from unearthing another treasure.”
He had to swallow twice to locate his voice, a fact that genuinely irked him. Normally he wouldn’t consider himself inarticulate, but something about her could, in the blink of an eye, strip him of his finesse. Turn him into either a slack-jawed mute or, even worse, a babbling fool. Yet, in spite of that, he’d never enjoyed anyone’s company more than hers.
“I was unpacking a new shipment.” Then, just to prove that he could do so, he slipped his hands from hers. And only proved that it took less than a single second for him to miss her touch. “What are you doing here?”
He hadn’t meant for the question to sound quite so abrupt, and his insides squeezed at the flash of what looked like hurt that flickered in her eyes. Then she smiled, that teasing grin that made her eyes sparkle with mirth, and damned if every thought didn’t drain from his head.
“By here do you mean Halstead, or your shop?” she asked.
“Both.”
“I’m traveling with Aunt Olivia to London. We’re staying at Albright C ottage overnight before continuing to Town tomorrow.”
“How are Pamela and Marshall?” he asked, referring to Callie’s older sister and her physician husband who lived with their two children in the sprawling cottage where Callie had spent her early years. “I haven’t seen them in quite some time.”
Something that looked like sadness ghosted over her features but was gone so quickly he wondered if he’d imagined it. “I’ve not seen them myself since I last visited Halstead two years ago, although Pamela’s letters report that all is well. They are in London with the children, staying with Hayley and Stephen and their brood. My brothers are there as well.”
“So you’ll all be together soon.”
“Yes,” she agreed, something that William assumed would have thrilled her given how much she loved her family. Yet he detected something in her voice … something he couldn’t name other than to know it didn’t sound happy.
It suddenly struck him that perhaps some tragedy had befallen her since he’d last seen her. Whenever he thought of her, which was far more frequently than he cared to admit, he always imagined her happy. Smiling. Carefree. Enchanting those around her. Yet now he detected unmistakable traces of sadness in her eyes. Why? What was troubling her?
“Do I not pass muster, William?”
Her words jerked him from his thoughts and rushed another wave of heat up his neck. “Of course you do. You look… ” Exquisite. Perfect. And heartbreakingly sad. And it’s taking everything in me not to snatch you into my arms and never let you go. “Lovely. Forgive me. I’m just amazed to see you.”
Her dimples flashed. “Well, I couldn’t very well come to Halstead and not stop by your shop. Not only to see if I can find a treasure but also to see you.” She reached out and gently touched his arm. “My very dear friend.”
William looked down at her gloved fingers resting on his dusty forearm. Warmth spread through him as if he’d just stepped into a shaft of golden sunlight, the same sensation he experienced whenever she touched him, starting with the very first time, when he’d accompanied his father to Albright C ottage to deliver an antique sextant Callie’s sea captain father had purchased. While his father and Captain Albright had chatted in the drawing room, William had been drawn to the French windows that led to a stone terrace. And there he’d seen her, a laughing sprite, spinning in circles, bathed in sunlight, her arms wrapped around a doll that was nearly as big as she was.
He’d watched, fascinated by her giddy exuberance. At his home above the antique store, where he lived with his father, there’d been little laughter since his mother’s death two years prior. He had watched the little girl with envy, wanting more than anything to join her on the terrace and laugh. To have a friend. Suddenly , she had stopped spinning and
He had to swallow twice to locate his voice, a fact that genuinely irked him. Normally he wouldn’t consider himself inarticulate, but something about her could, in the blink of an eye, strip him of his finesse. Turn him into either a slack-jawed mute or, even worse, a babbling fool. Yet, in spite of that, he’d never enjoyed anyone’s company more than hers.
“I was unpacking a new shipment.” Then, just to prove that he could do so, he slipped his hands from hers. And only proved that it took less than a single second for him to miss her touch. “What are you doing here?”
He hadn’t meant for the question to sound quite so abrupt, and his insides squeezed at the flash of what looked like hurt that flickered in her eyes. Then she smiled, that teasing grin that made her eyes sparkle with mirth, and damned if every thought didn’t drain from his head.
“By here do you mean Halstead, or your shop?” she asked.
“Both.”
“I’m traveling with Aunt Olivia to London. We’re staying at Albright C ottage overnight before continuing to Town tomorrow.”
“How are Pamela and Marshall?” he asked, referring to Callie’s older sister and her physician husband who lived with their two children in the sprawling cottage where Callie had spent her early years. “I haven’t seen them in quite some time.”
Something that looked like sadness ghosted over her features but was gone so quickly he wondered if he’d imagined it. “I’ve not seen them myself since I last visited Halstead two years ago, although Pamela’s letters report that all is well. They are in London with the children, staying with Hayley and Stephen and their brood. My brothers are there as well.”
“So you’ll all be together soon.”
“Yes,” she agreed, something that William assumed would have thrilled her given how much she loved her family. Yet he detected something in her voice … something he couldn’t name other than to know it didn’t sound happy.
It suddenly struck him that perhaps some tragedy had befallen her since he’d last seen her. Whenever he thought of her, which was far more frequently than he cared to admit, he always imagined her happy. Smiling. Carefree. Enchanting those around her. Yet now he detected unmistakable traces of sadness in her eyes. Why? What was troubling her?
“Do I not pass muster, William?”
Her words jerked him from his thoughts and rushed another wave of heat up his neck. “Of course you do. You look… ” Exquisite. Perfect. And heartbreakingly sad. And it’s taking everything in me not to snatch you into my arms and never let you go. “Lovely. Forgive me. I’m just amazed to see you.”
Her dimples flashed. “Well, I couldn’t very well come to Halstead and not stop by your shop. Not only to see if I can find a treasure but also to see you.” She reached out and gently touched his arm. “My very dear friend.”
William looked down at her gloved fingers resting on his dusty forearm. Warmth spread through him as if he’d just stepped into a shaft of golden sunlight, the same sensation he experienced whenever she touched him, starting with the very first time, when he’d accompanied his father to Albright C ottage to deliver an antique sextant Callie’s sea captain father had purchased. While his father and Captain Albright had chatted in the drawing room, William had been drawn to the French windows that led to a stone terrace. And there he’d seen her, a laughing sprite, spinning in circles, bathed in sunlight, her arms wrapped around a doll that was nearly as big as she was.
He’d watched, fascinated by her giddy exuberance. At his home above the antique store, where he lived with his father, there’d been little laughter since his mother’s death two years prior. He had watched the little girl with envy, wanting more than anything to join her on the terrace and laugh. To have a friend. Suddenly , she had stopped spinning and
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