to respond but no words came. Instead she nodded. How terrible it sounded when spoken out loud by Lucy.
“ Don’t be ashamed, Amelia.”
“ Oh but I am.”
“ You shouldn’t be, though.”
“ Why shouldn’t I?”
Lucy’s lips curved in a smile. “I’m a firm believer that if you love someone, sometimes it’s necessary to go to extreme means to be with that person.”
“ Is that what happened with you?”
“ My father had forbidden me to see Oliver anymore. He was under the impression that Oliver was a groundskeeper here at the Sanctuary. Which is what he led all of us to believe.”
“ He did? Why?”
“ Oliver wanted to make sure that I loved him for him and not for his wealth. So he let everyone believe that his work at the Sanctuary wasn’t volunteer but was his livelihood.”
“ And that’s how he found out your true feelings.”
“ Yes. And that’s what I meant by going to extreme measures. I’d already decided that if Oliver asked me to run off to Gretna Green and get married, I would. Even though I thought we’d be dirt poor. Sometimes taking a risk is the only way to satisfy your heart.”
“ Now I see. And thank you. I don’t feel quite so…”
“ What?”
“ Wanton.” She covered her mouth with her hand.
Lucy did the same, but her laugh escaped around her fingers. Soon, Amelia laughed along with her.
“ You must have done it correctly, Amelia, if you’re already betrothed.”
“ Yes. I suppose.” She longed to tell Lucy about what she’d done. Not that she was proud of it, but to unburden herself. In order to do that, however, she’d have to divulge Conrad’s secret and she wouldn’t do that. Not without his permission, anyway. Time to get the focus off her. “Tell me Lucy, is there anything new in your life?”
Amelia had meant it as a diversion, thinking perhaps they’d discuss their drawings or something else. Anything. It didn’t matter as long as the subject was changed.
But Lucy’s eyes misted.
“ Oh dear… What have I said? Lucy, are you all right?”
“ I couldn’t be better.”
“ Then why are you crying?”
Lucy dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief. “Don’t many women cry when they are going to be…?” She looked directly at Amelia. “Mothers?”
Amelia gasped and hugged Lucy tight. “How wonderful! I’m truly happy for you.”
“ Thank you. I still can’t believe it’s real.”
“ Are you excited?”
“ That, and also a little frightened.”
“ I suppose the unknown is always somewhat daunting.”
“ There is that, yes.”
“ And Oliver? Is he…?”
“ He’s thrilled. Which makes my joy all the more complete.”
Will it ever happen for me? Would she someday be a mother? Conrad didn’t love her, of course. And why would he, when the marriage was starting out under such nefarious conditions?
Something nudged her hand. She glanced down to see Lucy’s covering hers. “It will happen for you, too, Amelia. I just know it.”
“ I truly hope you’re right.”
“ You love Conrad, don’t you?”
In her heart she knew it to be true. “Yes. I imagine you find that strange, though, after your unpleasant experiences with him.”
“ You know, it’s funny you should say that. The other day I went into Oliver’s study and he was there.”
“ Who was there?”
“ Conrad.”
“ He was?”
“ I was as surprised as anyone. He… he seems to have changed.”
“ For the good?”
“ Yes, I believe he has. I never would have believed it before, but…”
“ But what?”
“ Perhaps he has softened due to his new relationship with you.”
It was too much to hope for. Too much to dream. And yet… “Oh how I wish it to be true.”
“ As I said, I was surprised, as was Oliver. At first, I was skeptical. But Oliver is not so easily duped. If he said he’s seen a change in Conrad, then I believe him.”
Hope, new and fresh, unfolded in Amelia’s heart. Was Conrad changing for the better? If that were
“ Don’t be ashamed, Amelia.”
“ Oh but I am.”
“ You shouldn’t be, though.”
“ Why shouldn’t I?”
Lucy’s lips curved in a smile. “I’m a firm believer that if you love someone, sometimes it’s necessary to go to extreme means to be with that person.”
“ Is that what happened with you?”
“ My father had forbidden me to see Oliver anymore. He was under the impression that Oliver was a groundskeeper here at the Sanctuary. Which is what he led all of us to believe.”
“ He did? Why?”
“ Oliver wanted to make sure that I loved him for him and not for his wealth. So he let everyone believe that his work at the Sanctuary wasn’t volunteer but was his livelihood.”
“ And that’s how he found out your true feelings.”
“ Yes. And that’s what I meant by going to extreme measures. I’d already decided that if Oliver asked me to run off to Gretna Green and get married, I would. Even though I thought we’d be dirt poor. Sometimes taking a risk is the only way to satisfy your heart.”
“ Now I see. And thank you. I don’t feel quite so…”
“ What?”
“ Wanton.” She covered her mouth with her hand.
Lucy did the same, but her laugh escaped around her fingers. Soon, Amelia laughed along with her.
“ You must have done it correctly, Amelia, if you’re already betrothed.”
“ Yes. I suppose.” She longed to tell Lucy about what she’d done. Not that she was proud of it, but to unburden herself. In order to do that, however, she’d have to divulge Conrad’s secret and she wouldn’t do that. Not without his permission, anyway. Time to get the focus off her. “Tell me Lucy, is there anything new in your life?”
Amelia had meant it as a diversion, thinking perhaps they’d discuss their drawings or something else. Anything. It didn’t matter as long as the subject was changed.
But Lucy’s eyes misted.
“ Oh dear… What have I said? Lucy, are you all right?”
“ I couldn’t be better.”
“ Then why are you crying?”
Lucy dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief. “Don’t many women cry when they are going to be…?” She looked directly at Amelia. “Mothers?”
Amelia gasped and hugged Lucy tight. “How wonderful! I’m truly happy for you.”
“ Thank you. I still can’t believe it’s real.”
“ Are you excited?”
“ That, and also a little frightened.”
“ I suppose the unknown is always somewhat daunting.”
“ There is that, yes.”
“ And Oliver? Is he…?”
“ He’s thrilled. Which makes my joy all the more complete.”
Will it ever happen for me? Would she someday be a mother? Conrad didn’t love her, of course. And why would he, when the marriage was starting out under such nefarious conditions?
Something nudged her hand. She glanced down to see Lucy’s covering hers. “It will happen for you, too, Amelia. I just know it.”
“ I truly hope you’re right.”
“ You love Conrad, don’t you?”
In her heart she knew it to be true. “Yes. I imagine you find that strange, though, after your unpleasant experiences with him.”
“ You know, it’s funny you should say that. The other day I went into Oliver’s study and he was there.”
“ Who was there?”
“ Conrad.”
“ He was?”
“ I was as surprised as anyone. He… he seems to have changed.”
“ For the good?”
“ Yes, I believe he has. I never would have believed it before, but…”
“ But what?”
“ Perhaps he has softened due to his new relationship with you.”
It was too much to hope for. Too much to dream. And yet… “Oh how I wish it to be true.”
“ As I said, I was surprised, as was Oliver. At first, I was skeptical. But Oliver is not so easily duped. If he said he’s seen a change in Conrad, then I believe him.”
Hope, new and fresh, unfolded in Amelia’s heart. Was Conrad changing for the better? If that were
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