smile took in everyone at the table. “She barely slept a wink last night. It’s not like she’s never seen Central Park. I took her when I could. But she’s so excited to be going with you all. She considers you part of her family now.”
“Well, good. Because that’s how we all feel about her,” Ben said.
Tears sprung to Elizabeth’s eyes. Jenny wasn’t much different than anyone else around this table. Mrs. Heaton had somehow managed to make them all feel like family. Sort of. The exception might be the way she felt about John.
Lately there was something different about how Elizabeth felt about him, how her heart did a funny little twist and jump like it did last night when she saw him come into the room. Or how her pulse seemed to speed up when he smiled at her—like he was doing now. But she didn’t want to analyze it right now and maybe not ever.
Feeling the color flood her cheeks, Elizabeth was glad when Michael and Violet arrived. Jenny looked up from the breakfast she was thoroughly enjoying and greeted them.
“Aunt Violet and Uncle Michael! Mama said you’d be going with us, but you weren’t here and I didn’t think you would come.”
“We wouldn’t miss a day at the park with you, Jenny!” her uncle said, giving her a kiss on the top of her head. The child exuded happiness—as did her mother, grandmother, aunt and uncle, although Rebecca was quieter about it all. There was a lot Elizabeth, and she assumed the others, didn’t know about Rebecca. Why she’d gone missing, what happened to her husband, and why she hadn’t sought out her mother? But Elizabeth wasn’t about to judge. Not when she had a secret of her own. Besides, it was none of her business. She was just glad the Heaton family had her back in their lives.
Chapter Eight
S oon as breakfast was over, the group hurried to get ready to go to Central Park while Mrs. Heaton went to the kitchen to make sure all the picnic food was ready. Colleen and her boys and Kathleen’s sister and nephews arrived just as everyone was gathering downstairs.
The omnibus Mrs. Heaton had called for arrived right on time and they all piled in after making sure their lunch was onboard. The day was warm, but not too hot and it would be comfortable once they reached the park. The women had all chosen light skirts and shirtwaists; the men were in light-colored shirts, too.
John took a seat beside Elizabeth and began to roll his blue-and-white shirtsleeves up as he watched Kathleen’s nephews, Collin and Brody, talking to Jenny. They were laughing and nodding and Jenny was giggling, her hand over her mouth. He couldn’t help but wonder what they were talking about.
“I’m so happy Kathleen and her sister and the boys made it out of the tenements,” Elizabeth said. “Look how happy they are now.”
“It’s a big change in them since the first time we saw them, isn’t it?” John finished rolling up his sleeves and turned to Elizabeth. “They don’t have that heartbreakingly sad look anymore.”
Elizabeth grinned. “No, they don’t. Look how animated they are talking to Jenny. I think they like trying to impress her with their tales.”
“It appears that way.” John chuckled, seeing Collin spread his hands wide as he described something to the little girl. The young boy had her rapt attention. “Maybe I should take lessons from him.”
“You, John? Is there someone you want to impress?”
She looked at him, her hazel eyes a shade greener than usual and the expression in them had his breath catching in his throat. Did she care? He gave a little shrug. “There might be. But I’m never sure what to say to women and my instincts where they are concerned are—”
“We’re here!” Jenny exclaimed as the omnibus came to a stop at their favorite picnicking area. Everyone began gathering baskets and blankets and hurrying off the omnibus, leaving John to let out a huge sigh of relief that the conversation between he and Elizabeth had
“Well, good. Because that’s how we all feel about her,” Ben said.
Tears sprung to Elizabeth’s eyes. Jenny wasn’t much different than anyone else around this table. Mrs. Heaton had somehow managed to make them all feel like family. Sort of. The exception might be the way she felt about John.
Lately there was something different about how Elizabeth felt about him, how her heart did a funny little twist and jump like it did last night when she saw him come into the room. Or how her pulse seemed to speed up when he smiled at her—like he was doing now. But she didn’t want to analyze it right now and maybe not ever.
Feeling the color flood her cheeks, Elizabeth was glad when Michael and Violet arrived. Jenny looked up from the breakfast she was thoroughly enjoying and greeted them.
“Aunt Violet and Uncle Michael! Mama said you’d be going with us, but you weren’t here and I didn’t think you would come.”
“We wouldn’t miss a day at the park with you, Jenny!” her uncle said, giving her a kiss on the top of her head. The child exuded happiness—as did her mother, grandmother, aunt and uncle, although Rebecca was quieter about it all. There was a lot Elizabeth, and she assumed the others, didn’t know about Rebecca. Why she’d gone missing, what happened to her husband, and why she hadn’t sought out her mother? But Elizabeth wasn’t about to judge. Not when she had a secret of her own. Besides, it was none of her business. She was just glad the Heaton family had her back in their lives.
Chapter Eight
S oon as breakfast was over, the group hurried to get ready to go to Central Park while Mrs. Heaton went to the kitchen to make sure all the picnic food was ready. Colleen and her boys and Kathleen’s sister and nephews arrived just as everyone was gathering downstairs.
The omnibus Mrs. Heaton had called for arrived right on time and they all piled in after making sure their lunch was onboard. The day was warm, but not too hot and it would be comfortable once they reached the park. The women had all chosen light skirts and shirtwaists; the men were in light-colored shirts, too.
John took a seat beside Elizabeth and began to roll his blue-and-white shirtsleeves up as he watched Kathleen’s nephews, Collin and Brody, talking to Jenny. They were laughing and nodding and Jenny was giggling, her hand over her mouth. He couldn’t help but wonder what they were talking about.
“I’m so happy Kathleen and her sister and the boys made it out of the tenements,” Elizabeth said. “Look how happy they are now.”
“It’s a big change in them since the first time we saw them, isn’t it?” John finished rolling up his sleeves and turned to Elizabeth. “They don’t have that heartbreakingly sad look anymore.”
Elizabeth grinned. “No, they don’t. Look how animated they are talking to Jenny. I think they like trying to impress her with their tales.”
“It appears that way.” John chuckled, seeing Collin spread his hands wide as he described something to the little girl. The young boy had her rapt attention. “Maybe I should take lessons from him.”
“You, John? Is there someone you want to impress?”
She looked at him, her hazel eyes a shade greener than usual and the expression in them had his breath catching in his throat. Did she care? He gave a little shrug. “There might be. But I’m never sure what to say to women and my instincts where they are concerned are—”
“We’re here!” Jenny exclaimed as the omnibus came to a stop at their favorite picnicking area. Everyone began gathering baskets and blankets and hurrying off the omnibus, leaving John to let out a huge sigh of relief that the conversation between he and Elizabeth had
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