In the Garden of Deceit (Book 4) (15 page)

“Something
I’ll have to live with, I suppose.”

“Perhaps.
But unluckily for you, I have the power to influence your future.
Seems downright foolish to anger me.”

He
let those words ferment between them, Derrick growing more sullen,
James basking in a sense of self-righteous satisfaction.

Abruptly,
Derrick came to his feet. “If that’s all—”

“I
think we understand one another. Yes, that’s all.”

For
a brief moment their gazes met, and James was startled by the
antipathy he saw in those peculiar eyes. When had a lack of affection
become hatred? And why? Maybe it was as simple as jealousy, but
whatever it was, he felt he had been warned.

He
watched his cousin leave to join Jones and Little outside. A quick
discussion among the trio and they mounted their horses and rode from
the yard. Away from Lonsdale, he hoped.

James
quaffed the remainder of his ale and signaled to the waitress for
another.
Damn!
Now he had more than Amanda’s reticence
to think about. As sure as day became night, Derrick would be the
source of trouble. How that trouble would manifest itself, he didn’t
know. His thoughts turned to Aunt Henry and, for the life of him, the
only emotion he could conjure was sadness.

***

CHAPTER
10

“Do
you know what I like, Amanda?”

“What
is that, Uncle Huey?”

Amanda,
Huey and Aunt Henry were sitting in the garden on a stone bench,
enjoying a late morning cup of tea. Rose blossoms scented the air,
the sun shone brightly and a warm, soothing breeze ruffled her hair.
Amanda felt more tranquil than she had in a long time. She was
enthralled with Lonsdale and was quickly falling in love with its
inhabitants.

“I
like picnics. Especially when the sun is shining.”

“Of
course, darling,” Henry said. “By their very nature,
picnics are no fun in the rain.”

“That
is not what I meant,” Huey said in that precise way he had of
talking. “But some days are better picnic days than other days.
You know what I mean, don’t you, Amanda?”

His
green eyes implored her to understand, and Amanda smiled back at him,
patting his shoulder.

“Of
course, I know what you mean. Like today. Today is a perfect picnic
day.”

Huey
jumped up, making his cup rattle precariously in its saucer. “I
say we have a picnic today!”

“A
picnic takes planning, Huey,” Aunt Henry said. “And I
have chores to do.”

“But
you can come, can’t you, Amanda?” he asked.

“If
Henrietta has chores, I should help her.”

Huey’s
face fell just as an eight-year-old’s face would fall. “But
it would be such fun.”

“You
don’t have to worry about chores right now, Amanda,”
Henry said. “There’s plenty of time for you to take on
the drudgery. Go, enjoy yourself.”

Anyone
else speaking and Amanda would have assumed the present chatelaine
was reluctant to hand over the keys. Not Henry. She knew that sweet
woman was merely trying to make Amanda’s transition from bride
to mistress of a large household as easy as possible. She also
understood that Aunt Henry was making it easy for her to accept Uncle
Huey’s proposal. No one wanted to disappoint Huey.

“If
you are certain, Aunt Henry, I would love to participate in a picnic.
But we should make a party of it. Do you think Uncle Ham and Uncle
Harry would like to join us?”

Huey
placed his cup and saucer on the tea cart and began clapping his
hands eagerly. “Oh, yes! That is perfect. I am sure the twins
would like to come.”

The
next hour was a whirlwind of activity, not the least of which was
convincing the cook that she wanted to pack a meal. Cold chicken and
day old bread was as good as she could do on short notice, she said,
but the picnickers were unconcerned with the fare. It was the
adventure and a beautiful day that beckoned them.

Amanda
did wonder where James had gone. She had not seen him since he left
her in the dining room at breakfast. She hated having angered him,
even empathizing with his attitude regarding their situation.
Unfortunately, rational thought rarely coincided with emotional
response. Wanting to please him meant compromising a fundamental part
of herself, and she was not yet ready to trust him. She prayed that
feeling would not last.

They
chose a grove of willows less than a mile from the house, and Uncles
Ham, Harry and Huey accompanied Amanda on foot to their destination,
the gentleman sharing the toting of the wicker basket—despite
his infirmary, Huey insisted he could do his part. There was no
impatience or pity from his brothers as he stumbled along, only
cheerful encouragement and respect for his effort.

Patches
of wild flowers dotted the landscape, and Amanda plucked the
occasional one while she walked, forming a riotous bouquet as
incongruously beautiful as it was colorful. She sniffed the flowers,
tickling her nose, and trilled a laugh. The weather was remarkable,
and she felt like frolicking through the ankle-high grasses all the
way to the grove.

“You
are in a chipper mood today, Amanda,” Uncle Ham ventured.

“I
had forgotten how wonderful it is to be outdoors. The sky looks
different in the country, so brightly blue, the clouds so puffy. And
the earth seems to go on forever.”

“You
never left the city?”

“Papa
has a country estate but we rarely went there. He was always so busy.
I loved it, though, and truly looked forward to our visits.”

“The
country smells better than the city, too,” Uncle Harry said,
his tone indicating just how foul-smelling he thought the city was.

Everyone
stopped and stared at Harry, giving him the opportunity to expound if
he wished, but apparently he’d had his say. They all agreed
that the country did indeed smell better and continued on their way.

Once
they picked the perfect spot under the trees, Amanda, as the lone
female, took on the task of unloading the basket and filling the
plates. She spread the food on a huge checkered blanket that Harry
had carried under his arm. She sat back, leaning on her hands, legs
out straight in front of her, and ignored her own meal as the men ate
their fill.

“Do
you suppose I would be very wicked if I removed my shoes?” she
asked.

Ham
and Harry shared a look, but Uncle Huey’s answer was to
immediately begin shedding his own footwear, including his stockings.

“Splendid
idea,” he chirped.

And
because Huey could do no wrong the twins smiled in unison, nodding.

“I
see no reason why you should not make yourself comfortable, Amanda,”
Ham said. “After all, you are among family.”

Her
heart warmed, and she sent him a smile filled with gratitude. Bless
his heart, he blushed.

Amanda
unlaced her boots and slipped them off along with her stockings,
wiggling her toes, but pulling her skirt decorously over her ankles.
Thank goodness she’d had the sense to leave her hoops at home.
They would have made a picnic on the ground nearly impossible to
enjoy.

“Oh
my, that’s marvelous,” she said.

“The
grass is soft between my toes,” Huey said. “You have the
best ideas, Amanda.” He hopped from his good foot to his bad
one, giggling as his balance faltered. “Come, try it. You, too,
Ham, Harry.”

The
twins looked at each other again, that unique understanding that only
twins can share, then began removing their own shoes.

Within
minutes the four picnickers were dancing in the tree-filled meadow,
all shoeless, linking arms in an impromptu reel, first Amanda with
Harry and Huey with Ham. They traded partners, and the merriment
continued until Amanda had danced with all three brothers.

She
collapsed on the ground, breathless with laughter. “I cannot
remember when I’ve had more fun.”

The
men joined her as winded as she. There was much good-natured elbowing
and tussling among them, and Amanda scooted to the edge of the
blanket to escape the fray. This is what it must be like to have
siblings, she thought, watching the brothers wistfully.

She
repacked the picnic basket with the scant leftovers, plates and
utensils, making room on the blanket. The twins stood up, having put
their shoes back on.

“Harry
and I are going to walk off our meal,” Ham said to Amanda,
patting a stomach that would need many walks to reduce its size. “Why
don’t you have a rest, my dear, before we head back?”

“I
am rather sleepy now you mention it. Good food and good company—and
too much dancing,” she said.

Her
fond smile took in the three men, and her affection was reflected
back at her in triplicate.

“Are
you coming or staying, Huey?” Harry asked.

“I
want to stay with Amanda.”

Now
alone, Amanda and Uncle Huey both lay back on the blanket, heads
close together. The sky rose before them, an endless expanse of
brilliant blue—the same blue from which her husband looked at
the world. Strangely comforted, she allowed her eyes to drift shut,
the dazzling light burned on the inside of her lids.

“I
am glad you have come to live with us, Amanda.”

She
turned her head to look at Huey and found him looking at her, his
mien as guileless and innocent as any child’s. Emotion clogged
her throat.

“Oh,
Uncle Huey, thank you.” She reached over and took his twisted
hand, holding it gently. “I’m glad, also.”

“You
are angry with James, though, aren’t you?”

Guileless—and
intuitive.

“I’m
not…angry, exactly.”

He
watched her patiently, more adult in that moment than he had appeared
before.

“We
had a misunderstanding, that is all,” she said.

“Should
I be angry with him, too?”

She
laughed. “No. I’m probably overreacting. I just can’t
bring myself to believe that, yet.”

“Can
the misunderstanding be mended? Because I would feel sad if you went
away.”

Went
away? What an awful thought, one she had not considered since her
arrival, especially now that she had come to care for her new family.

“I
could never leave you, Uncle Huey. I’m here as long as you want
me.”

And
James wants me.

Expressionless,
he watched her a moment more, then she saw the acceptance gather in
his gaze. “Then you will be here a long time,” he said
solemnly. He turned his nose skyward and within moments he was
snoring softly.

Amanda
continued to hold his hand, drawing support from such genuine
sweetness. The night of her ruined wedding she was convinced her life
had taken a hellish turn. How surprised she would have been to
realize that an angel, wearing the guise of a child in a man’s
body, waited in her future to bring her perspective.

She
drew a deep breath and closed her eyes again.

***

James,
riding back from Huxley, saw the twins before they saw him. They were
walking side by side, carrying on a lively dialogue if the animated
waving of hands were any indication. The only time James saw Uncle
Harry truly talk was when the twins were having a private
conversation. He wondered whether he should interrupt them but
decided to ride by without speaking would appear rude.

“Hello!”
he called, galloping up to the brothers. “What are you doing
way out here?”

“You’ve
missed the fun,” Uncle Ham stated. “We have been on a
picnic.”

“We?”

“Yes.
Harry and I and,” he turned and pointed at the willow grove,
“Huey and Amanda.”

In
the distance, James could see a blanket spread on the ground and two
prone lumps he assumed were his wife and uncle.

“Are
they sleeping?”

“So
it would seem,” Ham said.

James
looked at the willow grove longingly, wishing Amanda were alone and
he could once again talk to her. Given one more opportunity, maybe he
could avoid whatever blunders he had made this morning. He wasn’t
absolutely certain what those blunders were, but he wanted to try,
nonetheless.

“We
were on our way back, about to rouse them. Join us,” Uncle Ham
said.

James
dismounted, and the twins and he ambled companionably back to the
grove. As they approached the sleeping pair all three men grew
silent, James assuming his uncles were as affected as he by the
tranquil scene.

Amanda
lay on her side next to Uncle Huey, looking so peaceful, James felt
his chest tighten. She was beautiful, no doubt, but it wasn’t
only her beauty that drew him now. It was her head just touching
Huey’s, the protective way she held on to his hand, the sweet
smile that curved her lips even in sleep.

It
took that moment, with absolute clarity, to tell him he must not lose
her. If he needed a lifetime, then that was how long he would spend
trying to convince her that he loved her. To be honest, he was only
now becoming aware of how much he truly cared. It was a humbling
realization.

He
had spent the days since their wedding obsessed with the desire to
consummate his vows. An understandable need perhaps but less than
noble when looking at their situation as a whole. He began to
appreciate Amanda’s resentment and, as he watched her sleep
peacefully, he vowed never to hurt her again. An impossible promise
to keep most likely, but he was unwilling to admit that right now.

James
walked over and squatted next to her, shaking her shoulder gently.

“Manda,
time to go home.”

Her
lids flickered open, and she stared up at him dreamily, eyes
unfocused. “Bluest sky I’ve ever seen,” she
murmured, but her drowsy gaze never left his.

James
glanced heavenward. “Yes, beautiful,” he returned his
attention to her, “as are you.”

She
reached up to touch his face, but it was as if she suddenly realized
where she was and what she was doing. She blinked, her vision
clearing, and sat up abruptly.