AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Do you think that would have convinced her to write at last?” Scott asked a bit dryly.
“Likely not.” Sarah’s expression fell. “I was a little sharp with her the day we left America. Do you suppose that is why she never writes?”
Mater, sitting on the sofa beside Sarah, took her hand.
“Mother doesn’t write to me either,” Scott told her. “I don’t think her silence is the result of anythingyoudid.”
“She must simply not like to write letters,” Sarah said. “I wish she did though. I’ve longed to hear from her.”
She must simply not like to write letters.Sarah had offered herself a means of not seeing their mother’s neglect as a reflection on herself? Scott had felt the pain of maternal silence in the depths of his heart for two years. Everyone else was, oroughtto be, disappointed in him. It only stood to reason that his mother was as well.
“While we are the topic of letters”—Sarah recovered her spirits quickly—“I would very much like to know more about the Miss Phelps you mentioned repeatedly in your letters and in such a way that I’m not sure you realize how often she came up.”
He looked over at Mater. “Did I mention her in my letters to you?”
She didn’t bother hiding a smile. “You did.”
Scott gave a quick nod. “I believe you, dear sister, met Miss Phelps, though briefly, when you were in London to celebrate Charlie’s presentation to the Royal Society.”
“She’s one of Artemis’s friends?” Sarah inquired.
“She is.”
Mater smiled broadly. “I was all but certain it was the same Miss Phelps, especially considering she was at Brier Hill when I left you there.”
“And is she the reason you remained away so long?” Sarah asked.
“She is. The dear lady who took her in after her own mother’s passing took ill while Miss Phelps was at Brier Hill, and I accompanied her back there. I remained longer than expected, as it seemed best not to allow too many disruptions in the household while the lady’s health was still fragile.” In time, he would tell them the whole story.
“Did you have a chance to come to know Miss Phelps better during this time?” Mater asked.
“I did, and in doing so, I discovered that she is quite possibly the most wonderful person in all the world. She is kind and thoughtful, intelligent, clever. She possesses a wonderful sense of humor. She’s a great deal of fun to undertake a lark with. And when she is particularly happy, she is, by some miracle, even more of a joy to be with.”
Mater and Sarah had been rendered speechless by this very frank admission. He meant to enjoy watching their unvoiced questions grow.
“And should I manage to somehow secure myself an income that is not rendered negative by the debts our uncle left me, and should we find a means of overcoming the complications in her life, I fully intend to abandon Sarvol House once more, rush back to County Durham, and ask her to marry me.” He leaned back in his chair, assuming as casual a posture as he could, and looked at them quite as if he were shocked that they were so surprised by what he’d said. “Youdidask,” he reminded them.
“Marry her?” Sarah couldn’t have sounded more astonished.
“In a heartbeat. Well, a heartbeat a few years from now. Crawling out from under the mound of problems our uncle left me will take at least that long.”
“The situation truly is that bad?” Harold asked.
Scott nodded. “It is catastrophic. Tomorrow we will begin boarding up most of the windows on the back of the house to save on the window tax.”
“Oh, Scott,” Sarah said. “How long have things been so desperate? And why in heaven’s name didn’t you tell me?”
“The weight was mine to carry. I didn’t want to burden you with it.”
Sarah stood and crossed to his chair, looming over him a bit and pointing her finger at him. “Family helps each other, Scott. Doing so is not a burden.”
Scott stood, emotion expanding in his chest while Toss’s words echoed in his mind.Maybe you’re not finding family because you’re not looking in the right places.
He pulled her into a brotherly hug. “Thank you.” He didn’t know what else he could possibly say to convey what he was feeling. He’d missed her, and she, like Toss, recognized that he himself had created the distance he’d felt. But she hadn’t given up on him. She was learning what a disaster his situation currently was, and she still wanted to be part of his life. “Thank you.”
From within his embrace, Sarah said, “You truly would marry Miss Phelps if the estate were solvent?”
“I would do so without a moment’s hesitation.” Of course, they still hadn’t sorted the difficulty surrounding her father. But she had told him that in confidence, and he didn’t intend to spill her secrets. “Someday, I hope you can meet her—meet heragain, I should say—and truly come to know her. And with a little luck, that someday will come sooner rather than later.”
