flew around the corner. “For goodness’ sake, child, whatever is—” She paused midsentence, her mouth falling agape at the sight of Amelia. “What on earth has happened to you? Come in, dearest.”
“He’s going to take her away!” Amelia gulped for breath.
“What? Who? Here, come in and sit down. Over here by thefire.” Jane wrapped her arms around Amelia’s heaving shoulders and guided her to a chair next to the fireplace. “There, there. I want to hear all about it, but you must calm down first. Fainting dead away will not help.”
Amelia stared into the fire, her tears blurring the dying embers’ light. Her teeth chattered, but she wasn’t cold. She inhaled and exhaled, willing the rapid breathing to subside.
Jane removed the comb hanging from Amelia’s hair and brushed the locks with her fingers. “There now. What is wrong?”
“Captain Sterling. He said he plans to make other arrangements for Lucy.” Amelia’s pitch elevated. “He’s taking her from Winterwood! What am I to do?”
Jane’s voice was calm and controlled. “Where is Lucy now?”
“She is still at Winterwood, but the captain was very clear. He is making other arrangements.”
“Tell me what happened.”
Amelia hesitated. “I am not certain, to be honest. The captain and his brother were visiting Lucy. While they were at Winterwood, Mr. Littleton and I had a bit of a . . . disagreement. Captain Sterling intervened. I think the captain and Edward had words.”
Jane grabbed her own lace shawl from the sofa and draped it around Amelia’s shoulders. “If that is the case, then the captain’s decision likely has more to do with Mr. Littleton than you.” She reached out to pat Amelia’s hand, but when she saw the red marks from Edward’s tight grip, she pulled the hand closer. “Mercy’s sake! How did this happen?”
Amelia drew her hand back and tucked it under the shawl. She should take this opportunity to tell Jane everything. About the changes in Edward’s personality and her doubts about his motivation. About her proposal to the captain. About her heartbreak over losing Lucy. But the words just would not form.
Jane didn’t push her. “This must be very distressing to you. Iknow how much you care for Lucy. But sometimes things happen that are beyond our control. But God has a plan, dearest. He has a plan for you and for Lucy.”
Amelia sniffed and shook her head. “I don’t believe it. How could that be so? God would take a child away from the one person who loves her?”
“You assume Captain Sterling doesn’t love Lucy?”
“How could he?” Amelia retorted. “He’s barely met her. Besides, he’ll be gone for months—years—at a time! Katherine knew that. That is why she had me promise—”
“This is where trust comes in. You have done everything you can possibly do. You must accept that God’s hand is in all things. He will not leave you nor forsake you, Amelia. He will not leave nor forsake Lucy.”
Amelia bolted from her chair and crossed the room. She wanted to believe Jane. She did. Her Bible reading from earlier in the day rushed to the forefront of her mind. But what if she did trust God and Lucy was still taken from her? She could not take that chance.
Jane stood and crossed after her. “Calm yourself, dearest. Things may not be as dire as you think. The captain, by all accounts, is a fine, respectable man, and he seems to be a good one as well. I feel certain he will listen to reason.” She produced a lace handkerchief from a drawer and handed it to Amelia. “Dusk will fall soon. You need to go home, get a good night’s sleep. Then we will sort this out together. All right?”
Amelia nodded and allowed Jane to fold her into an embrace.
“Have faith, dearest,” Jane whispered. “You are not alone.”
It was not a falsehood. Not exactly.
Aunt Augusta crossed her arms over her ample bosom andglared at Amelia. The last rays of the setting sun filtered through the drawing
“He’s going to take her away!” Amelia gulped for breath.
“What? Who? Here, come in and sit down. Over here by thefire.” Jane wrapped her arms around Amelia’s heaving shoulders and guided her to a chair next to the fireplace. “There, there. I want to hear all about it, but you must calm down first. Fainting dead away will not help.”
Amelia stared into the fire, her tears blurring the dying embers’ light. Her teeth chattered, but she wasn’t cold. She inhaled and exhaled, willing the rapid breathing to subside.
Jane removed the comb hanging from Amelia’s hair and brushed the locks with her fingers. “There now. What is wrong?”
“Captain Sterling. He said he plans to make other arrangements for Lucy.” Amelia’s pitch elevated. “He’s taking her from Winterwood! What am I to do?”
Jane’s voice was calm and controlled. “Where is Lucy now?”
“She is still at Winterwood, but the captain was very clear. He is making other arrangements.”
“Tell me what happened.”
Amelia hesitated. “I am not certain, to be honest. The captain and his brother were visiting Lucy. While they were at Winterwood, Mr. Littleton and I had a bit of a . . . disagreement. Captain Sterling intervened. I think the captain and Edward had words.”
Jane grabbed her own lace shawl from the sofa and draped it around Amelia’s shoulders. “If that is the case, then the captain’s decision likely has more to do with Mr. Littleton than you.” She reached out to pat Amelia’s hand, but when she saw the red marks from Edward’s tight grip, she pulled the hand closer. “Mercy’s sake! How did this happen?”
Amelia drew her hand back and tucked it under the shawl. She should take this opportunity to tell Jane everything. About the changes in Edward’s personality and her doubts about his motivation. About her proposal to the captain. About her heartbreak over losing Lucy. But the words just would not form.
Jane didn’t push her. “This must be very distressing to you. Iknow how much you care for Lucy. But sometimes things happen that are beyond our control. But God has a plan, dearest. He has a plan for you and for Lucy.”
Amelia sniffed and shook her head. “I don’t believe it. How could that be so? God would take a child away from the one person who loves her?”
“You assume Captain Sterling doesn’t love Lucy?”
“How could he?” Amelia retorted. “He’s barely met her. Besides, he’ll be gone for months—years—at a time! Katherine knew that. That is why she had me promise—”
“This is where trust comes in. You have done everything you can possibly do. You must accept that God’s hand is in all things. He will not leave you nor forsake you, Amelia. He will not leave nor forsake Lucy.”
Amelia bolted from her chair and crossed the room. She wanted to believe Jane. She did. Her Bible reading from earlier in the day rushed to the forefront of her mind. But what if she did trust God and Lucy was still taken from her? She could not take that chance.
Jane stood and crossed after her. “Calm yourself, dearest. Things may not be as dire as you think. The captain, by all accounts, is a fine, respectable man, and he seems to be a good one as well. I feel certain he will listen to reason.” She produced a lace handkerchief from a drawer and handed it to Amelia. “Dusk will fall soon. You need to go home, get a good night’s sleep. Then we will sort this out together. All right?”
Amelia nodded and allowed Jane to fold her into an embrace.
“Have faith, dearest,” Jane whispered. “You are not alone.”
It was not a falsehood. Not exactly.
Aunt Augusta crossed her arms over her ample bosom andglared at Amelia. The last rays of the setting sun filtered through the drawing
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