Sean Donovan (The Californians, Book 3) (18 page)

"Is Sean here?" Tansy did nothing to disguise the
hope in her voice, and Charlie nodded reluctantly.

The voluptuous girl shot out of the room, and Charlie,
after another look at her dress, followed slowly. She
knew the exact moment Tansy found Sean because her
voice went up three octaves in a way she thought men
found attractive.

Charlie entered the small parlor to find Sean standing
behind the chair and Sadie sitting on the sofa. Tansy was
in front of the chair talking to Sean. His look was guarded.

"Why Sean, if I didn't know better I'd think you didn't
like me." Her full lips went into a pout, and Charlie
watched Sadie's eyes narrow.

"Would it help if I had Sadie make me a dress like the
one she's making Charlie?"

Sean's eyes swung to his wife as Charlie, looking
utterly crestfallen, turned and walked stiffly from the
room.

So that's why we're over here, Sean thought. Sadie is
making a dress for my wife, and Tansy just let the cat out of the
bag. He knew it was time to put the situation in order. He
came back around to the front of the chair and stood in
front of Tansy. When she put one hand on his chest he
removed it none too gently.

The stunning blonde looked with genuine confusion
at the man before her and then took a step back.

"I'm a happily married man, Tansy," Sean's voice was
implacable, "and you'll do well to remember that. Do not
touch me or flirt with me again. I won't put-up-with it."

Tansy misunderstood, and a sly smile lit her face.
"Afraid you won't be able to control yourself?"

"Exactly," Sean said sternly, only to finish by dashing
Tansy's hopes. "I've never hit a woman before, and I
really don't ever care to, but no one is going to hurt my
wife, physically or emotionally, and get away with it."

Tansy looked around in surprise to see that Charlie
had left the room. She stared uncomprehendingly at
Sean and then Sadie.

"I never meant any harm, Sadie; Charlie knows that."

"No she doesn't, Tansy." Sadie's voice was the angriest Tansy had ever heard. "You've spent a lot of years
playing games with men, and Charlie's never done anything but work. Now she has a man and a chance for
some happiness of her own, and you're trying to take
that away from her. You oughta be ashamed."

The younger woman was dispirited. She carefully
turned her face away from Sean as she asked Sadie if she
could still room with her.

"If you stay away from my niece's husband," Sadie
answered, her voice softening some when she saw the
look of regret on her boarder's face.

Sadie was still looking out the door that Tansy exited
when Sean kissed her cheek. Her head whipped around
in surprise to find Sean grinning at her.

"Thanks, Sadie," he said before going in search of his
wife.

"You're welcome," Sadie breathed, even though he
was already out of earshot. She sat thinking that if
Sean Donovan wasn't married to her niece, Tansy still
wouldn't stand a chance. She'd go after him herself.

Charlie stood up from the back steps the moment Sean
came out the door. She led the way home and didn't
speak or even look at her husband. In fact, she would
have gone straight to her room if Sean's voice hadn't
stopped her in the hallway.

"I'm a married man, Charlotte, and where I come
from that means commitment."

Charlie stopped outside her door and stared at Sean,
who stood flooded in the moonlight that came through
her bedroom window.

"It's nice if two people are in love, but marriage has to
be built on more, or it won't last through the hard times.
Even if I found Tansy attractive, which I don't, I'm committed to you and to this marriage."

Sean didn't wait for his wife to reply or even acknowledge his statement before he went into his own bedroom
and shut the door.

Charlie looked at that door for a long time before
closing her own to prepare for bed. She tried to relax, but
she couldn't dispel the idea that Sean would never really
be hers because he wasn't there by choice.

Charlie went to the post office first thing Saturday
morning. No one ever wrote to her, since she had no
family or friends outside of Visalia, but since Sean had
been in touch with his family, she checked the mail every
few days. Today there was not just a letter, but a box for
P. Sean Donovan III. Charlie had to stop herself from
running back to the livery.

Sean was intent on his work when Charlie arrived,
and not wanting to startle him or cause an accident,
Charlie waited for him to notice her. When he finally
glanced her way, she raised the box excitedly, telling him
he'd received a package.

Charlie turned and walked over to put the box on their
lunch table. Sean followed her, and Charlie stood back
while he worked over the string. She watched as he
unwrapped a book. It took her a moment to realize that it
was a Bible.

Any words that Charlie might have uttered deserted
her as she watched Sean lift the book to his chest. He
held it in his arms like the cherished possession that it
was. His eyes were shut, and Charlie watched as a single
small tear slid out one corner.

Only a minute or two passed before Sean composed
himself and sat down to read the letter he found inside,
but Charlie could have sworn it had been an eternity.
The sight of her husband hugging his Bible and crying
would be imprinted on her mind for the rest of her years.

What was in this Bible that Sean found so dear, or was
it just that he had heard from his family? It was a question that hung in Charlie's mind even as she sat on the
crate next to her husband and waited until he was finished reading.

My dearest Sean,

There are no words to describe how we felt about
your letter. You can imagine how we've prayed and
longed to see you. I can't think straight when I
imagine you with a rope around your neck. We
would love to meet Charlotte and thank her for your
life. (We thank God too.) If I understand you correctly, you didn't know Charlotte before you were
married. Is that right? Please tell me more when you
write back.

Marcail is working on a letter to you, and in fact it
might arrive before this package. I took the liberty
of sending your Bible; I knew you would want it.

You were so young when you left here that it's
hard to envision you married. Is there anyone else
who could watch the livery so you could both come
to Santa Rosa for a visit? We would love to have you
for as long as you could stay.

Gretchen and Molly are doing well-in fact
everyone is on their feet except me. I'm still resting
from having miscarried a baby. It was hard to lose
this baby. We were so excited about him, and even though I was only three months along, this tiny
infant was already a part of my heart. I know, however, that God's will is perfect. There have been
tears, but Rigg and I are comforted in the fact that all
through Scripture we read that our God is a righteous and fair God. Knowing this, we believe with
all our hearts that this unborn baby is with Him.

What is Visalia like? Is your work steady? Have
you found a Bible-preaching church? As you can
see, I'm full of questions. I wish we could meet face
to face and catch up. Bill, May, Jeff, and Bobbie all
send their love. They're also joining us in prayer for
Charlotte's salvation. I won't mention this again, so
you won't fear Charlotte reading your letters, but
know that we are praying.

I love you, Sean, and pray for you always.

Until next time,

Katie

Drained after reading the letter, Sean wondered for a
moment why Katie had made no mention of his father.
He suddenly became conscious of his wife sitting beside
him, and even more conscious of a headache coming on,
possibly due to holding his tears in check.

"Were they glad to hear from you?"

"Yes," Sean answered and turned his head to look at
her. "They wish they could meet you. In fact, they invited us for a visit if someone could watch the livery."

Charlie's mouth dropped open. "But they don't even
know me."

"That doesn't matter. You're my wife, and they love
you."

Charlie turned away from her husband's penetrating
look. She stared across the livery at nothing and then
spoke in a whisper.

"I'm sorry you can't see your family, but there's no one
who could-"

She broke off when Sean's hand moved under her
chin. He tenderly grasped her jaw and urged her to look
at him. Her gaze was one of apology and regret.

"I didn't mean to insinuate that we should pack up and
go to Santa Rosa," Sean said. "I just thought you'd like to
know that my family is eager to meet you. I'll have to
explain to them that due to the conditions that the judge
explained, I can't-leave- town for five years."

Charlie nodded, and Sean gently caressed her chin
with his thumb before he rose and went back to work.

San Francisco

"Rigg!" Maureen Kent gasped when she saw the man
her servant had just announced. "What are you doing
here?"