Because of Rebecca - By Leanne Tyler Page 0,36
I’m going to take a walk to clear my head.”
“Are you sure you’ll be all right by yourself?”
“Certainly,” Josephine grunted. It would take more than a walk to cool her temper, but she needed to regain composure before she warned Rebecca.
As she walked along the street, she contemplated how she would approach the subject with her niece. She would make it clear she did not oppose Mr. Hollingsworth. Heaven knew they’d butted heads enough on the issue of Mariah to last a lifetime. She longed to bare her soul to Rebecca about her past. However, until Rebecca married it would have to wait.
More importantly, she would no longer live her life in fear of what others thought. Being a part of a women’s charity society did not have to be her calling, especially if the women who comprised it were like Constance and her followers.
“Hello, Josephine,” a deep, male voice broke through her thoughts and she looked up, surprised to find herself standing in the small yard outside of Ancil Gordon’s house.
“G-good afternoon, Ancil.”
“Is everything all right?” he asked and set down a toolbox. He wiped his hands on a rag and closed the screen door he’d been repairing.
“I’m out for a walk,” she explained and noticed his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The sinewy veins on his tanned forearms spoke of his strength. The bronze coloring of his skin piqued her curiosity. Why had she never noticed this before?
Her pulse quickened at the thought of him shirtless standing before her and she wondered if he worked with his shirt off when no one was around.
“And you ended up at this end of town?”
“What? Uh- yes. Imagine that.”
“The mind can cause a person to do peculiar and even unexplainable things. Your walking this way had to be for a reason. Are you sure I can’t help you with something?”
“No, thank you.” Nothing that’s proper for an unmarried woman.
“Everyone’s fine?”
“Yes.”
He shoved his glasses onto the top of his head, rubbed his eyes, and let the glasses fall back into place. “The sun sure is hot this afternoon.”
“Yes it is.” She felt perspiration begin to bead at the back of her neck. Whether from the heat of the day or her illicit thoughts she didn’t know.
“Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“I said would you like to have dinner with me? I hear the dining room at the hotel is having an Italian extravaganza tonight. I thought about going. Would you like to join me?”
“Well—I—I suppose I could join you.” Her spirits lifted and her turmoil over Constance faded. “Yes, that would be lovely.”
“Good. I’ll call on you at seven,” he said, grinning.
“I’ll be looking forward to it. Thank you for asking,” she said, unable to stop smiling. “I’d best be running along now.”
She turned and headed back down the street with more vigor in her step than she’d felt earlier. If Constance objected to Rebecca’s association with Mr. Hollingsworth, then how would she react to Ancil’s invitation for her to have dinner with him?
Josephine laughed. Yes, she was certain Constance would be fit to be tied when she learned the good doctor was having dinner with a pariah.
****
Rebecca let the driver help her down from the carriage outside the hotel. “Thank you for driving me home, Higgins.”
“It was my pleasure, miss,” he said. “I hope you feel better soon.”
“Thank you.”
“Good day to you now.” Higgins climbed back up in the driver’s seat.
Rebecca watched Jared’s carriage roll away and a tightness in her chest formed anew. The pain of seeing it leave reminded her of the emptiness she felt inside as he’d left her earlier to proceed to the Paxton’s alone.
Why did he have to propose today? Why couldn’t he have waited a few more weeks? If she’d completed her mission, she could have accepted, and they’d be happily planning a future together.
She needed finality. She needed to see her assignment finished. Turning away from the hotel, she walked the short distance to the post office.
“Can I help you, miss?” the clerk asked as she entered the building.
“Yes. Are there any letters for Davis?”
The clerk nodded and handed her an envelope. “Came this morning.”
“Thank you. Have a good day.”
She hurried outside and sat on the bench where she could read the missive.
Miss Davis,
Please plan to meet me at ten in the morning on June twenty-eighth in the Lady’s Chapel at St. Anna’s. I’ve been assured we’ll have total privacy.
Your dutiful servant,
R. Hollingsworth
Tomorrow! Blasted postal service! It