try that area.”

  “All right.”

  The men didn’t do much visiting to finish the meal, but Henry was more than satisfied. Edward called for his horse the moment he stood from the table, and Henry watched him ride away no more than 15 minutes later.

  Ludlow

  “It was so nice of Morland to take the boys outside for a time,” Niki said to her hostess as the women settled themselves in the library. “They’re a bit fidgety today.”

  “Do you think that has to do with the Walkers being gone?”

  “I don’t know. It might. They enjoy them so much, and we’d fallen into a nice routine.”

  “They’re the sweetest boys,” Lizzy said with a sigh. “I’m glad I never have to punish them.”

  “You might not find it so difficult,” Niki returned dryly. “Just this morning they made it very easy.”

  Lizzy laughed. “What happened?”

  “Too many tears to gain all the details, but their answer to the squabble was a violent one. There was biting and kicking.”

  Horrified and laughing all at the same time, Lizzy raised her hand to cover her mouth. Niki only shook her head, laughing a little as well.

  “Most of the time they do very well,” Niki amended. “I don’t mean to paint them in a poor light.”

  “I didn’t take it that way. All siblings have their moments, as I’m sure you’re aware.”

  “I’m an only child,” Niki volunteered. “And my parents treated me as an equal from very early on, so having two boys so exactly alike has made for a time of learning.”

  “An only child? That’s a life I can only imagine.”

  Niki smiled at her, thinking of her family and the closeness she watched them share. It was that life she wanted for her own children, not the one she had grown up with.

  “I think I prefer your way of doing things over mine,” Niki admitted.

  “Why is that?”

  Niki’s head tipped a bit in thought.

  “I don’t think I would have felt that way as a child; after all, I had my parents all to myself, but now I’m alone. Your parents are dead and so are mine, but you have all your siblings to share memories and joy and heartbreak. I’m very much on my own.”

  “And how difficult is that?”

  “Around the holidays I feel it most keenly, and for the rest of the year I simply work not to dwell on it.” Niki suddenly smiled. “I do have the boys, and there’s no describing that joy.”

  “Right here, Mr Edward,” the butler directed, suddenly opening the library door and admitting Lizzy’s next guest.

  Edward began to stride across the room, glad to find Lizzy in the library but not expecting to see Niki.

  “Well, hello,” he said, slowing up a bit to walk calmly over to join the ladies. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”

  “Not at all,” Lizzy told him with a smile, so glad that Henry’s plan had worked. “We were just visit
ing. Join us.”

  “Thank you.”

  Edward took a seat on the opposite end of the sofa from Niki and turned to look at her. She looked back for a moment and then away. Edward forced his own gaze back to his sister and found her eyes kind with understanding.

  “I hadn’t realized,” Lizzy went on easily, “that Mrs Bettencourt was an only child. She was just telling me about it. It’s such a different life from ours, isn’t it, Edward?”

  “Yes.” Edward worked to calm his heart and speak coherently. “I know there were times when we wished we were only children, but no one went so far as to murder anyone.”

  The women laughed at his words as well as his tone.

  “You said something,” Lizzy said, addressing Niki again, “about your parents treating you as an equal. What was that like?”

  “It’s much as you would imagine. I was asked if I wanted to do things, not told. I was given lots of choices and responsibility. If I grew angry or disturbed, they never saw that as rebellion. Everything was always discussed.”

  “Were you ever told no?”

  “I can’t recall a time. There must have been some, but I don’t remember.”

  “But you’re able to tell the boys no?”

  “Yes, I try to be strict with them. I don’t want them to have as many choices as I did. I was willful, even if my parents never saw it.”

  “Tell her how young you married,” Edward put in.

  “I was barely 16.”

  Lizzy looked her surprise. “And they agreed to this, your parents?”

  “My mother was already dead, but, yes, my father did agree. To do anything else would have been contradictory to the very way they had raised me and lived their lives. I fell in love with Louis Bettencourt, and they saw that as the normal path of life.”

  “What were their spiritual beliefs? Do you know?”

  “Not specifically, no, but I remember that they believed all faiths were valid as long as they gave you peace and happiness on earth. I don’t think my parents believed in any kind of afterlife.”

  “It’s interesting that given their beliefs, Niki, you believe in eternal life.”

  “That didn’t begin until after I was married. I began thinking about life and death when I was expecting the boys. I saw such value in the lives I carried. Suddenly the thought of anyone just lying in a cold, dirty grave forever made no sense to me. I think God must have started to work in my heart at that time because I was saved a short time later.”

  “I’m glad you told me,” Lizzy said. “I love hearing salvation stories.”

  “So does Walker,” Edward said with a smile, thinking of how many times he’d heard Walker urging someone to share his or her story. “Before I forget,” Edward continued, his eyes on Lizzy, “Henry is looking for a book you have.”

  “Which one?”

  “Some sort of guide on birds.”

  “I think it’s in my room,” she said.

  “Henry seemed to think it was on a shelf right here behind this sofa.”

  Lizzy shook her head. “I don’t think so.” She came to her feet. “I’ll just go and see if I can locate it.”

  “I’ll look here on the shelf,” Edward volunteered and rose to do just that.

  Niki had been quiet during this exchange. She could hear Edward behind her, his hands on the books, but she didn’t turn. Neither did she hear his steps on the carpet, but he was suddenly there, bending over the back of the davenport to look at her, his face very close. Niki looked into his eyes, her heart thundering.

  “I didn’t think I would see you today,” Edward said softly.

  “Nor I you.”

  Edward looked into her eyes for a moment.

  “Did you find the book?” Niki was out of breath.

  “No. I found my eyes wandering back in this direction.”

  Niki tried to calm the frantic beating of her heart, but it wasn’t working.

  “Did you know,” Edward went on softly, “that you look as charming from the back as you do from the front?”

  Niki gave a small shake of her head but wasn’t certain what he’d said. He was too close. She couldn’t think.

  Edward didn’t want to think. He was amazed that she was here. He’d almost gone to town at the last moment but changed his mind. If he’d done that, he would have missed her. And once he had arrived, he couldn’t think straight. He’d taken a seat with all the calm he could muster and had tried hard to think of books and other subjects to distract himself, but it hadn’t worked.

  “I can’t stop thinking about you,” Edward finally said, coming closer.

  When Niki saw that Edward was moving, her chin lifted ever so slightly. Edward kissed her without haste, and Niki kissed him right back.

  “Again?” Edward asked when he’d put a fraction of space between them.

  “Again.”

  Edward was still kissing her when he heard the door, but he didn’t jump like a man caught in the act. He straightened slowly and walked around the davenport to sit with Niki.

  “I think I have it,” Lizzy told them, crossing the room to hand the book to Edward before retaking her seat. She had the distinct impression that something had gone on while she was away, but not for any reason would she have asked. She did notice, however, that Edward was sitting closer to Niki.

  “I think this must be the book,” Edward said and thanked her. “I’ll see that Henry gets it.”

  “Tell him there’s no hurry.”

  “All right,” Edward said easily, still working to gather his thoughts. “Where are the boys?” he asked of Niki, wanting a reason to look at her.

  “With Mr Morland.”

  “I believe they went outside,” Lizzy put in. “The day is perfect for it.”

  “Shall we go find them?” Edward suggested, thinking that if he had to keep sitting there, he would begin to squirm.

  Lizzy’s smile as she agreed told him that she was onto him, and he thought that Niki looked ready to laugh as well. The threesome had no more stood when Morland came through the door, the boys in attendance.

  “Edward!” they cried in unison as if it had been years. The pair bolted across the room to see him. They remembered to smile at their mother, but Edward was clearly the person they wanted to see.

  “Mr Morland has a big tree, like you saw in Africa!” Christopher told him in excitement.

  “We can show you,” Richard offered.

  “I would love to see it. Shall we bring your mum?” Edward asked, thinking it a stroke of genius.

  The boys were even more excited about that idea, and in short order the adults—all of them—trooped after the boys to see this large tree. The day was ideal, and the six of them took their time until Lizzy suggested tea and refreshments. For this enticement the boys were willing to go indoors. Niki walked with them while they moved back inside, intent on questioning them.

  “How did things go with Mr Morland?”

  “We didn’t kick,” Richard told her.

  “I’m glad to hear that. Were you well behaved?”

  They nodded, not looking at all hesitant.

  “Did you thank him for taking you outdoors?”

  The boys looked at each other then, and Niki had to cover her mouth over the quizzical looks on their faces.

  “Take care of it as soon as you can,” their mother put in and then let the matter drop. Suddenly she was weary from so much emotion in one day. The boys had argued, she was worried about her visit with Lizzy Morland, and then Edward had arrived. And all of that before the kiss. Niki wanted to go somewhere private so she could relive it in her mind and think about him, but that wasn’t possible.

  Forcing herself to attend to what Morland was saying, Niki put her own wishes aside. She was a little hungry, and the tea that had been prepared looked lovely. Even at that, Edward’s kiss kept swimming back into her thoughts.

  It would have done a great deal of good for Niki’s heart if she had glanced at Edward. One look woul
d have told her he was thinking about it too.

  Pembroke

  Cassandra felt Tate’s eyes on her, but she wouldn’t look at him. The hour somewhat late, the two were reading in bed. She knew he was curious about her behavior, but she wasn’t going to open the subject. Right now she hoped he would grow sleepy and forget about it.

  “Are you all right?” Tate ventured, not sure he could sleep if he didn’t question his wife.

  “I think so,” Cassandra hedged.

  “But you’re not sure?”

  Cassandra was silent about that.

  Tate watched her. He wanted to reach over and take the book from her hand, but instead he set his own down and turned a little more so he could stare at her.

  “Don’t do that!” Cassandra’s voice was sharp.

  “What is it, Cassie?”

  Cassandra gave up and put her book aside but still didn’t look at him. She was angry that he’d pushed the point, but she couldn’t say as she blamed him. She had changed in the last few days, and had the situation been reversed, she would have had plenty of questions of her own.

  “What is it you want to know?” Cassandra asked, hoping they were not on the same subject.

  “I want to know why you don’t want me to see you when you’re undressed. You’ve been hiding from me behind doors and in darkness for three days.”

  Cassandra’s heart sank. This was the very thing she didn’t want to speak about. She glanced at her husband and still found him to be the man she fell in love with and married, but deep in her heart she didn’t think he would understand.

  Without looking at him, she admitted, “I feel fat. I feel thick around the middle.”

  “And that’s why you’re hiding from me?”

  “Yes.” Her voice dropped before she continued. “I think the freckles on my body stand out more now that I’m pregnant. I don’t want you to see me.”

  Tate had been on the verge of growing impatient, but then she’d mentioned her freckles. Her freckles had almost kept them apart. He’d decided a long time ago that he would always be patient about her freckles, and this time was not going to be any different.

  “I love your freckles,” he said gently, meaning it with all his heart. “If you recall, I didn’t get to see them when we first met, so I’m still making up for lost time.”