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He noticed the old quilting ladies shoot May grins of satisfaction before he told Evelina, “Good, I’m glad to hear it.” And surprisingly, he really meant it.
Walking in her usual slow pace, she made her way over to the corner that she habitually occupied and retrieved the book lying on one of the shelves behind the settee. Then turning, she shuffled across the floor until she came to stop directly in front of him. He looked down at her face and noticed a little crinkle form along her forehead. Reluctantly she held out the book.
“I wasn’t able to finish it.”
He took the book from her hands and took pity on her. “I will see if I can renew it.”
She looked up and the tiny frown between her brows vanished instantly. “You can do that?”
He chuckled. “It’s the library, of course you can.”
Seemingly perplexed she didn’t respond so he offered her his elbow before bidding the ladies farewell.
Kathleen scurried behind them, bubbling with excitement. “This is very generous of you, Mr. Colby. I’m so looking forward to going into the core of the city.”
He glanced at her in surprise. “Have you not been?”
“Rarely. It is far enough away to make it inconvenient.”
Admittedly, that surprised him. Though it was true their little home did sit some distance from the city’s core center, he would have thought they were acquainted with downtown Detroit.
“We have all we need in this little community.” Evelina interrupted to inform him. “There is no need to go further. Besides, how would we get there?”
It was common for folks in the lower class to go without a horse and buggy. Horses were a big expense and if not needed were not owned.
“Father always said it was far cheaper to own a boat than a horse. One did not need to feed Lady Evelina.”
He dipped his head in acknowledgment. “Then I take pleasure in knowing I am able to offer you some enjoyment.”
She arched her brows. “I did not say I was going to enjoy myself. On the contrary, I wish to leave and return as soon as possible.”
Typical. He smirked before turning away. The woman was so dumbfounded irritating. It was a wonder if he cared to take an interest in her at all.
He stepped onto the front porch but came to an immediate halt when he realized she did not follow. Looking back, he shot her a questioning glance.
She sucked in a long unsteady breath and said, “This is the first time I stepped outside my front door in twelve years.”
He frowned. “Why is that?”
Her gaze slid to him as if alarmed she had spoken the words out loud. “No matter.”
He wanted to press further but knew from the expression on her face that she had closed down as she realized she had revealed more than she had intended.
Unlike the back porch, the front porch only had the one step to maneuver and though she took her time taking it, she eventually stepped off the porch and made her way nervously down the narrow pathway. It was not wide enough for two people but since she refused to let him go and clung to his elbow as if she depended on it to keep her upright, he was forced to walk close by her side.
She was near enough to him that he felt the tension in her body as she shuffled along at a slow pace. He glanced down at her face and noticed the grim line of her lips pressed so firmly together they were nearly white. He couldn’t believe someone could be so terrified of simply walking down the walkway in front of their own home.
Taking pity on her he reached over with his other hand and patted hers reassuringly where it clung to him furiously. She glanced up taken aback then offered him a grateful smile. He smiled in return and rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb.
“You are all right.” He assured her, hoping he was somehow able to quell her unwarranted fears.
Kathleen had already climbed up next to the driver when they eventually reached the carriage. It was the enclosed two-seater kind, which under different circumstances might have been considered romantic. He opened the door and held it for Evelina but she hesitated once again. He supposed this was the first time she had ever been in a carriage if he were to accept the sheltered life she had him believe she led.
As she placed her hands on the side of the carriage to pull herself up, he naturally took her elbow to assist her. She lowered one tiny boot covered foot on the little step, and then on unsteady legs she attempted to pull herself up. However, the moment she went to put her weight on that tiny foot, she wobbled and would have fallen if he hadn’t reacted swiftly by reaching out to steady her. Without foresight, his hands came to rest on her petite waist causing him to marvel once again at how remarkably small she was considering how little exercise the woman got.
Once she was tucked safely inside, he closed the door and hurried over to the opposite side. When he settled in next to her, she offered him a tentative smile. They were crammed into the small confined space with barely any distance between them. Their shoulders brushed up against each other and he noticed she tried to keep a stiff distance but failed miserably once the carriage pulled away from the curb.
When she accidentally bumped into him, she mumbled an apology and he thought how adorable she seemed. It was like taking a child on their first outing. He had an overwhelming urge to place an arm around her shoulders and draw her close.
