a young girl who is sent to boarding school in England while her father stays in India, searching for his fortune. She has beautiful clothes and is treated like a little princess. Then her father dies and she’s left penniless, until her guardian finally finds her. Actually, she finds him, but that’s not the point. Anna Jane is worried that if she goes to boarding school you’re going to die and she’s going to be penniless and forced to live in an attic.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
“She’s only nine, so don’t expect her to believe you right off. We’re not talking about logic. This fear is based on the fact that everyone she’s ever cared about has left her. This isn’t about being poor, but being abandoned. It’s going to take time for her to trust caring again.”
So he and his niece had something in common. Yet he wanted more for her than the solitary existence he was forced to endure.
“She needs an education,” he said. “What’s the solution? There’s a day school on a neighboring island, but she would have to board at least during the week. I suppose I could hire tutors.”
“I think you should talk to her,” Ariel told him. “You can’t separate her from other children, and you can’t let her think she’s been abandoned.”
Returning to the States was an obvious solution, but not an option.
“You know a lot about children,” he said.
“Isn’t it odd? I’ve been thinking about it and I can’t explain it. Maybe I’m a child psychologist or a teacher. I hate not knowing things about myself. I’ve been trying to define my life, so I started making a list.”
“Tell me what you have so far.”
She raised her eyebrows. “I’m not feeling that strong, Jarrett.”
“You’re afraid I’ll insult you?”
“Let’s just say you’re not my biggest fan.”
She did have a point, he conceded. “I won’t say anything unkind.”
“Ooh, there’s a promise to make a girl’s heart beat faster.” She straightened. “Okay, but no wisecracks.” She pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and tilted it so it faced the light from the kitchen. “I have something to do with children, but young children, not teenagers. I have no sense of dealing with them.” She grinned. “So I must be intelligent.”
He laughed. “You have a point.”
She returned her attention to the list. “I like reading. When I went through your library, I realized I’ve read a lot of the books there. I can remember the plots. I enjoy mysteries and romances, which, by the way, your library is sadly lacking.”
“So noted. Go on.”
“That’s about it. I have a sense of humor and—” She bit her lower lip and folded the paper. “That’s me. A few lines on a page and not much else. I would expect to have more to show for myself.”
Her mood had shifted like the tide. Where before she’d been accessible, moving toward him, now she retreated, pulling into herself. Her shoulders hunched forward. “I can’t believe there isn’t a single person looking for me. That feels so wrong and empty. People can’t live like that, can they? There has to be someone, somewhere.”
She shuddered and turned her back. He reached out a hand to touch her, then let it fall to the wall. He had no right to comfort her…and no comfort to offer. “We’ll find your family,” he said, feeling awkward, knowing the words weren’t enough.
“What if you can’t? What if they don’t exist?” Her voice cracked. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, and stood. “I need to be alone now.”
She headed for the water. Without thinking, Jarrett followed her. “Ariel, wait.”
She shook her head and kept walking. He caught her in three long strides. “Ariel,” he said as he took her arm and turned her toward him.
Tears flowed silently down her cheeks. Not knowing what else to do, he pulled her close and held her.
“Why are you being n-nice to me?” she asked, clinging to him and pressing her face into the
“That’s not going to happen.”
“She’s only nine, so don’t expect her to believe you right off. We’re not talking about logic. This fear is based on the fact that everyone she’s ever cared about has left her. This isn’t about being poor, but being abandoned. It’s going to take time for her to trust caring again.”
So he and his niece had something in common. Yet he wanted more for her than the solitary existence he was forced to endure.
“She needs an education,” he said. “What’s the solution? There’s a day school on a neighboring island, but she would have to board at least during the week. I suppose I could hire tutors.”
“I think you should talk to her,” Ariel told him. “You can’t separate her from other children, and you can’t let her think she’s been abandoned.”
Returning to the States was an obvious solution, but not an option.
“You know a lot about children,” he said.
“Isn’t it odd? I’ve been thinking about it and I can’t explain it. Maybe I’m a child psychologist or a teacher. I hate not knowing things about myself. I’ve been trying to define my life, so I started making a list.”
“Tell me what you have so far.”
She raised her eyebrows. “I’m not feeling that strong, Jarrett.”
“You’re afraid I’ll insult you?”
“Let’s just say you’re not my biggest fan.”
She did have a point, he conceded. “I won’t say anything unkind.”
“Ooh, there’s a promise to make a girl’s heart beat faster.” She straightened. “Okay, but no wisecracks.” She pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and tilted it so it faced the light from the kitchen. “I have something to do with children, but young children, not teenagers. I have no sense of dealing with them.” She grinned. “So I must be intelligent.”
He laughed. “You have a point.”
She returned her attention to the list. “I like reading. When I went through your library, I realized I’ve read a lot of the books there. I can remember the plots. I enjoy mysteries and romances, which, by the way, your library is sadly lacking.”
“So noted. Go on.”
“That’s about it. I have a sense of humor and—” She bit her lower lip and folded the paper. “That’s me. A few lines on a page and not much else. I would expect to have more to show for myself.”
Her mood had shifted like the tide. Where before she’d been accessible, moving toward him, now she retreated, pulling into herself. Her shoulders hunched forward. “I can’t believe there isn’t a single person looking for me. That feels so wrong and empty. People can’t live like that, can they? There has to be someone, somewhere.”
She shuddered and turned her back. He reached out a hand to touch her, then let it fall to the wall. He had no right to comfort her…and no comfort to offer. “We’ll find your family,” he said, feeling awkward, knowing the words weren’t enough.
“What if you can’t? What if they don’t exist?” Her voice cracked. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, and stood. “I need to be alone now.”
She headed for the water. Without thinking, Jarrett followed her. “Ariel, wait.”
She shook her head and kept walking. He caught her in three long strides. “Ariel,” he said as he took her arm and turned her toward him.
Tears flowed silently down her cheeks. Not knowing what else to do, he pulled her close and held her.
“Why are you being n-nice to me?” she asked, clinging to him and pressing her face into the
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