Something about her words stuck with Clara. Though she had no sisters, she had always been surrounded by other females. Not all women had that luxury. Clara vowed, then and there, to take notice of the women under her care, to make sure no one was forgotten.
“Can we do some shopping on the way back?” Miss Courteney asked as the group settled into the carriage once again.
The fear that filled John’s eyes would have been comical had Luke not felt the same concerns. Clara’s comment did not help. “Miss Courteney has not stopped talking about a walk through the town center since she arrived.” She raised her eyebrows slightly. Most people probably would not have noticed, but Luke did. He had learned to read some of Clara’s small cues. When she lifted her eyebrows in such a way, it meant she was covering up her annoyance. “But, if it cannot happen now, we can reschedule for another day.”
Best get it over with.“We could do some quick shopping,” Luke answered. He did not want to have to spendanotherday with Eliza. Clara gave him a grateful smile. John glared.
When they arrived at the town center, Luke quickly abandoned his seat, jumping out past the carriage steps, offering his hand up to Clara. “Lady Clara,” he said formally, “may I assist you in getting down?”
While he knew John would call him out later for commandeering his sister, Luke couldn’t risk being paired with Miss Courteney. He would rather run all the way back to Harleston. Barefoot. Through thorned rose bushes. Perhaps even with his britches on fire.
“Thank you, my lord,” Clara placed her dainty hand in his. Her smile was pleasant and familiar, but that did not make it any less beautiful. Once her feet were on the cobblestone street, she placed her fingers in the crook of his elbow. He led her a few paces away so John could help Eliza down. “John is going to kill us,” she mumbled under her breath.
Luke chuckled. “Yes,” he whispered back, “but at least our last day will be full of entertainment.”
And they were highly entertained watching Eliza drag John around town, her high-pitched voice commenting on anything and everything. Usually, her tone wasn’t that unpleasant, but something about John’s proximity had caused her to turn shrill. The longer they were out, the worse it got. By the end, the pitch was causing dogs to bark.
“I am starting to feel bad for him,” Clara whispered as Eliza asked John his opinion on a particular roll of ribbon she had unabashedly hinted he should buy for her.
“But not bad enough to stick me with her,” Luke insisted.
Clara shook her head. “While John may be miserable now, I know he will recover. I think if Miss Courteney turned her attention to you, you may very well dig yourself a hole and never come out.”
“A very deep hole,” Luke agreed.
“Why is that?” Clara questioned. “Why are you so afraid of people?”
“Why are you not?”
“Because I love them,” she answered matter-of-factly.
Luke shrugged. “I guess I do not. “ Though he wasn’t sure that was actually the case. He did not go around despising the human race, he just did not cherish them either. He was pretty sure only Clara was capable of that.
“You love John,” she insisted, “and me, and my parents, and your mother.”
“Yes,” Luke agreed, “and that is why I can talk to you. But I do not love …” He gestured to Eliza with his eyes. “And even those I do love, I can only take in small doses. I am not a social person, I guess.”
“I cannot imagine what that is like,” Clara responded as she waved to a group of children across the street. “I think people bring meaning to life.” It was a pretty deep thought to be sharing on a casual walk through town, not that he expected anything less from Clara. She could talk to anyone about anything, and it seemed perfectly natural. She could be silly or vulnerable, and somehow it was always exactly what the other person needed. No one left a conversation with Clara without feeling heard. She made everyone feel comfortable. She made everyone feel important. She had a gift. A gift of relating to people that Luke could never begin to understand.
He thought about her words for the next few minutes as he watched John relent and purchase Eliza some ribbon so she would finally allow them to leave the shop.What brings meaning to my life?He wondered as they all selected a honey sweet. When they were a few yards from the carriage, Luke answered. “I agree with you,” he said quietly, “people do bring meaning to life, but I do not need as many people as others. I could have just one person. One person I truly loved, and that would be good enough for me.”
Clara stopped, right there in the middle of the street, and with her hand on his elbow, Luke had no choice but to halt his gait as well. Her blue eyes turned up to him, piercing him in such a way, it felt as if she stared into his very soul. With anyone else, Luke would have rejected such an examination immediately, but something in him begged for Clara’s attention. He tried not to think about what that might be. “I feel I finally understand you, Luke Maxwell.” Her comment rang entirely sincere, but then he saw a switch in her, as if her allotment for seriousconversation had been spent. A glint passed through her eye, and she teased, “You are hopelessly romantic!”
Luke pushed her hand off his elbow. “I am not!” He intended for the response to be angry, but instead it came out a laugh.
“Lord Maxwell!” John shouted from the carriage step. He had no trouble getting the anger to sound in his voice. John had already helped Miss Courteney to her seat and obviously did not appreciate being alone with her.
“Coming!” Luke shouted back.
“John really is going to kill you,” Clara whispered as she took his arm again.
“Will you say something kind at my funeral services?” he teased as they rushed toward the vehicle.
“Of course! I will tell the world you were kind, intelligent …” He reached for her hand to assist her on the stairs as she added with a whisper, “and hopelessly romantic.”
Chapter 8
The First Glimpse
