“Yes. Garrett is half Scottish on his mother’s side. What does he look like?” Abbie sighed. “He was formidable at eighteen, well over six feet in height then, with broad shoulders and the most glorious head of silky red hair. Handsome beyond measure. I became smitten immediately.”
Telling Megan that she had seen Garrett in the village last week would not be prudent. It had opened an old wound, and as a result all her passionate emotions had escaped. Abbie believed she had conquered them and buried them deep. The sad truth is that she had never stopped yearning for Garrett. Not even when she lay in her husband’s arms. A lone tear slipped down her cheek, and she quickly dashed it away before Megan saw it. She’d adored Elwyn and tried her damnedest to fall in love with him, but her heart belonged to one man only. The man who had broken it.
Abbie would not be able to move on with her life if she did not face Garrett one last time. Tell the truth about Megan. Find out once and for all if his cruel words were true. Or had he used them to distance himself from her, all because of his so-called family curse? “We will have a nice visit with Alberta and Jonas, and while we are there you will meet Garrett Wollstonecraft.”
Megan nodded, her expression still stony. “Very well, Mama. I will meet him. But I do not have to like him or accept him.” She paused, then said. “The only thing I am looking forward to is seeing Jonas. Truly, he is why I agreed to this. He’s the most beautiful boy that I have ever seen. Can a boy be beautiful?”
“Well, Jonas is twenty-four now, hardly a boy.”
Megan tapped her temple with her gloved finger. “He is a boy in here, a very sweet boy.”
“He always will be, Megan. And if a man could be categorized as beautiful, Jonas would fit, with his perfect features and golden-blond hair.” She sighed. “Do not become too attached, my dear. Nothing can come from it.”
Megan remained silent for several moments, as if digesting what Abbie said. “But he is a man; he would have all those desires men experience, would he not?”
Abbie sat up straight and stared at her daughter incredulously. “What are they teaching you at that school?” A frisson of alarm tolled in Abbie’s head. Five years past, when Alberta and Jonas had last visited, Megan had formed an attachment to Jonas that Abbie had found endearing, but with Megan on the cusp of womanhood? Already she was a well-developed girl for her age and too bold by half. Perhaps this trip was a mistake on more than one level.
“Love can happen at a young age. It did in Romeo and Juliet,” Megan declared.
“It’s a tragedy.”
Megan shrugged. “Not all love has to be tragic. Or turn out as terrible as yours.”
Well. A direct hit. “We are not speaking about me. You’re still young, with years ahead of you and many young men to meet before you decide about love.” She patted Megan’s gloved hand. “In the meantime, this will be a difficult enough visit. Thinking of Jonas as only a friend would be wise.”
Megan turned to stare out the window again, not replying. Oh, good heavens, did she harbor a tendre for Jonas? There lay heartache. First loves could cut to the very soul—especially when they go wrong. Abbie knew this more than anyone.
The carriage arrived at the Eatons’ shortly past the dinner hour, and with the happy greetings out of the way, everyone had been ushered into the parlor and trays of food brought in.
When they had first stepped into the room Jonas happily hugged them both, though Megan had held on to him longer than was decent. The young man looked as dazzling as ever. Goodness, should she allow them to be alone at all?
Once they were seated in the parlor, Alberta smiled and poured the tea. “I am glad the new furniture arrived last week, or we would have been hard pressed for seating. I should have waited until the room was completely renovated, but the state of my uncle’s furnishings was shocking indeed.” She smiled amusedly. “Can you imagine, we found a nest of swallows when we first moved in. In one of the fireplaces upstairs.”
“I took them outside and cared for them, and after two weeks they flew away. Bert says they headed south for the winter,” Jonas enthused. The young man had always been interested in all sorts of animals and birds through the years, taking many in as pets, including a llama and an array of hedgehogs.
Abbie gave him a warm smile, then took the cup and saucer offered. “The manor house certainly has deteriorated since I was here last. But you are slowly making it your home. How wonderful.”
Megan stood. “I would like to go to my room, if I may. I am very tired.” Her voice was flat, her annoyance still present and obvious for all to see. Abbie fought her growing irritation. Her daughter was not going to make this easy.
“Of course, my dear. Jonas, please show Megan to her guest room. The blue room. Then you may retire as well.” Alberta smiled.
Abbie watched the young man closely. He was dressed in an immaculate brown suit; his manners while they ate had been impeccable, though he did not offer much in conversation except about the swallows. Truly, he was beautiful, as Megan had stated. But the fact remained he was ten years older and…somewhat simple. How else could she describe him?
“All right, Bert. Come with me, Meg.” Jonas wiped his mouth on the napkin and stood, allowing Megan to leave the room first.
Once they departed, Alberta sighed and passed Abbie a plate of sandwiches. “He is a joy to have about, but takes a good deal of supervision.”
“He is quite handsome…it is…how to say this?” Abbie began.
“A sin he is an idiot?” Alberta replied crossly. Then she shook her head. “I am sorry. I should not have said that, and in such an angry tone. I heard him being spoken of as such in town today while I shopped at the grocer and I’m still furious. I left immediately, before I made a scene.” Alberta sipped her tea. “Jonas is not an idiot. The doctor who examined him last year claims that he has the intelligence of a twelve-year-old, and unfortunately, the emotional development of one as well. It will always be thus.” She smiled sadly. “Jonas had been slow to develop, didn’t speak until the age of four. Yet for a while, my husband, Reese, thought that he might be ‘normal’—for lack of a better word. But he hit a plateau and stayed there. Many doctors have examined him over the years, and most agree that the stunting of his intellectual and emotional growth may have occurred during his difficult birth. The doctor who had been in attendance revealed that it took several minutes to get Jonas to take a breath. The lack of oxygen…it is hard to know. No one knows for sure.”
“You’ve never spoken of this before,” Abbie whispered.
“It makes me sad, in one way. But in another he has been a great comfort, especially when Reese passed. Before he died, I promised Reese I would look after Jonas and not allow him to be sent to one of those awful asylums. I’ve grown to love him as a dear brother.” Alberta laughed softly. “Tensbridge described him as a man-child. The narrative fits.”
“Garrett’s older brother? There was no mention of him in your recent letter.”
Alberta’s cheeks flushed. “I believe that there is something developing between us.”
“How fascinating, and worthy of a lengthy discussion. But regarding Jonas. Megan is infatuated with him. I do not want to make an issue out of it, as there will be enough drama involved with this visit,” Abbie said.
“We will keep an eye on them. You don’t have to worry, as Jonas has shown no inclination toward romantic pursuits. Now, speaking of drama, have you thought of a way to approach Garrett?”
Abbie bit into her egg and ham sandwich and chewed thoughtfully. Invite him over here and surprise him by causally walking into the parlor? Call at Wollstonecraft Hall? “I have no idea how to proceed. I know nothing about him, not then and certainly not now. Have no idea what sort of man he became. If our parting is any indication, he no doubt is an arrogant, selfish arse.” She gave Alberta a shaky smile. “Who knows how many women came after me… Lord, I am envious of nameless women. I cannot believe how violently my insides are churning.” Abbie laid a hand across her middle.
Alberta sipped her tea, then placed the cup and saucer on the tray. “Though Uncle was a recluse, we did keep up a correspondence. He stated that through Garrett’s mid-twenties, for a period of about two years, he had cut quite a swath through London. He and the younger Aidan especially. Then the sojourns to London ended, though not for his nephew. If anyone in the family has a scandalous reputation, it is Aidan. Notorious, even.”
Why did the news that Garrett had sought female company hurt so blasted much? She couldn’t expect him to live as a monk, alone in a dark room, pining away for her. Abbie had certainly found comfort elsewhere. With Elwyn.
“But regardless of his temporary wild streak,” Alberta continued, “Garrett is well thought of by his tenants and neighbors. He is honest and forthright in his dealings. Why, he is assisting me with renovations…” A knock sounded at the door. “Gracious, who could that be? It’s past eight o’clock.” Alberta stood and smoothed her skirt. “One moment.”