she hadn’t sounded so surprised when Ellie began to blush. Honestly, though. What an odd thing for her to do. She’s never sought me out before.
After an awkward moment of silence, Ellie smiled. “You played so well on Sunday. Did it take you very long to learn the music?”
“I already knew most of the hymns from when I practiced as a child.”
“I can’t imagine.” Ellie laughed. “When I was a little girl I never had the patience for anything like that. I was much more likely to be out with the boys finding some way or another to skin my knee.”
She gave a cautious smile. “I remember seeing you climb a tree or two now and again.”
“I haven’t climbed a tree in years! It would hardly be proper now. I’m sure it would be much harder to manage in long skirts.” Even as she said it, Ellie’s gaze turned a bit wistful as if she was imagining herself doing that very thing.
Lorelei surveyed the young woman before her in knowing amusement. “I’m sure.”
“Well, I’m much less rambunctious now,” Ellie proclaimed, but the capricious look in her eye didn’t lend her much credibility.
“I can tell.”
Ellie laughed. “You aren’t the least bit convinced, but never mind that.”
The conversation lagged again, and Lorelei began to wonder if she should try to find some way to end it. She was sure Ellie had never said so much to her before. Ellie, Sean and Lawson had been the best of friends, and even when she’d been Lawson’s fiancée, Lorelei had never tried to penetrate that bond. As a result, she’d never expected more than a slight acquaintance with Ellie, which was really too bad because she’d always admired the girl’s exuberance.
Resolved to end the conversation, Lorelei smiled. “Well, thank you for the compliment about my playing. Are you sure I can’t interest you in one of our bonnets?”
“Not this time, I’m afraid,” Ellie said, then glanced around the shop for a moment before meeting Lorelei’s gaze. “Actually, I did have another purpose for coming here. I’ve been thinking about having a get-together next Saturday. I was hoping you’d like to come.”
“I don’t know,” Lorelei said in surprise.
Ellie’s slim fingers touched her arm. “Please, say yes. I mean, I will understand if you had something else planned.”
Lorelei shook her head. “I was just a little surprised you asked, that’s all.”
Ellie’s lashes dropped toward her cheek. “Oh, don’t say that.”
Lorelei lifted her shoulder in a shrug. “I didn’t mean anything by it.”
Ellie met her gaze with sincerity. “I know you didn’t. It’s my own fault, you know. I never went out of my way to be friendly to you before. I’m sorry for that. I hope that we can leave that behind and be friends now.”
Why? The question hovered on Lorelei’s lips, but she couldn’t quite bring herself to ask it. Her eyes widened as she suddenly realized what this must be about.
“I really do appreciate you telling me that, Ellie. I’d like for us to be friends, too.” She glanced around the shop. Though it was empty, she leaned forward to slightly lower her voice. “I just don’t want you to think that you have to be my friend or invite me places because of how things stand between your brother and I.”
“You and my brother,” Ellie repeated softly before her eyes widened, and she grinned. “You mean that you’re going to let Sean court you?”
“Well, yes,” she said slowly. “But—”
Ellie pulled her into a quick hug, then stepped back to meet her gaze. “That’s wonderful. Of course we will be friends. There’s no reason for us not to be.”
Lorelei tilted her head to survey Ellie. She pulled in a slow breath as realization pulled at her mind. “He didn’t tell you.”
“Well, no. He hadn’t told me yet, but he didn’t really have to. I knew he was going to ask to court you. Now I really hope you’ll come on Saturday. Please, say you will.”
“I’ll be there. What
After an awkward moment of silence, Ellie smiled. “You played so well on Sunday. Did it take you very long to learn the music?”
“I already knew most of the hymns from when I practiced as a child.”
“I can’t imagine.” Ellie laughed. “When I was a little girl I never had the patience for anything like that. I was much more likely to be out with the boys finding some way or another to skin my knee.”
She gave a cautious smile. “I remember seeing you climb a tree or two now and again.”
“I haven’t climbed a tree in years! It would hardly be proper now. I’m sure it would be much harder to manage in long skirts.” Even as she said it, Ellie’s gaze turned a bit wistful as if she was imagining herself doing that very thing.
Lorelei surveyed the young woman before her in knowing amusement. “I’m sure.”
“Well, I’m much less rambunctious now,” Ellie proclaimed, but the capricious look in her eye didn’t lend her much credibility.
“I can tell.”
Ellie laughed. “You aren’t the least bit convinced, but never mind that.”
The conversation lagged again, and Lorelei began to wonder if she should try to find some way to end it. She was sure Ellie had never said so much to her before. Ellie, Sean and Lawson had been the best of friends, and even when she’d been Lawson’s fiancée, Lorelei had never tried to penetrate that bond. As a result, she’d never expected more than a slight acquaintance with Ellie, which was really too bad because she’d always admired the girl’s exuberance.
Resolved to end the conversation, Lorelei smiled. “Well, thank you for the compliment about my playing. Are you sure I can’t interest you in one of our bonnets?”
“Not this time, I’m afraid,” Ellie said, then glanced around the shop for a moment before meeting Lorelei’s gaze. “Actually, I did have another purpose for coming here. I’ve been thinking about having a get-together next Saturday. I was hoping you’d like to come.”
“I don’t know,” Lorelei said in surprise.
Ellie’s slim fingers touched her arm. “Please, say yes. I mean, I will understand if you had something else planned.”
Lorelei shook her head. “I was just a little surprised you asked, that’s all.”
Ellie’s lashes dropped toward her cheek. “Oh, don’t say that.”
Lorelei lifted her shoulder in a shrug. “I didn’t mean anything by it.”
Ellie met her gaze with sincerity. “I know you didn’t. It’s my own fault, you know. I never went out of my way to be friendly to you before. I’m sorry for that. I hope that we can leave that behind and be friends now.”
Why? The question hovered on Lorelei’s lips, but she couldn’t quite bring herself to ask it. Her eyes widened as she suddenly realized what this must be about.
“I really do appreciate you telling me that, Ellie. I’d like for us to be friends, too.” She glanced around the shop. Though it was empty, she leaned forward to slightly lower her voice. “I just don’t want you to think that you have to be my friend or invite me places because of how things stand between your brother and I.”
“You and my brother,” Ellie repeated softly before her eyes widened, and she grinned. “You mean that you’re going to let Sean court you?”
“Well, yes,” she said slowly. “But—”
Ellie pulled her into a quick hug, then stepped back to meet her gaze. “That’s wonderful. Of course we will be friends. There’s no reason for us not to be.”
Lorelei tilted her head to survey Ellie. She pulled in a slow breath as realization pulled at her mind. “He didn’t tell you.”
“Well, no. He hadn’t told me yet, but he didn’t really have to. I knew he was going to ask to court you. Now I really hope you’ll come on Saturday. Please, say you will.”
“I’ll be there. What
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