Undaunted Love (PART ONE): Banished Saga, Book 3 (18 page)

“You are far from tone deaf,” Aunt Betsy said with a sardonic turn of her lips.

“Be that as it may, you need to begin to concern yourself with your future, Mr. Russell,” Sophronia said. “I hope to hear that things have changed the next we meet.”

“Do you ever stop meddling in the lives of your friends?” Savannah asked.

“Of course not. What would be the purpose of my friendship and influence if I refrained from interfering?” she asked with a laugh.

CHAPTER 17

THE FOLLOWING WEEK, Savannah stood with hand raised, on the verge of knocking on Jeremy’s door, as indecision and insecurity rose inside her. She stared at the worn wood, partially lit by the bright sunshine entering the window behind her. She leaned nearer to the door, closing her eyes as she listened to Jeremy’s deep voice singing a lighthearted song. After a few moments, she took in a long breath, squared her shoulders and let her hand fall, rapping the door. She heard the gentle singing cease and then footsteps approaching the door.

“Ma’am,” Jeremy said with a broad smile after he opened the door. “Please, come in.”

She entered the workshop, moving instinctively toward the rocking chair. He stilled her movement with a gentle hand to her arm. “Would you like to see what I’ve been working on?”

“Oh, of course,” she said, as she moved toward one of the workbenches. She traced the wood of the oval top of a table, noting the rosewood inlay.

“I thought you said the apothecary wanted maple,” Savannah murmured.

“This is for a successful theater owner. He wants cherry with rosewood inlay. Many times in the past weeks, I’ve wished Gabe were here to help me, but I think the man will be pleased.”

“How could he not be?” Savannah asked as she continued to trace the tabletop. “I like this shape.” Jeremy nodded, seeming pleased at her approval of his work.

“Are you finding many customers then, Mr. McLeod?” Savannah asked as she moved toward the rocking chair and sat.

“Enough. I could live independently if I wanted to, although I have no desire to move away from Richard and Flo.”

“How are they? I haven’t seen Florence in a while,” Savannah said.

“They’re well. Slowly preparing for the baby,” he said. He watched her as she stilled before she continued to rock.

“I hadn’t realized they expected a baby,” Savannah whispered. She forced a smile as she met Jeremy’s eyes.

“Well, it’s come as a bit of a surprise. A welcome one but still a surprise. It’s hard to imagine Richard a father.”

“Or yourself an uncle.”

“Oh, I’ll enjoy that well enough. That’s the easy part, spoiling a child senseless without having to worry about discipline,” he said with a wistful smile. “Are you all right, ma’am?”

“Of course. I’m very happy for Florence and Richard. How foolish of me. I thought she was merely putting on weight,” Savannah said.

“I think she’d be happy for your help as she prepares for the baby.”

“I’ll try, although it will be very difficult for me.” Savannah leaned back into the rocking chair and rocked for a few minutes. A harmonious silence enveloped the room, and Jeremy began to sing softly. After a while a chuckle interrupted his song.

“What amuses you?” Savannah asked.

He looked at her over his shoulder as he continued to sand a board. “This. You, here. Sitting in Clarissa’s chair.”

“Why?”

“It reminds me of the letters Gabe wrote me of his visits with Clarissa. I never thought to have the same,” he murmured, as he turned away to face his work again.

“Why wouldn’t you imagine someone visiting you?”

“I’m not like Gabe. Or Richard. They’re gentlemen. Gentle men,” he said softly, carefully enunciating the two words separately. “Though they might not fit your definition of a gentleman,” he said with a rueful laugh.

“And you think you are nothing like them?”

“I know I’m not.”

“Well, you fit my definition of a gentleman,” Savannah said with a tender smile.

Jeremy turned to face her and moved to lean against the table near the rocking chair. He waited for her to continue.

“You help ladies in distress. Repeatedly. You listen, truly listen, to those around you. You care about the people in your life more than appearances. You’re excited to become an uncle and eager to spoil your niece or nephew.”

Jeremy flushed. “Thank you, ma’am.” He sat on the bench facing her. “You seem more at peace now than the last time you were here a week ago.”

“I will always mourn my daughter, Mr. McLeod.”

“Jeremy,” he murmured.

“Jeremy.” A shy smile flirted around her lips. “I’ll always miss her, and I know I will continue to have days when I’m sad.”

“But you’ve begun to find joy again.”

“Yes, moments of joy. Lucas visited us the other evening and played for us. He is so talented, Jeremy.”

“I remember listening to him play last spring. What did he play for you?”

“A beautiful song by Chopin. It was one of my favorite songs before I met Jonas. It reminded me of a simpler time.”

“But it didn’t make you happy.”

“Do you know how sometimes things are so beautiful they actually hurt? Or when you are so happy you want to cry?” At Jeremy’s nod, Savannah smiled. “That’s how it was for me. With that Chopin piece, he captured my mood. It was as though, by playing a song from before Jonas entering my life, Lucas had reminded me of all that I could be.”

“He brought you back to yourself.”

“Exactly. I’d forgotten who that Savannah was. I think I’ll enjoy becoming acquainted with her.”

“I know I have,” Jeremy said with a soft smile.

“Thank you for always welcoming me. I don’t know what I would have done without your friendship.”

“Nor I yours.”

“What do you mean?”

“Why do you think I recognized your sadness so readily? The darkness within?” He watched her with a guarded expression. “I have the same within me, Savannah. I know what it is to fight, every day, to find that moment of joy. Lest I be lost in a quagmire of darkness.”

Savannah rose from the rocking chair and moved to sit next to him on the bench.

Two of his fingers clasped a loose strand of her hair and twirled it around his fingers. “I hope, every day, that you’ll visit me. I know it is foolish of me, and yet I do.”

Savannah bit her lip as she fought a broad smile. “I tell Sophie that I visit you because Florence is away from her house. I think she sees through me, but I want to be able to see you too.”

“Do you think she’d prevent you from visiting me?”

“No, although I think she worries that my visits here could be construed as improper and any chance for a case against Jonas will lose merit.”

“And when you tell her there has been no impropriety?”

“She raises an eyebrow and smirks at my rumpled state,” Savannah said as she blushed rosily.

“Rumpled?” Jeremy’s brow furrowed. “Oh, well, that was because you were crying.”

“She has a vivid imagination,” Savannah whispered.

“As do I,” Jeremy said.

Savannah blushed a rosier red and dropped her gaze.

He raised her chin with two fingers to meet his gaze. “I mean no offense, Savannah. Please forgive me for teasing you.”

“Does that mean you don’t imagine …” Savannah’s voice faded as she met Jeremy’s intense stare.

“Oh, I imagine,” he whispered huskily.

Savannah took a deep breath and leaned forward, kissing him hard on the lips. Jeremy grunted as their noses bumped. He pulled away, a chuckle escaping him, as he caressed her cheek.

“There’s no rush, sweet Savannah,” he murmured. He canted forward, capturing her lips with his. On her sigh, he deepened the kiss. He stroked a hand over her hair, dislodging a few pins, before brushing his hands down her back, whisper soft. He scooted toward her, tangling his long legs in her skirts.

Many minutes later, Jeremy leaned away, dropping his hands from Savannah. She watched him with wide eyes, two fingers to her lips. “I should—” he began but was cut off as Savannah stopped his words with her fingers.

“—not speak,” she said with a tremulous smile. She leaned forward and kissed him once more before standing.

“I must return to Sophie’s,” Savannah murmured, as she reached up to her hair.

“There’s a mirror in the corner,” Jeremy said as he pointed at the stove.

She moved toward it, unpinning her hair and finger-combing it. She pulled it into a ponytail and formed a loose knot at the nape of her neck before jabbing pins in place. “That will have to do,” she said as she looked at herself in the mirror. “I just have to hope that Sophie doesn’t remember how I had my hair fashioned before I left today.”

“Doubtful. That woman seems as sharp as a hawk.” Jeremy reached out to stroke her earlobe and the side of her neck. “I’m sorry if I’ve caused you any difficulty.”

“I just hope your imagination was satisfied,” Savannah murmured, raising her hand to hold his by the side of her neck.

“Oh, I’m far from satisfied, sweet Savannah. But this is a good beginning,” Jeremy said with latent heat in his eyes.

“I’ll try to call again soon.” Savannah grinned at him. She released his hand and moved toward the door.

***

“IS THAT YOU, DEAREST?” Aunt Betsy called out. “I hope you had an enjoyable afternoon with your friend.”

Savannah entered the parlor and leaned down to kiss Aunt Betsy.

“It’s clear she did, Betsy,” Sophie said as she studied Savannah.

“Are there any sandwiches left? I’m a bit hungry,” Savannah said, as she reached for the cup of tea her aunt had prepared for her.

“I shouldn’t be surprised, from the look of you,” Sophie said.

“I look perfectly respectable, and you know it,” Savannah said with a glower.

“Unless you look in your eyes,” Sophie said. A smile bloomed as she studied Savannah. “I haven’t seen you this happy, truly happy, since your arrival here three months ago. And don’t try any insipid nonsense that you were with Florence cooing over baby patterns.” Her aquamarine gaze dared her to tell the truth.

“Florence was out again—” Savannah said.

“I’ve never known a person needing to do so much shopping,” Aunt Betsy said with an amused smile.

“Thus I visited with Mr. McLeod.”

“I suspected as much,” Sophie said. “Although this time I refuse to believe any claim to crying in his arms as the reason for your rumpled state, Savannah.”

Savannah felt her ears reddening. “We had an interesting … discussion about imaginations.”

Sophie cackled. “Ah, be careful, my dear. When you start that sort of discussion, they tend to lead to experiments.” She raised and lowered her eyebrows in a teasing manner.

Aunt Betsy giggled. “I agree, although I don’t know as I would warn caution. It seems to me you’ve lived your life filled with caution and have had very little pleasure for it.”

Savannah sobered. “Yes, well. We all know nothing will come of my visits. It’s nice to feel …”

“Yes?” Aunt Betsy asked.

“Anything,” Savannah whispered as, in an instant, she was blinking away tears.

“Oh, Savannah.” Aunt Betsy set down her teacup and reached out to clasp Savannah’s hand. “Now I must ask your forgiveness as I had to ask Clarissa for hers. I’m sorry I didn’t take a more active role in your life when you were younger.”

“What do you mean?”

“The few times I attempted to give Matilda advice, she became very upset. I had no wish to cause a rift in the family and be separated from my niece and nephew, thus I kept my concerns to myself. I’ve known for some time that I was wrong, and I’m sadder than I can say.”

“Nothing you could have said would have changed my decision,” Savannah said.

“Well, there’s no reason to reimagine the past, as it is done. Now we can only learn from it and ensure that the future is more to our liking.” She patted Savannah’s hand before releasing it.

“There is nothing between Mr. McLeod and me. He’s a good friend. Besides, a relationship would be completely unacceptable.”

“To whom?” Sophie asked. “To your snobbish grandparents or insufferable mother? What did their guidance bring you the last time? I’d think you’d have the sense to shed the prejudices that they attempted to instill in you and think for yourself.”

“Clarissa’s love of Gabriel is not unacceptable, Savannah,” Aunt Betsy argued. “He’s a good man, and he provides well for her. He might not be as wealthy as you expected, but money is a cold bedfellow. As I believe you know.”

Savannah flinched from the gentle reproach in her aunt’s voice. “I know,” Savannah said in a small voice.

“Although I believe you have listened to too much advice in your life and have not learned to trust your own instincts, I’m going to give you more advice.” Sophie’s eyes twinkled with wry humor. “Take some time away from him. I’d hate to see you leaving one man, only to begin with another. Take time to know who you are first.”

“Jeremy is nothing like Jonas,” Savannah hissed.