A Hope Remembered (17 page)

“Not to worry. Wear those trousers you did yesterday and I’ll supply the hat and goggles. All you have to do is enjoy the flight.”

“Sounds like a wonderful idea.” She bestowed a full smile on him, the first one he’d seen since entering the cottage. The gesture warmed the room, and his heart right along with it.

Colin burst into the library where his father sat reading a book near a roaring fire. Another indication it was Sunday. Any other day of the week, Sir Edward would have been at his desk. Colin’s earlier good mood, after talking with Nora for an hour or so, had quickly soured on the wet walk home as he contemplated her broken window and the malicious note.

“You look a bit drowned,” Sir Edward said, glancing up as Colin stalked over to the couch.

He ignored his father’s jab. “What do you know about a rock being thrown through Nor—through Miss Lewis’s window last night?”

Sir Edward kept his gaze on the page in front of him. “I haven’t a clue what you’re talking about.”

Angered by the man’s indifference, Colin yanked the book from his father’s grip. Sir Edward frowned but made no motion to retrieve his reading material. “Someone threw a rock through Miss Lewis’s window, accompanied with a note that stated she was to go back to where she came from. I want to know if you arranged such an act.”

“Of course not.”

Colin might accuse his father of many things, but being a liar wasn’t one of them. Now that his theory had proven false, the fury left him. He sank onto the opposite couch, his father’s book still clutched in his hands. “You know nothing of this?”

Sir Edward shook his head. “I don’t condone violence, Colin. Surely even you know me well enough to understand that.” Something akin to hurt passed over his face before he lifted one foot and rested it on his knee in an unperturbed attitude. “I am curious to know if it worked, though. To persuade her to leave, I mean.”

Colin strangled the book between his hands, his frustration mounting anew. “No, it did not. She’s more determined than ever to stay.”

“Ah, well, then we’re back to your convincing her to leave, aren’t we?” Sir Edward reached over, plucked the book from Colin’s fingers, and settled back against the cushions.

“If it wasn’t you, then who else wants her to leave?” Who would be spiteful enough, and for what reason, to do something like this to Nora? Once again, Colin had an overwhelming desire to slam a fist into the face of whoever had threatened her.

Sir Edward paused in leafing through his book. “Hopefully not someone who wants her land. If so, we might need you to secure things sooner.”

“My deadline is the end of the month.”

“And you will make that deadline?”

“Yes,” Colin ground out, his gaze on the carpet.

“Good. With the shearing done and out of the way, the men I hired to work on the stables should be here Thursday.” He hoisted his book again. “Everything’s shaping up nicely, all according to plan.”

According to plan?
Colin fought a mirthless laugh. When it came to Nora and his feelings for her, nothing was going according to plan.

T
o Nora’s disappointment, the rain continued the next day, making a flight in Colin’s aeroplane impossible. Instead he and Lyle came to the cottage. The three of them listened to the old gramophone and swapped stories.

The following day, while free of rain, saw the valley covered over in mist and low clouds. Colin still came with Perseus for their usual walk. But instead of circumventing the lake, he invited her to see the gardens at Elmthwaite Hall.

Nora hadn’t been to the great house since her first day in Larksbeck, though she’d viewed the imposing structure from a distance plenty of times. The closer they drew to its stone walls, the more the turrets seemed to scrape the sky.

“How many rooms are there in Elmthwaite Hall?” she asked as she and Colin moved past the ornate front doors and up the drive.

“I believe there are fifty.”

Nora laughed. “You believe?”

“At one point Christian and I counted them, but I can’t recall the exact number.” He threw her a rueful look. “It’s really a small estate compared to most.”

She sniffed in amusement. A dozen cottages, like hers, could easily fit inside the impressive hall, small or not.

Colin led her through a gate into a large walled garden. Neatly trimmed hedges, trees, bushes, and gravel paths stood in perfect symmetry across the expansive space. Here and there stone benches provided a place to sit and enjoy the beauty. Even in the misty afternoon, the greenery and splashes of color made Nora sigh with awe.

“It’s gorgeous,” she murmured.

A proud smile lit Colin’s face. “I’ve always thought so. Of course, this is only one of three gardens.”

“Are they all this enormous?” Nora crossed to a nearby flowering bush and bent to smell the blooms.

“No, this is the largest. If you don’t count the grounds on the other side of the house, off the music room.”

She wandered down one of the paths, her eyes drinking in the lush foliage. This was where she’d spend most of her time if she lived here. A flush filled her cheeks when she realized what she’d thought. Of course she’d never live here. Perhaps in fairy tales the sheep girl married the prince and came to live in the castle, but her life was far from being a fairy tale.

Colin allowed her to explore at her own pace, content it seemed to stroll behind her, answering as many of her questions about the different plants and flowers as he could. After some time, the clouds finally spilled their moisture. Within minutes the drizzle turned to drops.

“Come here,” he called to her. “I want to show you something and it’ll get us out of the rain.”

Nora ran after him toward the opposite side of the garden. Colin stopped beside the wall. A room had been built into the stone. Three steps led up to the enclosure, with knee-high ledges on either side. The front stood open to the garden, while the other three walls were made entirely of rock. The roof appeared to be wood and thatch.

Colin helped her up the wet steps and into the room. It couldn’t be wider than ten feet or deeper than five feet, but the place was surprisingly dry.

“What’s this?” Nora looked around as she folded her arms over a sudden chill.

“It’s a shelter from the elements,” Colin said with a wave of his hand. “But as a boy, this used to be my sanctuary, my hiding place.”

“Who were you hiding from?”

Instead of prompting a smile, Colin pocketed his hands at her question and shrugged. “From the world, mostly.” He kicked at a loose piece of stone, sending it skipping across the floor. “If I lay down on my stomach, behind one of those ledges, no one could see me. I’d pick holes into the stones there. Of course, Christian would eventually find me. Or sometimes my mother.”

“And your father?” she asked gently.

Colin’s face hardened a bit as he shook his head. “No. Never my father.”

This wasn’t a story he’d shared with her and Lyle yesterday. Her heart squeezed at the thought of a young Colin lying on the cold floor, angry or hurting, as he chipped away at the stones in front of his nose. While he might have grown up with every privilege and comfort, his life hadn’t been free of sorrow or pain.

Colin leaned his shoulder against the nearest wall, his face turned toward the watery garden beyond their shelter. “He wasn’t always like he is now.” Nora wondered if he meant the words more for himself than for her. “There were times, especially at the house in Scotland, when he would laugh or smile.”

Nora couldn’t keep the wonder from her voice when she asked, “You have a house in Scotland, too?” She went to stand beside him.

Colin chuckled. “Yes, but it’s not nearly as large as Elmthwaite Hall. Only thirty rooms there.”

“Is that all? How primeval.”

His laughed deepened, as she’d hoped. “It’s called Brideshall, named by William Ashby, who built it for his Scottish wife in the late seventeen hundreds. Every summer we’d ride the train there and stay for two or three months.” He twisted to rest his back against the nearby wall. “The estate is on an island in the middle of the loch. The ideal spot for two boys to explore and play.”

“Aren’t you going there this summer?”

Some of the merriment left his dark eyes and he glanced away. “No…not this year.”

Nora tried to interpret the tension behind his words. “Because of Christian?”

“Largely, yes.” He gave no further explanation, and she chose not to ask for it.

“Does the house sit vacant the rest of the year?”

Colin nodded. “The staff would go ahead of us and prepare things, then a few of them would linger behind to close it all up again.” A slight smile lifted his mouth. “There were many times I tried to hide as we were readying to leave, hoping I’d get left behind for a little longer, too.”

Nora laughed softly. “I don’t blame you. There’s a certain peace that comes when you’re living by a lake.” She gazed out at the rain, but she caught the appraising look Colin threw her way.

“I hadn’t thought of it that way, but you’re right. Lyle said something similar the other night.”

“He’s a good man.”

“Yes.” He straightened off the wall, bringing his arm to rest against hers, his face forward. Even the light touch set Nora’s pulse skipping. “I think it’s been very good for him to be here. I just wish I knew what more I could do to help him.” Colin ran a hand over his face. “I’d like to help others like him, too, but I don’t know what I’d do.”

Admiration for him warmed her heart, but a blast of wet air set her shivering. Nora crossed her arms, wishing she’d worn more than her thin sweater. Without a word, Colin removed his jacket and set it around her shoulders.

“Thank you.” She gripped the garment with both hands, liking the way it smelled of him. “You’ll figure something out, I’m sure. Wanting to help other soldiers is a worthy endeavor. God will help you.”

A moment of quiet followed her words. “Do you ever lose faith, Nora?”

She glanced up to find those dark eyes intently watching her. “It’s all I have left,” she half whispered, looking back toward the garden.

“It’s not all you have.”

His low voice beside her ear resurrected her stuttering heartbeat. He stood so close she could feel his warmth through his jacket. His breath fanned her hair. Could he hear the pounding of her pulse? Every nerve was attuned to his nearness, every thought to the wonder of this man beside her. If she twisted slightly and lifted her chin, she knew she’d find his lips waiting for hers.

The desire to kiss him filled her from head to toe as they stood there, breathing in and out together. She turned her head and tipped it upward. In an instant his hands were cupping her face.

“Nora,” he murmured.

“There you are.” Lyle’s voice broke over them like the clamoring of bells.

Nora jumped back, her face hot.

Lyle stopped at the bottom of the steps. “I’ve been looking all over for you two.”

Recovering her composure, Nora glanced ruefully at Colin. “Apparently Lyle can be added to the list of those who can find you here.”

“What is she talking about, Ashby?” Lyle’s brow scrunched in confusion.

Colin laughed and shook his head. “Nothing, Lyle. We were only waiting out the rain.”

“Well, it’s stopped,” his friend said, lifting a dry hand into the air as proof.

“Then we’ll continue our exploration of the garden.” He moved down the stairs and held his hand out to Nora. “Allow me, fair lady.”

She eagerly pressed her fingers into his palm and descended the steps. Even when her feet touched the gravel, though, Colin didn’t release her hand or ask for his jacket back. Instead he led her, fingers twined through his, down the path after Lyle.

Finally, midweek, Colin woke to a clear sky. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen such a cloudless blue overhead.

He donned his flying clothes before sending word, by way of one of Mr. Green’s young boys, that Nora should meet him at Elmthwaite Hall in an hour. Anticipation made him antsy. His foot kept up a steady tapping during breakfast and he couldn’t concentrate on the conversation with Lyle.

“If I didn’t know better,” his friend said at the end of the meal, “you are anxious to have Nora to yourself this morning.”

“You’re right.” Colin grinned as he tossed down his napkin and stood. “Now if you’ll excuse me, Lyle.”

He could hear Lyle chuckling as he exited the dining hall. After gathering his gloves and an extra hat, scarf, and goggles for Nora, Colin made his way outside. Davies, their chauffer, stood beside the biplane, waiting to help Colin start the engine.

Colin greeted the man, then ran his hand along the hardened cloth surface of the plane. The thought of being up in the air, far away from anyone or anything, never failed to lift his spirits. And today, he’d get to share that experience with Nora.

Once he made sure the front cockpit where Nora would sit was free of dirt and clutter, he stowed the helmets, scarves, and goggles on the seat. Then he climbed into the rear cockpit. A feeling of peace and excitement settled over him, as it did each time he prepared for flight. Like a worn-weary traveler who knew he’d find respite around the next bend, Colin found all the pressures and pretenses couldn’t touch him when he was in his biplane. Here, he was home.

He flipped the switches to
off
and called to Davies, “Contact.”

“Contact,” the man echoed as he handed the propeller.

Colin switched everything to
on
and waited for the rumble of the engine. Except nothing happened—the plane sat silent.

“Give it another yank,” he said to Davies.

The man obeyed, but again, the engine remained lifeless. Colin released an audible groan. Why today of all days did he have to run into trouble? He’d been looking forward to taking Nora flying and, as Lyle had unsubtly hinted at breakfast, spending more time alone with her.

Having ensured he had enough fuel last night for a long flight, Colin decided the problem must lie with the engine. He scrambled out of the cockpit, off the wing, and around to the front of the biplane. Davies came up behind him. Colin studied the engine, but for all his boasting to Nora about understanding machines, he couldn’t isolate the problem.

“Any ideas?” Colin asked the chauffeur.

Davies shrugged and stepped back. “Sorry, Mr. Ashby. Automobiles are my expertise, not aeroplanes.”

“Having trouble?”

Colin turned to find Lyle coming across the lawn. “She won’t start, and I can’t figure out why. I’ve never had that problem before.”

Lyle shuffled forward. “Let me take a look.”

Colin didn’t suspect Lyle knew any more about planes than he did, but sheer desperation made him step aside. With another muttered apology, Davies returned to the house. Colin paced away from the biplane, his gaze on the road. Any minute now Nora would come walking up. He shoved his hands into his pockets and kicked at a clump of grass.

After more frantic pacing, and much watching of Lyle at the engine, Colin came to a stop, his eyes trained on the ground. Words rose unbidden into his mind, but they weren’t entirely unfamiliar.

Please let this work out, Lord, according to Your will.

He might have scoffed at attending church or showing an outer belief in God through the years, but he’d repeated this same prayer in his mind every time he climbed into his biplane during the war—up until the day Christian had been killed. Only then did the daily petition to Heaven cease.

Colin lifted his gaze to see Nora starting across the grass toward him. He’d have to tell her their ride must be postponed—again. Then a roar filled his ears. He jerked around to see the propeller spinning and Lyle standing nearby, a wide grin on his face. Colin couldn’t recall the last time he’d seen his friend that happy. Clearly Lyle had more talents than others gave him credit for.

He jogged over to Lyle. “How’d you get it to start?” Colin said loudly.

His friend shook his head. “I’ll tell you later,” Lyle shouted back. “You two climb in. I’ll get the wheel chocks.”

Lyle had saved their outing. There must be something Colin could do for him in return. His friend’s quick fix of the engine gave him an idea. Colin would have to discuss it with his father first, but if Sir Edward agreed, Lyle might have a real chance at finding purpose again.

You owe the Lord, too
, a gentle voice whispered inside him. A voice he hadn’t heard in a long time. It both scared and pleased him. Colin offered a silent expression of gratitude for Lyle’s help, then he waved Nora toward the biplane. It was time to fly.

Nora’s stomach leapt into her throat as the plane rose off the ground. The acceleration pressed her to the back of her seat. Looking beyond the lower wing, she could just make out the lake sprawled below them. Mountains stood directly ahead, and she held her breath, her heart racing. Would they crash? As quickly as the rocky face loomed before them, though, it fell away as Colin expertly guided the plane over the top peaks.

She let out her breath and pulled her helmet more snuggly onto her head. The air felt cold against her cheeks but clear and exhilarating, too. She leaned over the side of the plane to see sheep scattering along the fell at their approach.