familiarity returning as they reminisced about old times and the more unforgettable adventures from their youth. It was also a bit unnerving, the way his nearness seemed to constantly affect her so.
Watching him work now, she admitted to herself she had been thinking of him more than she ought to, especially these last two weeks, since she had found his letter.
After the men left for the mountains, besides painting each day, Georgiana was taking the time to catch up on the rest of the housework, cleaning what had been ignored since her grandmother’s passing. She marveled at the amount of dirty clothing her grandfather had accumulated and wondered if he had taken to purchasing more than a few new items in order to avoid doing the laundry. It had indeed taken her a whole afternoon to wash his things.
After the clothes had dried and been folded, she took them into his room to put them away in his bureau. That was how she’d found the note. It was sitting in his top drawer. A yellowed, folded piece of parchment bearing her name, tied up with what appeared to be an old, dried up sunflower. Figuring it wasn’t a breach of privacy because the letter clearly had been intended for her, Georgiana sat down on his bed, laying the clothes down beside her, and began reading.
The letter turned out to be from Ridge, probably written the same day she’d stolen a kiss under the old oak. It mentioned he wanted to return something to her. She puzzled as to what it could be.
Apparently, he must have delivered the letter after she had already left town, for she had never received it. The same as Samantha, she had never received any letters from Ridge. As a result, she had spent many nights crying herself to sleep, her young and tender heart broken.
She really couldn’t blame him. It wasn’t his fault she had nurtured a crush on him, loved him even, as much as a girl could love at such a tender age. But still, they were friends and had actually become quite close after she had forgiven him for the mean prank. She had been almost closer to him than she had been with Samantha. That was the reason it had hurt so badly when he hadn’t written. She should never have taken that kissing dare. It had ruined their friendship, and living in her aunt’s house, she had needed her friends so much.
Now, as she watched him work, she wondered just how deep those feelings for him ran. She had been so young, and it was so long ago. Was it possible that this boy, grown to be a man, could still have a hold on her heart? And was that hold growing stronger with each passing day, with each look he gave her or each time he accidentally brushed past her, causing her senses to thrill?
Shaking her head, Georgiana turned back from the window, walked to the cupboard, and began retrieving the old earthenware plates, setting them out for dinner. She then noticed the pile of letters sitting on the corner of the table. That must have been what Ridge was doing in the house, she thought. Georgiana picked them up and quickly shuffled through them. There was a letter from her mother, one from her younger brother William, and five from Dawson! Last week there had been three from him . . . but five? When he had said he would write daily, she hadn’t really believed he would. She had only written him three letters, one the morning after she had first arrived, and two since.
What was she going to do about him? Georgiana buried her face in her hands in exasperation. It wasn’t that his letters weren’t sweet, but he constantly wanted to know when she would be returning home. She did miss him, truly she did. However, as far as she was concerned, she’d just barely arrived and was quite far from being ready to leave. Especially since, from the moment she’d come, she had felt a peace she had not known in a long time. The constant longing for something else no longer nipped and tugged at her. If it weren’t for the sake of her mother and brothers, she would send a
Watching him work now, she admitted to herself she had been thinking of him more than she ought to, especially these last two weeks, since she had found his letter.
After the men left for the mountains, besides painting each day, Georgiana was taking the time to catch up on the rest of the housework, cleaning what had been ignored since her grandmother’s passing. She marveled at the amount of dirty clothing her grandfather had accumulated and wondered if he had taken to purchasing more than a few new items in order to avoid doing the laundry. It had indeed taken her a whole afternoon to wash his things.
After the clothes had dried and been folded, she took them into his room to put them away in his bureau. That was how she’d found the note. It was sitting in his top drawer. A yellowed, folded piece of parchment bearing her name, tied up with what appeared to be an old, dried up sunflower. Figuring it wasn’t a breach of privacy because the letter clearly had been intended for her, Georgiana sat down on his bed, laying the clothes down beside her, and began reading.
The letter turned out to be from Ridge, probably written the same day she’d stolen a kiss under the old oak. It mentioned he wanted to return something to her. She puzzled as to what it could be.
Apparently, he must have delivered the letter after she had already left town, for she had never received it. The same as Samantha, she had never received any letters from Ridge. As a result, she had spent many nights crying herself to sleep, her young and tender heart broken.
She really couldn’t blame him. It wasn’t his fault she had nurtured a crush on him, loved him even, as much as a girl could love at such a tender age. But still, they were friends and had actually become quite close after she had forgiven him for the mean prank. She had been almost closer to him than she had been with Samantha. That was the reason it had hurt so badly when he hadn’t written. She should never have taken that kissing dare. It had ruined their friendship, and living in her aunt’s house, she had needed her friends so much.
Now, as she watched him work, she wondered just how deep those feelings for him ran. She had been so young, and it was so long ago. Was it possible that this boy, grown to be a man, could still have a hold on her heart? And was that hold growing stronger with each passing day, with each look he gave her or each time he accidentally brushed past her, causing her senses to thrill?
Shaking her head, Georgiana turned back from the window, walked to the cupboard, and began retrieving the old earthenware plates, setting them out for dinner. She then noticed the pile of letters sitting on the corner of the table. That must have been what Ridge was doing in the house, she thought. Georgiana picked them up and quickly shuffled through them. There was a letter from her mother, one from her younger brother William, and five from Dawson! Last week there had been three from him . . . but five? When he had said he would write daily, she hadn’t really believed he would. She had only written him three letters, one the morning after she had first arrived, and two since.
What was she going to do about him? Georgiana buried her face in her hands in exasperation. It wasn’t that his letters weren’t sweet, but he constantly wanted to know when she would be returning home. She did miss him, truly she did. However, as far as she was concerned, she’d just barely arrived and was quite far from being ready to leave. Especially since, from the moment she’d come, she had felt a peace she had not known in a long time. The constant longing for something else no longer nipped and tugged at her. If it weren’t for the sake of her mother and brothers, she would send a
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