rude.”
He waved a hand. “She won’t care. It’s that much less food she’ll have to supply, and I’m sure she’s not averse to saving money on her food stuffs. Besides, as I’ve pointed out before, you’re a grown woman and don’t need to cater to everyone else.” He stood and held out his hand. “Your name fits you, Beth. I hope you don’t mind my calling you that? Let’s depart before anyone intrudes.”
Jeffery hesitated on the threshold of the parlor. Should he walk away? It appeared Miss Roberts and Mr. Lansing were agreeing upon some kind of tryst. Or, at least, the pompous gentleman standing in front of the young lady had certainly suggested something of the sort, and he hadn’t heard her decline. It seemed she had given him permission to use her Christian name, since she hadn’t corrected the man. That settled it; he had no desire to stay and listen. He swiveled and took a step.
“Jeffery?” Beth’s sweet voice rang out and brought him to an abrupt halt. “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you enter. You are right on time for our walk.” She rose and tucked a newspaper under her arm. “I have a previous engagement, Mr. Lansing. But to answer your question, the name I prefer to be addressed by is Miss Roberts. Good day.” She swept from the room, leaving Mr. Lansing staring after her in disbelief.
Jeffery came out of his stupor and took two long strides, catching up with her. “I am so sorry I’m late, my dear.” He extended his arm. “May I?”
Beth’s lips parted, and she blinked.
Jeffery turned his head and gave a slow wink only she could see.
She slipped her hand through his and held her head high, giving him an engaging smile as he opened the front door.
Jeffery glanced back and bit the inside of his cheek to prevent a grin from appearing. Isaac Lansing stood in the middle of the parlor staring after them, his mouth agape. He couldn’t be more thankful—as well as more than a bit chagrinned—that he’d misread Beth’s attitude toward Lansing.
Jeffery pressed Beth’s hand against his side a little tighter as they walked down the front steps to the path below. “I didn’t realize we’d planned a walk, Miss Roberts, but I’m more than happy to accompany you.”
They strolled half a dozen steps from the porch. A scraping noise sounded above them, and Jeffery peered up at the roof. “Hello, Mr. Jacobs. You’re getting the final coat of paint on the trim, I see.”
Micah Jacobs balanced on the steep roof, a bucket of green paint propped against a block of wood nailed to the shingles, a brush in his hand. “Yes. It’s a good thing the warm weather has hung on so long.” His voice echoed and bounced. “It’s rather precarious up here, but two more dormer windows, and I’m finished.”
Beth shaded her eyes and looked up. “It’s a lovely color. I’m guessing Katherine is pleased.”
“Not as pleased as I will be to get back to my work at the livery.” He dipped his brush into the paint. “I’d best get this painting done.” He waved a green-stained hand.
Beth walked farther down the trail, barely out of earshot of the house, and murmured, “I am so sorry. It was truly despicable of me to use you in that fashion. I do hope you’ll forgive me, Mr. Tucker, and accept my deepest thanks for rescuing me from an uncomfortable situation. I’m in your debt.”
This time he allowed a grin to spill out. “There’s nothing to forgive. I was more than happy to step in and whisk you away from that annoying gentleman. As for being in my debt …”
“Yes?” Her brows arched, and a tiny smile appeared.
“You called me Jeffery in front of Mr. Lansing, so it might be difficult to go back to Mr. Tucker. Is it so abhorrent to address me by my Christian name?”
The smile faded, and she withdrew her hand from his elbow. “No, it is not abhorrent at all.”
He folded his arms. “But?”
She drew in a deep breath and blew it out with a loud sigh. “My, you are
He waved a hand. “She won’t care. It’s that much less food she’ll have to supply, and I’m sure she’s not averse to saving money on her food stuffs. Besides, as I’ve pointed out before, you’re a grown woman and don’t need to cater to everyone else.” He stood and held out his hand. “Your name fits you, Beth. I hope you don’t mind my calling you that? Let’s depart before anyone intrudes.”
Jeffery hesitated on the threshold of the parlor. Should he walk away? It appeared Miss Roberts and Mr. Lansing were agreeing upon some kind of tryst. Or, at least, the pompous gentleman standing in front of the young lady had certainly suggested something of the sort, and he hadn’t heard her decline. It seemed she had given him permission to use her Christian name, since she hadn’t corrected the man. That settled it; he had no desire to stay and listen. He swiveled and took a step.
“Jeffery?” Beth’s sweet voice rang out and brought him to an abrupt halt. “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you enter. You are right on time for our walk.” She rose and tucked a newspaper under her arm. “I have a previous engagement, Mr. Lansing. But to answer your question, the name I prefer to be addressed by is Miss Roberts. Good day.” She swept from the room, leaving Mr. Lansing staring after her in disbelief.
Jeffery came out of his stupor and took two long strides, catching up with her. “I am so sorry I’m late, my dear.” He extended his arm. “May I?”
Beth’s lips parted, and she blinked.
Jeffery turned his head and gave a slow wink only she could see.
She slipped her hand through his and held her head high, giving him an engaging smile as he opened the front door.
Jeffery glanced back and bit the inside of his cheek to prevent a grin from appearing. Isaac Lansing stood in the middle of the parlor staring after them, his mouth agape. He couldn’t be more thankful—as well as more than a bit chagrinned—that he’d misread Beth’s attitude toward Lansing.
Jeffery pressed Beth’s hand against his side a little tighter as they walked down the front steps to the path below. “I didn’t realize we’d planned a walk, Miss Roberts, but I’m more than happy to accompany you.”
They strolled half a dozen steps from the porch. A scraping noise sounded above them, and Jeffery peered up at the roof. “Hello, Mr. Jacobs. You’re getting the final coat of paint on the trim, I see.”
Micah Jacobs balanced on the steep roof, a bucket of green paint propped against a block of wood nailed to the shingles, a brush in his hand. “Yes. It’s a good thing the warm weather has hung on so long.” His voice echoed and bounced. “It’s rather precarious up here, but two more dormer windows, and I’m finished.”
Beth shaded her eyes and looked up. “It’s a lovely color. I’m guessing Katherine is pleased.”
“Not as pleased as I will be to get back to my work at the livery.” He dipped his brush into the paint. “I’d best get this painting done.” He waved a green-stained hand.
Beth walked farther down the trail, barely out of earshot of the house, and murmured, “I am so sorry. It was truly despicable of me to use you in that fashion. I do hope you’ll forgive me, Mr. Tucker, and accept my deepest thanks for rescuing me from an uncomfortable situation. I’m in your debt.”
This time he allowed a grin to spill out. “There’s nothing to forgive. I was more than happy to step in and whisk you away from that annoying gentleman. As for being in my debt …”
“Yes?” Her brows arched, and a tiny smile appeared.
“You called me Jeffery in front of Mr. Lansing, so it might be difficult to go back to Mr. Tucker. Is it so abhorrent to address me by my Christian name?”
The smile faded, and she withdrew her hand from his elbow. “No, it is not abhorrent at all.”
He folded his arms. “But?”
She drew in a deep breath and blew it out with a loud sigh. “My, you are
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