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“Have you now?” His eyes probed Daniel. “What more have you seen?”
Why did this feel like a test? For all his bluff and bluster, the man had a shrewdness Daniel should’ve recognized. One rarely attained his rank without it. “I, er, have observed that she is possessed of a sparkling sense of humor.”
“Too giddy by half at times, but she’s not shy of crossing swords. I cannot blame her. Not with hair she inherited from my side.” His brow lowered. “Just a shame she lacked the wits to recognize Griselda Cleever is not one to cross swords with.”
Daniel’s guts tightened with guilt.
“Well? What else about my Theo?”
“She … she is refreshing, like the morning air, making one feel more alive. She does much good, but rarely seems to notice when she goes without.”
“Goes without? Theodosia has never lacked for anything!”
“Except a father. And the opportunity to participate in the world beyond this village.”
The general sent him a sharp look. “She told you this?”
“My niece did.”
“Hmph.” The man fell into heavy-browed abstraction, his body still, his eyelids half-closed so that Daniel wasn’t sure if he was asleep or not.
Should he say something?
Finally the general stirred and cleared his throat with a loud harrumph. “Her face.”
“I beg pardon?”
“What do you think of her face?”
He swallowed. “She is pretty. A man would have to be blind not to notice that.”
The general’s brows shot up. “That’s it? No comment about the mark?” The general motioned to his left cheek.
“I confess I hardly notice it.” How could one pay attention to such things, when one could not look away from the sparkling depths of her eyes, save when one’s attention stole to her glorious tresses, or her comely lips?
“Hmm.” After another long moment where Daniel found himself growing itchy under the man’s intense scrutiny, the general finally stood. “If you give me assurance you will leave as soon as that fool Linton says you can, then I will be much obliged.”
“Of course, sir.” Daniel swallowed. “And if there is anything I can do to alleviate Miss Stapleton’s distress, then please tell me what I can do.”
The general eyed him again with that unnerving stare, then gave a sharp nod.
Chapter 16
Theo had known attending services that Sunday would be a challenge, but she had not anticipated just what a sad trial it would prove. The walk down the aisle to the Stapleton pew across from the squire’s, in prime position underneath the reverend’s nose, saw heads shift to watch, then when she made eye contact, they turned away. It seemed Frederick Bellingham’s loose lips had caused more than a few people to speculate about the goings-on at Stapleton Court. Or perhaps—her heart twisted with remorse—that was due to the scene at the haberdashery the other day.
Theo herself was long used to the looks and stares and had, for the most part, grown accustomed to such things. But she whimpered inside about what this meant for poor Mama and Becky, neither of whom were hardened in the way she’d needed to be since she was a small girl and the first tittering laughs and pointed fingers had made her realize she was different.
A glance at the Cleever pew, just behind the Bellinghams, made Mrs. Cleever glance away, and redoubled Theo’s efforts to act as though nothing was amiss. Surely words were being bandied about Theo’s visit, judging from the way the haberdashery’s shop assistant eyed her, then bent her head to whisper to her neighbor.
Theo suppressed a sigh. She only had herself to blame. And maybe her hair.
The liturgy was one she’d heard countless times before, but the sermon today seemed to hold a special entreaty she hadn’t heard Mr. Crouch share before.
“Friends, the Bible says not to judge, and I beg of you to recall our Lord’s words: ‘He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone.’ Not, of course, that our Lord is encouraging the act of stoning today,” he paused and smiled. “But it would behoove us all to recall that none of us are perfect, we can all fall, and we see in this world but dimly. Unlike our omniscient God, we cannot see all circumstances to judge with perfect understanding.”
Hmm. She eyed him and caught his slight nod. But of course. He knew the truth of the situation. And while it seemed he had not shared Captain Balfour’s identity with his wife, his wife had well and truly shared the scene in the haberdashery with him.
Conviction stole across her as she once again rued her quick temper.Lord, forgive me. Help me remember that You are in control, and that I can trust You with all things.
