The Proposal (35 page)

“Certainly, James.”

Not at all sure she liked this turn of events, Marianne made her way from the room. She descended the stairs, her mind distracted. She didn’t see Jennings at the bottom of the stairs until she was almost on top of him.

“Good day, Miss Walker.”

“Oh!” Marianne was startled. “I didn’t see you.”

Ignoring her flushed face, Jennings asked, “Did you find the children?”

“Yes,” Marianne said, not feeling very warm toward her host just now. She used little eye contact as she continued. “Penny, James, and I are going for a walk.”

“I hope you have a nice time.” Jennings bowed and moved on his way. It was clear to him that she was not comfortable around him, and for the sake of the children, he determined to stay out of the way, at least for the time being.

Marianne watched him walk away, her heart in a quandary. She was heartily relieved to see James and Penny, who had just determined together to drop all hints, coming down the stairs. They left on their walk just moments later.

“How did that foot seem?” Jennings called to Thomas as he rode back toward the stables on his horse, Nicholas.

“Good as new. He didn’t miss a step.”

Jennings held the bridle as Thomas swung out of the saddle, the young man’s face flushed from the activity.

“Do you think James wants to ride for a time?” the boy asked.

“He’s on a walk with Miss Walker and your sister, but you can probably find them in the garden and ask him.”

“I might do that.”

“Ride down the path. They’re sure to hear you coming.”

Thomas jumped back into the saddle in a flash and set off at a brisk canter. Jennings had a word with the stable master before following slowly. He came at an angle to the rear of the house, and for that reason he spotted Marianne at the edge of the garden. Not willing to rush the view, he came to a complete stop and for a time just watched her. At first his mind was nearly blank, but then he found himself begging God for direction, and beyond that, patience.

Marianne was going to wait for refreshments on the veranda, but since the children had gone inside and a particular bloom, a Great Willowherb if she remembered correctly, had caught her eye, she moved from her seat. She was bent slightly and was studying the bright pink petals when she heard movement beside her.

“How did you fare on your walk with the children?” Jennings asked as he came up beside her.

“Fine, thank you,” Marianne answered, only just glancing at him, still feeling most unsettled over her earlier thoughts.

“Did Thomas find James?”

“Yes.”

“Did they go riding?”

“Not yet.”

Save the wind in the trees, silence fell on this stilted conversation. Marianne wished Jennings would move on his way or that she could think of something worthwhile to say.

“Something is wrong, Miss Walker, and I wish I knew what it was.”

For some reason, the words irritated her. Marianne faced Jennings, her eyes stern.

“The children seem to think that I need it pointed out to me what a kind man you are. I don’t like the direction of my thoughts, but it has occurred to me that you’ve spoken to them.”

Marianne had no more said this when she noticed both James and Penny watching them from a window near the veranda. They stood side by side, and Thomas appeared behind them a moment later.

“Spoken to them about what?” Jennings asked once he’d followed the direction of her gaze and turned to see the children as well.

“About your proposal.”

“I certainly have not,” Jennings said, sounding none too pleased. “It’s none of their affair.”

Marianne was so relieved that for a moment she said nothing.

With another glance at the children, Jennings calmly spoke.

“I do believe, however, that we are the focus of a conspiracy.”

Marianne looked at him. “What do you mean?”

“You are not the only one the children are working to persuade.”

Marianne had all she could do to keep her mouth closed.

“They spoke to you about me?”

“Almost before you could exit the carriage when we returned on Wednesday.”

Marianne looked as stunned as she felt.

“Am I to assume that you put them up to it?” he questioned.

“Mr Jennings!” she began before seeing the twinkle in his eyes. Marianne laughed, a hand to her warm cheek, and found herself calming.

“Someone needs to explain to them,” Marianne said with a small shake of her head. “It’s only fair.”

“And what exactly needs to be explained?”

Marianne looked slightly flustered but still said, “Well, that they’ve misunderstood the situation.”

Jennings didn’t reply. At the moment he didn’t know what to say, but then he wasn’t given a chance. Mr Collins had come outside to inform him that he had a visitor.

“If you’ll excuse me,” Jennings said with a bow and left her.

Marianne realized almost immediately that the situation had not been rectified, but at the moment she felt there was little she could do.

A glance to the veranda told her that the children had come out. They were sitting as though ready to eat, but they were looking at her.

Reminding herself that it wasn’t really her place to set the record straight, Marianne joined them, determining to simply enjoy their company and leave the parenting to Mr Jennings.

“I need to speak with the three of you,” Jennings began that evening after he’d gathered the children in the small salon. Looking at their faces, he could almost guess their thoughts: They believed trouble was headed their way in a big hurry.

“It has occurred to me that I have been remiss. Palmer reads the Bible in the evenings to his children, and you said that your own father was in the habit of doing that. I think it’s time we begin our own evening tradition in the Bible.”

The relief on their faces was almost comical. Jennings reached for the Bible next to him to keep from laughing.

“Is there a particular book where you would like to begin? If not, I’ll read to you from Genesis, since that is where I’m basing my own personal study.”

“I think Genesis would be fine,” Thomas said, his voice sober.

Jennings read, and the children listened. He spoke to them of his excitement about what he was reading, but even then the children were somewhat reserved. Jennings only hoped the reading of the Word wasn’t the reason, and when they asked if they could be dismissed, he let them go.

“That was frightening,” Thomas said to his siblings the moment all three of them were alone in his room. “I thought we were in for it. We’ve got to drop these hints about Marianne. If they’re going to find each other, then it will happen. We’ve got to keep out of it.”

James nodded, but Penny sat looking at her brother.

“Can I still pray?” she asked in a small voice that shamed her brothers completely.

“Yes, Penny,” Thomas said with a gentle touch to her head. “You can do what we should have been doing all along. Just remember to ask in God’s will, and believe that whatever His will is, it’s for the best.”

Penny nodded, her small face looking more at peace. Thomas offered to walk her to her room, not bothering to creep or sneak. For the first time in days, he didn’t feel shifty and ashamed of himself.

He saw Penny into bed and even gave her a kiss before he went back down the hallway. When he did, it was to find James in the doorway of Jennings’ room.

“Thank you for reading to us,” James was saying.

“You’re welcome, James. I hope we can do it each night.”

“We would like that, sir.”

“Thank you and goodnight,” Thomas added before following his brother toward their rooms.

More than an hour later, having checked on the children one last time, Jennings shut his door to ready for bed, his thoughts on the day. As was becoming a habit, his mind moved to Marianne Walker. She had wanted the children to know that they’d misunderstood the situation, but Jennings couldn’t bring himself to tell them that. He wasn’t sure they had.

Tipton

“Was it me, Palmer,” Lydia asked her spouse just after they arrived home from church on Sunday, “or did Jennings seem rather preoccupied with Marianne?”

“What did you witness?”

“That he seemed incapable of keeping his eyes off of her while we were visiting after the service.”

“I caught that as well.”

Palmer said nothing more, and Lydia stopped him from going into the house.

“Well?”

“Well, what?”

“What do you think?”

“I think I’m hungry, and I want something to eat.”

“No, Palmer—what do you think of Jennings’ actions?”

“I think that we don’t have any facts, and that speculating leads nowhere.”

“But it’s so fun,” Lydia said in utter seriousness.

Palmer laughed at her.

“What?”

“You’re funny.”

“I don’t want to be funny; I want to know what’s going on in my brother’s mind.”

“I’m afraid it’s none of our business.”

Lydia sighed. He was right, but she didn’t want him to be.

“And besides, you’ve got other things to concentrate on.”

“That’s true,” Lydia had to agree. They were leaving for London in the morning, or at least planning to, but if Lydia wasn’t absolutely sure she should make the trip, Judith was going instead.

Husband and wife walked indoors to check on the children and have something to eat, William Jennings forgotten for the moment.