thought her heart would beat out of her chest. Indeed, never had she reacted to a friend’s visit quite like this. It would seem it was safe to say that she loved him. Not that she had not known so before but, looking at him now, Charlaine was overwhelmed by the urge to throw herself into his arms.
An impulse Daphne quite obviously saw no reason not to react upon for the girl raced down the slope toward him, her arms stretched wide.
Nathanial’s face split into a wide smile and he caught her swiftly, spinning her around as they laughed together.
A moment later, Susan demanded her turn.
Charlaine sighed, watching them. “Why can’t he simply be my friend?”
“Because life is never easy,” Emma said gloomily as she came to stand beside Charlaine, her cheeks still shining in a deeper shade than usual. Then she looked at Charlaine and cast her a warm smile. “I’ll take the girls inside.” She glanced at Nathanial. “You speak to him.”
Charlaine nodded as Emma strode away, wishing she knew what she ought to say. I love you, came to mind. But that was something Nathanial would not want to hear.
Chapter Forty-Two
Return to Markham Hall
“Welcome back, Mr. Caswell,” Miss Glass greeted Nathanial as Daphne and Susan twirled around him, their little mouths not standing still as they told him about their disappointment that the frog they had caught had not changed into a prince after all.
Despite all their efforts.
Then his gaze moved back to Charlaine as she stood up on the slope, her dark curls dancing on the wind, and he barely heard Miss Glass call to the children. His attention was locked on the woman he had longed to see for a month, and now, here she stood, only a few paces away.
Nathanial felt his heart skip a beat as though tripping over its own steps.
As Miss Glass ushered the girls back toward the house, their little voices receding as they walked, Nathanial stepped toward Charlaine, his legs carrying him up the small slope.
His gaze swept over her as he approached, noting the same strength and vivaciousness in her dark eyes he knew well. Still, there was something different about her. Something tense in the way her chest rose and fell, her breathing slightly faster than he would have expected. She seemed vulnerable somehow for her gaze would move from his every so often as though wishing to hide something she did not want him to know.
Indeed, it would seem the day at the lake had changed how she saw him. Although she did not appear angry at all, the simple ease that had always been between them had grown into something far more complicated. Unspoken words hung between them, and Nathanial wondered if they would ever make it back to the friendship that had all but given him back his life.
“I see you’ve returned,” Charlaine greeted him with a bit of a hesitant smile as he came to stand in front of her.
Nathanial nodded. “I have.” His gaze swept over her features, warmth and longing filling his chest at the mere sight of her as though years had passed since he had last been able to do so. “Will you yell at me then?”
A small smile teased her lips. “I do not believe it necessary for you appear to have learned your lesson. Or am I wrong?”
“You’re not.” In truth, Nathanial could not say what lesson he had learned. All he knew was that he would never again dare risk what they had. He needed her as much as his next breath. He needed those dark eyes looking into his own. He needed that light laughter of hers tickling his ears. He needed her warmth and kindness, her frankness as well as her courage.
Indeed, the world was a darker place without her.
As though to agree with him, the clouds overhead parted in that moment, allowing a ray of sunshine to pass through, its soft light glittering in Charlaine’s raven-black hair.
She was radiant, and Nathanial felt the sudden urge to reach for her, to hold her in his arms, to kiss her as he had before.
That day at the lake.
“Is something wrong?” Charlaine asked, her dark eyes searching his as she stepped closer. “You look…out of sorts.”
A sarcastic chuckle rumbled in his throat. “I admit our time apart was most trying for me. I missed you terribly.” There! He had said it! He had spoken the truth. If only he dared be more explicit.
For a long moment,