She watched to see if he would come home today. Edward would bring him from the vicarage, which was where Jon always walked, if he did. It had been a week and Claire had seen him come home twice in that time.
She saw the dust trail Edward was leaving behind on his way to the house. He was indeed bringing Jon, the little boy riding in front of him on his horse. She smiled and looked down at Emilia.
“Look, it’s daddy and Jonny. We are so lucky, aren’t we? We are two lucky, blessed ladies to have them, aren’t we?”
They got closer, and she could see the brilliant smile Edward was giving her. It filled her heart. She smiled back and waited for them.
“Hello there!” She called out, waving. She lifted Emilia’s hand and made the little one wave. “There they are. See?”
The baby girl looked out at them as they approached. She squirmed a little and looked excited and happy, bouncing in Claire’s arm.
“Look at those two beautiful girls, Jon!” Edward said as he got down from the horse and approached the house. Jonathan ran in front of him and held out his arms to take Emilia from Claire without saying anything.
“Hello, Jonny. Do you want to hold your sister?”
He just nodded, his arms still outstretched. Claire gently lowered the baby and he secured her in his arms before going inside. He was very protective. She just smiled and sighed as she watched him go in.
“Hello, pretty lady.” Edward said as he came up on the porch. “How has your day been?”
“I feel a lot better than I did before,” he said. “You have lunch for me?”
“Of course.” She smiled up at him. He smiled back with a look that made her feel fluttery in her stomach. She was so blessed to have been placed here. “I do hope that Jonathan warms up to me, though. I really do.”
“I know you do.” Edward nodded. “You just need to be patient and give him time.”
“Do you think he will warm up to me?”
Edward ran one large hand through her red hair, his eyes obviously admiring her beauty. “I don’t see how anyone could resist it, Claire.”
She giggled when he put his arm around her shoulders and walked into the house with her. Jonathan had put Emilia in a little basket he used to carry her around and placed her next to his chair at the kitchen table. He already had a sandwich on a plate with two bites taken from it.
“Papa, can I have some potatoes?”
“You can,” Edward said. “Claire will give them to you. You should ask her.”
Jonathan looked at Claire. “I don’t have to have any,” he said, turning back to his plate.
Edward approached him and knelt next to his chair. “Jonny boy. I told you not to be rude, didn’t I?” His voice was soft. Jonathan looked at him with regretful eyes. “I know this is hard for you, son. But you have to trust that things are going to work out okay. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you, would I? I won’t let anything happen to you? Claire isn’t going to hurt you, Jonny.”
“I know.” The little boy’s voice was quiet. He lowered his head, ashamed.
Claire moved to kneel at his other side, looking up at him. “It’s all right, Jon. I will give you some potatoes, okay? Everything is going to be all right.”
Jonathan didn’t lift his head. “Okay.” He murmured.
“What do you say, Jonny?” Edward prompted.
“Thank you.”
“Good boy.” He ruffled the boy’s hair and stood up straight.
The next morning, Claire woke up when Edward did. She felt him move from the bed and waited a bit until she heard the door close as he went out. She got up and went to the baby’s room to check on her. The child was fast asleep.
In his room, Jonathan was also asleep. She cracked the doors to their room so that Jonathan would hear if Emilia woke up. She knew he was sensitive to the baby’s cries and had gotten up several times to check on her when Claire was already in there. She didn’t plan to be gone long. She just wanted to know why Edward always left so early and what he was doing. Her curiosity had taken over.
She dressed quickly and went out the door. She rode quietly to the vicarage, behind her husband far enough so that he wouldn’t see her.
When she reached the church, she dismounted and tied her horse up to a tree in the surrounding park. She moved slowly over the grass toward the cemetery behind the church and looked out over the grounds. She didn’t see him. She frowned and peered a little more closely, running her eyes around the tombstones to see if he was kneeling somewhere. He wasn’t. She circled the building but didn’t see him anywhere.
He must be inside. She thought. She went to the doors and pushed one open quietly, sticking her head inside to look around. It was still very dark in the building. She saw a lamp lit at the altar and slipped inside, closing the door behind her.