The Willows (4 page)

He took her hand in his, this time
holding them firmly. “Very well, let me escort you into the house,
and once I’ve seen you safely settled, I shall go back for your
luggage.”

“
I can see my own way
inside. Please, go quickly.”

He looked at the iron gateway. “But
Jervis wished-“

“
I will deal with my uncle.”
She all but pushed him towards the carriage. “If I lose my bags,
daddy will be livid as my carelessness. It won’t do to have him
getting mad at us now, will it?”

That seemed to decide him. Throwing
back his shoulders, smiled down at her. “You are right. Never fear,
I will find your luggage, darling, and everything else, too.” His
radiant smile seemed to cover her like a warm blanket. “How can I
fail? Am I not your Lancelot?”

In that moment, she envied him. Dashing
Lance, always so sure of himself-a wonderful to own such
confidence. He had not the slightest doubt that one way or another,
he’d return with her belongings.

“
Your wish is my command.”
Dipping a courtly bow, kissed her hand. “I am ever at your service,
my lady.”

“
Enough of your nonsense,”
she said, trying to deny the pleasure is pride gave her. “Hurry,
Lance, before someone runs off with my things.”

“
To battle then.” Waving and
imaginary sword, he climbed up into the carriage and struck did the
driver to take him to the docks. “But upon my triumphant return,”
he threw over his shoulder, “I expect to be rewarded with a
kiss.”

“
You just find my bag,” she
murmured to herself as the carriage rattled off and turned the
corner. “We can discuss the reward later.”

“
If there is a reward,” said
a deep, slightly accented voice behind her, “can anyone claim
it?”

She twisted, finding herself face to
face with the stranger from the dock. “Where did you come from?”
She snapped, unnerved by his presence on this all too quiet street.
“What are you doing here?”

“
I assumed this was a public
thoroughfare.” He gestured at the neighboring homes, closed and
shuttered against the afternoon heat, all oblivious to what was
happening down on the street. “I had no idea it was your private
domain, my lady.”

Whatever fear he might have aspired
evaporated in her irritation. That was Lance’s romantic nickname
for her; how dare he use it so mockingly. “You are right, it is
most public. Please don’t let me stop you from continuing on your
path.” Picking up her skirt, she brushed past him, her mind intent
upon reaching the gate, the inner courtyard beckoning more than
ever like an oasis.

“
Aren’t you the least bit
interested in this?”

“
I truly doubt Sir, you
could have anything of interest to me.”

“
I don’t have time for
games, my lady,” he said, his tone training a marked lack of
patience. “Do you want the bag or not?”

She spun, noticing for the first time
what he held in his hands. It was her bag; she recognized her blue
wool gown, spilling out the half open side. “Those are my things.
How dare you-“

“
I did not steal anything,”
he interrupted. “You left this bag on the dock.”

“
I never meant to
imply-“

“
Didn’t you?” He stared at
her so intently, she fought the urge to squirm. They both knew the
accusation had been on the tip of her tone.

“
I didn’t come here to fight
with you,” he said with forced patients. “Here, take the damn
thing, and I’ll be happy to leave you alone.”

She moved towards him slowly, eyeing
the blue wool with suspicion. “What have you done to
it.?”

Looking down at the bag, he said with a
shrug, “The children, they were curious.”

She snatched it from his hands. “You
let those… Those little rats pillage through my things?” She asked,
voice rising as she inspected the contents of the bag.

“
No one pillaged. They
merely wish to see what was inside. It’s a rare child who can
resist peeking at another’s belongings, especially children who
aren’t custom to such finery.”

“
My locket is missing.” To
her dismay, she heard a voice rise even higher. “Those wretched
rights, they’ve stolen my locket.

“
You should take more care
with your items,” he said calmly. “As you can see, no one took a
thing.”

He dangled the locket from his hand,
holding it out to talk her. As much as Gwen wanted to reach out and
snatches away, she refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing
how important it was to her.

Something in her face must have
betrayed her, for he went from studying her features to
contemplating the locket. As he clicked open the clasp, as sharp,
spelling features softened. “Ah, see why you were upset. You
wouldn’t want to lose a likeness of your mother.”

“
You knew my mother?” When
blurted out, surprised.

“
Everyone knew Amanda. Now
there was a lady.”

“
Are you implying that I’m
not?”

He looked up, pinning her with gaze.
“Your mother would never fling out accusations without proof. Even
if by some rare chance she did, she’d apologize the instant she
realized her mistake.”

“
How dare you lecture me.”
The fact that he was right merely fueled her resentment. “You
probably came here hoping for a reward.” She looked him up and
down, returning his contempt in full measure. “As much as you
clearly need the payment, sir, I shall have to disappoint you. Your
rude behavior leaves me no choice but demand that you give me my
things and go.”

Her out stretched arms could not have
been invisible, all the attention he paid it. Looking from her
mother’s likeness to Gwen, snapped the locket shut with a loud
click. “You’ve got a long way to go, my lady, “he said, setting it
in her hand, “before you can hope to live up to her mother’s
standards.”

Dropping the back at her feet, he
turned to go.

“
How dare you,” Gwen
sputtered at his back, “How dare you say such things to me,
you-you”

She broke off, partly because she could
think of nothing vile enough to call him, but primarily because she
realized he wouldn’t listen, even if he wasn’t already out the
earshot. It was a novel experience, having a man ignore her, and
she found she did not like it one bit.

Nor did she enjoy the memories he’d
invoked. Glancing down at the locket in her hands, she squirmed
inside. All these years, working so hard, and she still failed to
live up to her mother’s expectations.

“
Mother,” thought out loud
as she clicked open the locket. “Will I ever manage to please
you?”

It hurt, remembering. Shutting the
locket and tucking it back into her bag, she decided it was far
more comfortable to put all those memories away where they cannot
touch her.

“
Gwen, sweetie, is that
you?”

She looked up to see her uncle at the
gate, looking so much like daddy, it was all she could do not to
throw herself in his arms.

“
But what are you doing out
here?” He asked, clearly confused. “Wherever is Lance?”

She looked down the street, noticing
that the stranger had vanished. “Oh, Lance, he went back for my
chunks,” she stammered, trying to keep her tone light. “I was in
such a hurry to the home, I couldn’t wait for them to be unloaded
off the boat.”

“
Well, let’s have a look at
you. My, my, but you’ve done some growing up in Boston. You become
quite the beauty Gwen Elizabeth.”

She wished she could say the years had
been equally kind to him. The blonde mane in which he’d once taken
such pride had not only grayed, but was sending to near extinction.
Looking at his lined, florid face and portly frame, when it was
hard to put to remember that this man was ten years her daddy’s
Junior.

As he lifted up her bag and lead the
way through the gates, when saw that more than uncle Jervis had
aged in her absence. The cool shade of the patio provided a will
come hideaway from the heat, but she could not help notice the need
for Judicious pruning, how the walls of the house screamed for
paint.

“
What happened to the
fountain,” she asked in a subdued tone. “Where is the
water?”

Will John cleared his throat “you’ve
got to remember, please has been sitting idle for some
time.”

“
I know. It’s just, well, I
remember it’s all so differently. Back then, this courtyard seem so
grand, so special.”

He sighed. “That’s the thing about
going away. Precious little stays the way we want it. We use day
gone for five years, honey, things are bound to change in your
absence.”

Gwen tried to shrug it off, to tell
herself that change was natural and inevitable, but his words
struck and an easy cord. She did not like change, do not want
surprises. Indeed, she’d give anything to go back to the time when
her daddy adored her and mama was still alive.

Take me to Camelot, found herself
thinking again.

But there would be no escape today.
Edith appeared on the porch, smiling as graciously as any lady of
the manor. “Welcome home, Gwen Elizabeth,” she said sweetly enough,
but as ever, Gwen felt that instant friction between them. House
it. Her cousin seemed, welcoming her into her own home.

Smiling tightly, Gwen climbed the porch
steps to be at eye level when she returned the greeting. “You are
looking well,” was all she could think of to say, and worse it was
true. Five years ago, that soft blue morning dress would have hung
on her cousins skinny frame, the time seem to build out her figure
considerably. Even her complexion had cleared. With her light brown
hair and amber eyes, Edith might never be the reigning beauty of
Louisiana, but she was a far cry from the ugly duckling Gwen
remember.

Hamilton Colby, their good friend and
neighbor, peered in the doorway behind them. “Ah, Gwen Elizabeth,
it’s so good to have you home,” gushed, taking her hand and pumping
it’s enthusiastically. "Edith and I were just remarking on how
boring Louisiana has been in your absence.”

This time Gwen smile was true. Like
Lance, Hamilton had long been a fixture in the McCloud household,
and she’d always felt a fondness for him. Two tall and gangly and
prone to saying the wrong thing, Hamilton was a nice person any
trustworthy friend.

Though the longing in his gaze as he
followed her cousins every movement led Gwen to suspect that some
time in her abstinence, Hamilton had decided he wanted for more
than near friendship with Edith.

Not that the girl seemed aware of it.
Knowing him entirely, leaving him in the parlor with her father,
Edith assisted on showing Gwen to her room.

Gwen would have been just as happy
making the climb upstairs alone, for her cousin made her feel like
a guest in her own home. No, perhaps that was not entirely
accurate. Was the house itself that made her feel like a stranger.
It smelled musty, unlived-in, and in many rooms the dust covers
still draped the furniture. Perhaps Uncle Jervis meant only to stay
the night, but surely he could have brought a servant or two from
the Willows to make life more comfortable. With no help, how on
earth was she’d to dress for the ball tonight.

Alone in her room, she paced the floor,
wishing she had her own trunk so she could air, and then choose
from among her downs. As if in answer, she heard the carriage
outside.

She raced down the stairs to greet
Lance. Stop by his serious expression, she poised on the bottom
step to glance about the otherwise empty hallway. “Where are my
trunks?”

“
I encountered a slight
difficulty.”

“
Difficulty?” Gripping the
oak banister, he felt the advent of a severe headache.

Lance took a step forward, smile meant
to be reassuring. “It seems your ship sailed onto Argentina. But
don’t despair. She should be back in port by December.”

“
My clothes are on their way
to South America?” She could hear her voice rising, and couldn’t
control it. Her ball gowns and satin slippers and been in those
trunks. Her hair ribbons and fans and crinolines.

“
The, the bag seems to be
missing also. I’m told so man walked off with it.”

She waved her hand dismissively, her
thoughts on her missing wardrobe. “He returned it to me. It’s
upstairs.”

His face brightened. “Oh good, then you
can still attend the Fosters ball tonight.”

All she had was the green wool she now
wore, and the two dresses in her bag, neither was a hoop skirt in
both designed for the cooler climates of Boston. Bad enough to be
in the heat, but Lance truly couldn’t expect her to go anywhere
looking like a frump.

Just then cousin came into the hallway,
demure and ladylike in her soft, blue muslin. The look of
appreciation Lance gave her froze Gwen on the spot.

“
Oh, dear, what seems to be
the problem?” Edith asked, hurrying over to stand beside Lance.
“Not bad news from your mother at Bell Oaks, I hope.”

Had his autocratic mother summoned him
back to their plantation, Gwen knew, Lance would already be gone.
Annoyed, she was about to tell her cousin not to be so silly, when
Lance took the girl’s arm, putting her hand as if to console her.
“You are not to worry about me and fellow Oaks, “told Edith
smoothly. “ As a matter of fact, Gwen Elizabeth and I were merely
discussing the loss of her trunks. She seems to feel she cannot
possibly attend the ball to night without her full
wardrobe.”