without one.”
“Yes, they can be troublesome, shadowing your every movement.” Mr. Breese lifted her hand and closed her fingers over the pouch. “One way or another, you will need this. If I could afford for the entire family to take a long holiday, I would arrange it. But it isn’t possible. My duty is here with my wife and the girls.”
Darcy pushed back the tears welling in her eyes. “What was grandmother’s letter to you like?”
“Blunt. She did not ask me to visit her.”
“I am sorry, Uncle.”
“I daresay she has forgotten me for the most part. But I have not forsaken her, Darcy. The Bible says not to despise your mother when she is old. I have written many times and asked her to come live with us. I have even sent money. At times I have felt guilty for being so far away from her now that she is aged.”
Darcy wiped her eyes. His words saddened her.
“You’re heart has been low these past few days,” her uncle said. “What is it?”
Darcy forced a smile. “I think deeply on things, Uncle Will. That’s all. Besides all this, I admit I am troubled over Mr. Brennan.”
He placed his hands gently on her shoulders. “Hmm, obviously that slip of a girl, Miss Roth, upset you. Is there something I can do?”
“She said, or rather implied, my parents brought shame to our family. Is this true?”
“Tittle-tattle. Your father was a brave patriot, and your mother endured those war years without him. She kept River Run and the mill at Israel Creek running.”
“Yes, I have not forgotten what you have told me,” said Darcy. “I’ve always felt proud of them.”
“You have every reason to. It was not easy keeping River Run going while he was away. I have always felt sorry for the letter I sent your mother, when I was told the British had hanged your father. She had to live with grief all that time.”
“But what joy there must have been when she learned the truth,” Darcy said. “I vaguely remember my father’s homecoming. Strange, I mostly recall the buttons on his uniform and him carrying me through the hall. He loved my mother, didn’t he?”
“As much as any man can love a woman.” He crossed the room to his desk, took out a key, and opened a drawer. He showed Darcy a thick, folded parchment. “Your father showed up on my doorstep with you in tow to tell me your mother was dead and handed me the deed to River Run, saying it should be given to you upon your marriage. He said he could not care for you, that you needed a mother, and so left you with us. He never told me more, but I could see his mind was affected.”
For a moment, Darcy held the deed in her hands. River Run would be hers one day, but only upon the day she wed. “Such love. Such honor.” She looked back at her uncle and handed him the document. “Why would people speak unkind things about them?”
“Do not listen to idle gossip. There is no shame.” He tucked the deed back into the drawer and closed it.
“Mr. Brennan stopped calling because he believed their lies. He refused to attach himself to someone like me, according to his letter.”
“I shall ride over to Twin Oaks and have a word with Captain Rhendon. I will not stand for it. I’ll not have my family spoken ill of. Dear Lord, Eliza is in her grave these many years and they still speak harshly of her. Surely God frowns on such disrespect.”
Darcy took a step closer to him. “Uncle, why is there no gravestone for my mother at River Run?”
“I do not know, Darcy.”
“It is not right that she should not be remembered in that way. When I return, I will see it is done. And one for Ilene as well.”
She kissed his cheek and left for her room. Night swallowed up the twilight, and she sat on her bedside, gazing out the window at the misty land before her, a tumult of emotions flooding her heart.
11
Unable to sleep most of the night, Darcy tried to picture her grandmother in her mind. Perhaps she might be an elegant woman, stiff in posture,
“Yes, they can be troublesome, shadowing your every movement.” Mr. Breese lifted her hand and closed her fingers over the pouch. “One way or another, you will need this. If I could afford for the entire family to take a long holiday, I would arrange it. But it isn’t possible. My duty is here with my wife and the girls.”
Darcy pushed back the tears welling in her eyes. “What was grandmother’s letter to you like?”
“Blunt. She did not ask me to visit her.”
“I am sorry, Uncle.”
“I daresay she has forgotten me for the most part. But I have not forsaken her, Darcy. The Bible says not to despise your mother when she is old. I have written many times and asked her to come live with us. I have even sent money. At times I have felt guilty for being so far away from her now that she is aged.”
Darcy wiped her eyes. His words saddened her.
“You’re heart has been low these past few days,” her uncle said. “What is it?”
Darcy forced a smile. “I think deeply on things, Uncle Will. That’s all. Besides all this, I admit I am troubled over Mr. Brennan.”
He placed his hands gently on her shoulders. “Hmm, obviously that slip of a girl, Miss Roth, upset you. Is there something I can do?”
“She said, or rather implied, my parents brought shame to our family. Is this true?”
“Tittle-tattle. Your father was a brave patriot, and your mother endured those war years without him. She kept River Run and the mill at Israel Creek running.”
“Yes, I have not forgotten what you have told me,” said Darcy. “I’ve always felt proud of them.”
“You have every reason to. It was not easy keeping River Run going while he was away. I have always felt sorry for the letter I sent your mother, when I was told the British had hanged your father. She had to live with grief all that time.”
“But what joy there must have been when she learned the truth,” Darcy said. “I vaguely remember my father’s homecoming. Strange, I mostly recall the buttons on his uniform and him carrying me through the hall. He loved my mother, didn’t he?”
“As much as any man can love a woman.” He crossed the room to his desk, took out a key, and opened a drawer. He showed Darcy a thick, folded parchment. “Your father showed up on my doorstep with you in tow to tell me your mother was dead and handed me the deed to River Run, saying it should be given to you upon your marriage. He said he could not care for you, that you needed a mother, and so left you with us. He never told me more, but I could see his mind was affected.”
For a moment, Darcy held the deed in her hands. River Run would be hers one day, but only upon the day she wed. “Such love. Such honor.” She looked back at her uncle and handed him the document. “Why would people speak unkind things about them?”
“Do not listen to idle gossip. There is no shame.” He tucked the deed back into the drawer and closed it.
“Mr. Brennan stopped calling because he believed their lies. He refused to attach himself to someone like me, according to his letter.”
“I shall ride over to Twin Oaks and have a word with Captain Rhendon. I will not stand for it. I’ll not have my family spoken ill of. Dear Lord, Eliza is in her grave these many years and they still speak harshly of her. Surely God frowns on such disrespect.”
Darcy took a step closer to him. “Uncle, why is there no gravestone for my mother at River Run?”
“I do not know, Darcy.”
“It is not right that she should not be remembered in that way. When I return, I will see it is done. And one for Ilene as well.”
She kissed his cheek and left for her room. Night swallowed up the twilight, and she sat on her bedside, gazing out the window at the misty land before her, a tumult of emotions flooding her heart.
11
Unable to sleep most of the night, Darcy tried to picture her grandmother in her mind. Perhaps she might be an elegant woman, stiff in posture,
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