“Yeah.” And he planned on doing it.
Damian paced. “I don’t like all these new people coming around. Makes me uncomfortable.”
“I know.” A chill raced up his neck. “Wish we could get rid of them. For her.”
“Well, there’s still Ziegler to contend with. Seems like they patched things up.”
“No!” The idea was like little bugs running up and down his spine. He wriggled his shoulders and back to get rid of the feeling. “Joshua had his chance.”
“You’re right. Anna needsyou.”
Just as much as he needed her. “I have an idea.” He took off toward the house.
A few hours later, he watched Anna leave the dig. It was a little after four in the afternoon. Her workers didn’t leave. They usually stayed until six. Sometimes later.
This was his chance.
He packed up his surprise for her in an old potato sack then went out to his garden and picked some of the beautiful blooms.
He couldn’t wait until next year when his roses would really take off. They were his favorite. Though their thorns had made him bleed hundreds of times, it was worth it for the beauty and fragrance.
In the fall, he would plant hundreds of tulip and daffodil bulbs and expand his garden to cover the entire acre at the top of this bluff. All the way up to the treeline. It would be magnificent.
When he had a large handful of flowers, he tied some twine around them, grabbed his horse, and headed to the Lakemans’ home.
After a quick knock on the door, it opened with a flourish.
Louise Bowden opened the door. “Why, Mr. Walker.” But she didn’t invite him in.
“Is Miss Lakeman here?”
“Yes, sir. Of course.” She called over her shoulder, but kept the door partially closed. “Miss Lakeman.”
He heard footsteps and then Anna appeared. “Julian. I wasn’t expecting you.”
“I brought you some surprises for your garden.” He remembered the flowers in his other hand. “Oh, and these.” Offering the bouquet from behind his back, he held them forward.
“Why, thank you.” She smiled at him. “Do I need to change? Will we be digging?”
“No. You don’t need to change. I can do the digging.”
“Wonderful.” She turned to Louise. “Will you tell Dad that I’ll be outside his window if he needs anything?”
“Yes, miss.”
Anna joined him outside and Louise closed the door. But not before he caught the look of wariness in the younger girl’s eyes. Would people ever look at him differently?
He shook off the thoughts and walked with Anna toward the garden.
When they reached it, he gulped and ventured forth. “I noticed you haven’t seemed too happy with the guests who arrived yesterday.”
“Oh dear.” She moaned. “I’m sorry. I should have told you about them.”
She sat on a large rock that was on the perimeter of the little garden area. As she filled him in on the investors, Julian decided then and there he didn’t like Mr. Oppen—whatever his name was. The more she talked, the more agitated she became. And then all of a sudden, great big tears were running down her face.
Julian blinked. How was he supposed to respond? Did he need to go hunt down this investor?
But she kept on talking.
