Gone for a while, but promised to return.”
Darcy laughed and shook back her hair.
“Are you worried you might see Mr. Brennan there?”
“Indeed not. I doubt I shall ever see Mr. Brennan again. And even if I do, it shall not be of any consequence to me.”
“And if he is wed to that prissy girl, tell him I think him well-deserving of such a thorn in his flesh.”
“It is because of me that you would say such a thing, Martha.”
“You are right. I would say it of any man who treated my dearest cousin and friend ill.”
They walked on, closer to the line of trees that shaded the field.
“You never did say all that was in the letter, Darcy. Were there other reasons for Grandmother asking you to come, other than wishing to see you?”
“That is the sum of it. She said that for many years she has grieved and explained it no further. I imagine not seeing our fathers for all these years caused her much pain, and to know we exist and to never to meet us has been difficult. I do not understand why she only asked for me, and not you or your sisters.”
“Perhaps she plans to send for us one at a time, and I shall be next on the list. But I do not ever want to go. I am afraid of strangers and strange places.”
“I have thought perhaps there are things I should know, and people I should meet,” said Darcy. “I am not afraid.”
Martha nodded. “You never are. I admire that about you.”
The breeze whispered through the weeping willow they walked under. Darcy drew in the air. “We are young, Martha. Neither of us should spend our days sitting at home. I must find answers, and you must find a husband.”
Her cousin laughed. “Have you no such hope in finding a good man, Darcy?”
“I shall desire marriage, if it is for love. If I never find it, than I shall remain as I am.”
“I have received two letters from Dr. Emerson,” Martha said. “I believe he is sincerely fond of me.”
Darcy turned to her cousin. “What is there not to be fond of? You have all the qualities a good man should desire. Beauty. Wit. Intelligence. And you have excellent taste in books, especially poetry. I hear Dr. Emerson is a deeply spiritual man, in the way Christ would have him be, kind and compassionate. I believe you are fond of him, as well.”
Martha blushed and nodded. “I am, indeed. He might stay here in the countryside, or he might carry me away to Baltimore, or even Annapolis.”
Darcy blinked in astonishment. “You would prefer the city to the river?”
“I would prefer to be wherever Dr. Emerson chooses to live. But I will admit the river would be my first choice, if I have any say in the matter.”
“I am sure he would want your opinion on such an important issue.”
“We have not spoken much, or ever been alone. But when I have seen him my heart pounds so hard, I think I should faint.”
Darcy felt her smile sweep from her face and a yearning fill her. “I understand. Now, when I think of Ethan, my heart aches. Love is a two-edged sword.”
“Yes, Darcy. Oh, we should not be speaking as if I am engaged to Dr. Emerson. I am not.”
“It does not hurt to dream.”
“What do you dream of?”
Darcy plucked a long blade of grass and then tossed it away. “Me? Well, I dream of growing old beside the two rivers. As you see, my expectations are not too lofty. I will not be disappointed, unless I die young.”
Off in the distance, she spied her uncle strolling home and pointed him out to her cousin. A canvas bag hung from his belt, and his dog, Dash, strutted alongside him. He lifted his hand and waved. Darcy pulled Martha’s arm, and together they proceeded through the field at a quick pace to meet him.
Dash leapt in front of Mr. Breese, barked, then stood still with a whine. His master staggered forward, gripped his shoulder, and grimaced in pain. When he dropped to his knees, Darcy drew her arm out from Martha’s and ran. Martha cried out and followed.
“Uncle Will!”
“Papa!” Martha
Darcy laughed and shook back her hair.
“Are you worried you might see Mr. Brennan there?”
“Indeed not. I doubt I shall ever see Mr. Brennan again. And even if I do, it shall not be of any consequence to me.”
“And if he is wed to that prissy girl, tell him I think him well-deserving of such a thorn in his flesh.”
“It is because of me that you would say such a thing, Martha.”
“You are right. I would say it of any man who treated my dearest cousin and friend ill.”
They walked on, closer to the line of trees that shaded the field.
“You never did say all that was in the letter, Darcy. Were there other reasons for Grandmother asking you to come, other than wishing to see you?”
“That is the sum of it. She said that for many years she has grieved and explained it no further. I imagine not seeing our fathers for all these years caused her much pain, and to know we exist and to never to meet us has been difficult. I do not understand why she only asked for me, and not you or your sisters.”
“Perhaps she plans to send for us one at a time, and I shall be next on the list. But I do not ever want to go. I am afraid of strangers and strange places.”
“I have thought perhaps there are things I should know, and people I should meet,” said Darcy. “I am not afraid.”
Martha nodded. “You never are. I admire that about you.”
The breeze whispered through the weeping willow they walked under. Darcy drew in the air. “We are young, Martha. Neither of us should spend our days sitting at home. I must find answers, and you must find a husband.”
Her cousin laughed. “Have you no such hope in finding a good man, Darcy?”
“I shall desire marriage, if it is for love. If I never find it, than I shall remain as I am.”
“I have received two letters from Dr. Emerson,” Martha said. “I believe he is sincerely fond of me.”
Darcy turned to her cousin. “What is there not to be fond of? You have all the qualities a good man should desire. Beauty. Wit. Intelligence. And you have excellent taste in books, especially poetry. I hear Dr. Emerson is a deeply spiritual man, in the way Christ would have him be, kind and compassionate. I believe you are fond of him, as well.”
Martha blushed and nodded. “I am, indeed. He might stay here in the countryside, or he might carry me away to Baltimore, or even Annapolis.”
Darcy blinked in astonishment. “You would prefer the city to the river?”
“I would prefer to be wherever Dr. Emerson chooses to live. But I will admit the river would be my first choice, if I have any say in the matter.”
“I am sure he would want your opinion on such an important issue.”
“We have not spoken much, or ever been alone. But when I have seen him my heart pounds so hard, I think I should faint.”
Darcy felt her smile sweep from her face and a yearning fill her. “I understand. Now, when I think of Ethan, my heart aches. Love is a two-edged sword.”
“Yes, Darcy. Oh, we should not be speaking as if I am engaged to Dr. Emerson. I am not.”
“It does not hurt to dream.”
“What do you dream of?”
Darcy plucked a long blade of grass and then tossed it away. “Me? Well, I dream of growing old beside the two rivers. As you see, my expectations are not too lofty. I will not be disappointed, unless I die young.”
Off in the distance, she spied her uncle strolling home and pointed him out to her cousin. A canvas bag hung from his belt, and his dog, Dash, strutted alongside him. He lifted his hand and waved. Darcy pulled Martha’s arm, and together they proceeded through the field at a quick pace to meet him.
Dash leapt in front of Mr. Breese, barked, then stood still with a whine. His master staggered forward, gripped his shoulder, and grimaced in pain. When he dropped to his knees, Darcy drew her arm out from Martha’s and ran. Martha cried out and followed.
“Uncle Will!”
“Papa!” Martha
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