She wasn’t lying when she told Theo about missing Finn. She genuinely grieved for him every single day, and the loss was not something she would easily get over. True, she told Theo about Finn in an effort to gain his sympathy, but there was a part of her heart that broke the day she learned of Finn’s death. Maybe Theo could help. He wasn’t just a coveted prize to be won; he was someone she could grow to love, and hopefully he could love her. He liked to care for damaged things, so maybe he could care for her and make her whole again.
“I must admit that I’ve been terribly lonely since coming to England. My parents are preoccupied , and there’s no one here close to my age. I enjoy playing with the children, but I long for more age-appropriate company. Any time you could spare would lead to my undying gratitude. My brother used to take me for picnics by the lake on fine days. Do you think that’s something I might be able to convince you to do? It would mean so much to me.” Louisa looked up at Theo, smiling beguilingly.
“It would be my pleasure. Would this afternoon be too soon? I could ask Cook to pack us a basket of food, and I know just the place. My brothers and I used to play there when we came to visit grandfather. That was before he died and left the estate to Uncle Kit. I can barely remember him now. My mother is buried next to him. She died in this house, you know.” Theo suddenly looked upset, obviously grappling with the sad memory of his mother’s final days.
“I’m sorry , Louisa. I didn’t mean to get all maudlin. It’s just that this house holds some bad memories for me. I hope you can forgive me.”
“There’s nothing to forgive. I suggest we make some new memories, ones that will make you smile when you recall the summer you met the girl from Virginia. Anyway, this afternoon would be perfect,” Louisa said, rising to her tiptoes and planting a kiss on Theo’s cheek. “You’ve made me so happy.”
August 1777
New York
Chapter 19
The loft had finally cooled down, a gentle wind blowing from the open window directly onto the bed. Feeble starlight just barely lit up the sky, black as pitch on this moonless night. The night was quiet around them, only the chirping of a cricket and the scurrying of mice heard somewhere in the rafters. Abbie hated the rats, but there was no escaping them so close to the water. She sighed contentedly and snuggled closer to Finn, pressing her butt against his thighs. She never bothered to put her shift back on after Finn’s frenzied lovemaking, and lay naked in his arms, languid and satisfied.
“Finn, did Sam really stay with that woman?” Abbie asked quietly.
“I don’t know. I expect she had some important information to pass on to him,” he improvised, hoping Abbie would drop the subject.
“Thank you for that, but you don’t need to lie to me. Sam was always one for the girls, even at a young age. Funny how different he is from Pa and Jonah,” she mused, sounding sleepy.
“How is he different?” asked Finn, although he already knew.
“My mother was the first girl Pa courted , did you know that? He said she was always the one for him, and Jonah breaks out in hives every time a girl so much as looks at him.” Abbie giggled and turned onto her back, her eyes on Finn’s. “Pa caught Sam with a girl when he was just thirteen. She was a neighbor’s daughter two years his senior.”
“What did your father do?” He couldn’t help wondering what his own father would have done had he caught him with a girl.
“Oh, he took a strap to him. Said that Sam had no business being with a woman until he was in a position to marry and support a child he might have gotten on her. Sam took the beating without a peep, although he had trouble sitting for about a week.” Abbie smiled at Finn in the darkness, obviously remembering Sam’s
“I must admit that I’ve been terribly lonely since coming to England. My parents are preoccupied , and there’s no one here close to my age. I enjoy playing with the children, but I long for more age-appropriate company. Any time you could spare would lead to my undying gratitude. My brother used to take me for picnics by the lake on fine days. Do you think that’s something I might be able to convince you to do? It would mean so much to me.” Louisa looked up at Theo, smiling beguilingly.
“It would be my pleasure. Would this afternoon be too soon? I could ask Cook to pack us a basket of food, and I know just the place. My brothers and I used to play there when we came to visit grandfather. That was before he died and left the estate to Uncle Kit. I can barely remember him now. My mother is buried next to him. She died in this house, you know.” Theo suddenly looked upset, obviously grappling with the sad memory of his mother’s final days.
“I’m sorry , Louisa. I didn’t mean to get all maudlin. It’s just that this house holds some bad memories for me. I hope you can forgive me.”
“There’s nothing to forgive. I suggest we make some new memories, ones that will make you smile when you recall the summer you met the girl from Virginia. Anyway, this afternoon would be perfect,” Louisa said, rising to her tiptoes and planting a kiss on Theo’s cheek. “You’ve made me so happy.”
August 1777
New York
Chapter 19
The loft had finally cooled down, a gentle wind blowing from the open window directly onto the bed. Feeble starlight just barely lit up the sky, black as pitch on this moonless night. The night was quiet around them, only the chirping of a cricket and the scurrying of mice heard somewhere in the rafters. Abbie hated the rats, but there was no escaping them so close to the water. She sighed contentedly and snuggled closer to Finn, pressing her butt against his thighs. She never bothered to put her shift back on after Finn’s frenzied lovemaking, and lay naked in his arms, languid and satisfied.
“Finn, did Sam really stay with that woman?” Abbie asked quietly.
“I don’t know. I expect she had some important information to pass on to him,” he improvised, hoping Abbie would drop the subject.
“Thank you for that, but you don’t need to lie to me. Sam was always one for the girls, even at a young age. Funny how different he is from Pa and Jonah,” she mused, sounding sleepy.
“How is he different?” asked Finn, although he already knew.
“My mother was the first girl Pa courted , did you know that? He said she was always the one for him, and Jonah breaks out in hives every time a girl so much as looks at him.” Abbie giggled and turned onto her back, her eyes on Finn’s. “Pa caught Sam with a girl when he was just thirteen. She was a neighbor’s daughter two years his senior.”
“What did your father do?” He couldn’t help wondering what his own father would have done had he caught him with a girl.
“Oh, he took a strap to him. Said that Sam had no business being with a woman until he was in a position to marry and support a child he might have gotten on her. Sam took the beating without a peep, although he had trouble sitting for about a week.” Abbie smiled at Finn in the darkness, obviously remembering Sam’s
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