Just Above a Whisper (22 page)

“Hello, Mrs. Jenness,” Mr. Leffler greeted her from behind the counter as soon as she walked into the bank. “May I help you?”

“Hello, Mr. Leffler,” Lillie began, sounding slightly more cordial than she had in the past. She stepped closer to the counter, dropped her voice, and did not take her eyes from the teller. “I’m here to see that gentleman over there, the smaller man, but I can’t remember his name.”

“Mr. Thaden?”

“Yes. I need to tell him something.”

“I’ll tell him you’re here.”

Mr. Leffler slipped over to the alcove and had a word with Troy. He was swift to come toward Mrs. Jenness, a smile on his face.

“Hello, Mrs. Jenness. How are you today?”

“I’m well, thank you.”

“Please come over and meet Mr. Kingsley, my business partner.”

Troy took care of the introduction and then asked the lady to be seated. Troy took the chair next to Lillie, and Conner took the seat behind the desk. Nevertheless, Troy handled the questions.

“What can we do for you?”

“I’ve had a letter.” Lillie reached into the small bag she carried, took the paper out, but didn’t hand it to either man. “It’s from my husband, and he says he’ll be in touch with Mr. Leffler soon.”

“Does it say he’s all right?” Troy checked right away.

“It would seem that he is. He said he was called away on business and that he hoped we hadn’t worried.”

“I’m glad to hear he’s well, but I was wondering about Mr. Jenness’ other business. Where might he have gone on such short notice?”

“He’s not in another business, and in truth, I don’t know where he might have gone,” Lillie told him. She hadn’t expected this question but wasn’t overly surprised that he’d asked it. She’d been asking the same question herself.

“Might he have gone to see a relative?” Conner inserted, hoping he could be heard.

“They all live far away,” Mrs. Jenness answered, appearing as uninformed in all of this as she truly was.

A moment of uncomfortable silence fell among the three, all of them aware that customers had come in, some looking their way.

Troy stayed focused on Mrs. Jenness, and she eventually spoke again.

“I would ask a favor of you,” she began, her eyes darting back and forth to each man. “As you asked of me, I would like to know when my husband is in touch. Would you allow Mr. Leffler to do this?”

“Certainly. We’ll inform him of what your letter says as soon as he’s free, and I’m sure he won’t have any objections to easing your mind.”

“Thank you for coming in, Mrs. Jenness,” Conner told her sincerely.

Troy saw her to the door, still ignoring looks that came their way. When she was gone, he waited only for the customers to exit to speak with Mr. Leffler about the nature of her visit.

Reese asked herself what she’d been thinking when she told Troy that she would stay for dinner. She warned Mrs. Greenlowe that she might not see her most days, and now she stood, waiting for the sound of the front door, hoping not to die of fright.

She stood by one of the kitchen windows as the men came in and went right to the table. She thought one of them might have prayed but couldn’t be sure. She was just beginning to relax when she heard her name called. Reese forced herself to move.

“Yes?” she asked at the door, hoping to control her emotions.

“May we have some butter, Reese?” Troy asked.

“Yes,” Reese agreed, turning to see where she’d left it and taking it to the table.

“Did you eat, Miss Thackery?” Conner tried but didn’t think he was heard. In fact, Reese was headed out of the room when Troy’s voice stopped her.

“Reese, did you eat yet?”

“No,” she answered, eyes on the table. “I’ll eat in a little while.”

“All right.”

Reese exited the dining room as soon as she was able and took up her place by the window again. There was a chair nearby and she sat, thinking that nothing was worth this. If she couldn’t calm down, she needed to give up this job. Her heart was pounding, and her face was flushed. She had been afraid just being in the same room with Conner Kingsley, and that wasn’t fair to either of them.

Reese was in the midst of working this out, trying to be logical and remembering verses about God’s love and care, when Conner walked into the kitchen, dishes in hand. He set them on the worktable. Reese made herself stand and thank him.

“It’s I who should be thanking you. That was a very good meal.”

It was quiet enough to hear him this time, and for a moment Reese wasn’t so afraid. However, all she could manage was a nod.

Watching her, Conner felt compassion stealing in. He didn’t know what it was about him that she feared, but he was sorry for her. Knowing firsthand how crippling fear could be, he simply said, “Have a good afternoon.”

Reese managed another nod before Conner went on his way. His plate in hand, Troy came in as well, thanked her, and moved off.

Not until the men were outside, walking back to the bank, did they speak of her again.

“Was it any better?”

“No. She didn’t even speak.”

Troy wished he had an answer. This never occurred to him. She was a strong woman—he was sure of that. What was it about Conner that put her so far off track? They were almost back to the bank when Troy had a thought.

“Go see Dooner.”

“What will he do?”

“He might know something and be of help to you.”

Conner stood still for a moment, not sure if that was a good idea. Before the men entered the bank, a number of townsfolk passed by. Some greeted him and Troy, and some only stared, but no one looked afraid.

“I’ll see you later,” Conner said, a hand to Troy’s shoulder before he stopped. “I don’t know where he lives.”

“Leffler will know,” Troy said, smiling a little.

Conner shook his head and went inside for directions. Reese Thackery’s reaction to him had him more rattled than he realized.

Reese decided to work on the upstairs after lunch. She hadn’t dusted there the day before and knew it probably needed some attention. What she hadn’t counted on were unmade beds. First in one bedroom and then another. Reese had to smile as she bent over to tuck the covers into place. Both men were well dressed and seemed to have no item in their lives out of place. Their unmade beds told another story.

Conner had at least pulled the covers back into place a bit. Not so Troy. Clearly he’d tossed them off with little regard for where they landed in order to climb from the bed. And the chest of drawers in each room was in no better shape. The tops were littered with various items, none of which Reese stopped to study. She dusted around the interesting contents of a man’s pocket and tried to make things as neat as possible.

Reese knew from the original cleaning of this house that the extra doors in both rooms were built-in closets. Both doors were shut, however, and the housekeeper didn’t venture there. In fact, she tried not to linger long at all. Feeling a bit like she was invading their privacy, Reese finished the rooms as swiftly as she could and went on with the rest of her work.

“Reese Thackery is afraid of me,” Conner wasted no time saying once the study door was closed. “Why is that, Dooner?”

“I can’t tell you that right now,” Douglas said with regret.

Conner stared at him a moment, trying to gather his thoughts. This was not what he expected Douglas to say.

“Is it me specifically?” he tried next.

“Yes and no.”

Conner’s look was almost comical. “That was little help,” he said slowly.

“I’m sorry, Conner. I wish I didn’t have to be so cryptic, but I can’t betray Reese’s trust.”

Conner thought about that for a moment. Clearly this was tied into something from the past, but what from the present: his size, his soft voice, his overall looks, or some combination of things? Or something he’d not even thought of.

Conner sighed a little before saying, “Maybe she was just tired.”

“Reese is never tired,” Douglas said in a dry voice.

“What do you mean?”

“Just that. I’ve never known anyone with such energy.”

Conner did think about the fact that she’d cleaned the entire house by herself. And in about a week’s time, if he was remembering correctly.

“I will give you this advice, Conner,” Douglas added when Conner sat quietly. “Be yourself with her. Talk to her, be kind to her, whatever you think the moment demands. And when you think it’s right, tease her the way you would me or Troy.”

Conner thanked Douglas for his time and the wise words. He met Alison on his way out but didn’t take any more of their time.

As he headed back to the bank, his mind was far from finance. It was still on Reese. Douglas couldn’t tell him what was going on, and he thought Reese might die of fright if he tried to ask her. Nevertheless, he would find out. Conner had made several goals for himself before coming to Tucker Mills. Learning what went on inside that redheaded mind of Reese Thackery just made the list.

“How is Reese doing?” Hillary asked at tea that evening, not missing the way her parents looked at each other the moment she voiced the question.

“Well, she’s still adjusting,” Douglas replied tactfully. “It’s all a bit new.”

Hillary was not a little girl and heard more than her father said. That Reese would need to adjust when she was so good at this made no sense to her.