Love Finds a Home (Love Comes Softly Series #8) (26 page)

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the station this afternoon," she informed him quietly

The man's eyes grew big with question. "You still plan to go?" he asked hoarsely.

Belinda nodded. "The train leaves at two," she said matter-of-factly.

"We haven't even had a proper good-bye," the butler said in a tight voice.

"Now, Windsor, what is a proper good-bye? We will say one at the door, when I'm leaving."

"That hardly seems adequate, miss," Windsor dared to contradict her.

"Well, any other kind would just be too painful," Belinda admitted, and Windsor nodded his head.

"It will be painful regardless, m'lady," he told her.

Belinda fled back upstairs to do the last-minute preparations.

When the last item had been tucked away she drew a warm coat about her and let herself out the back door. She followed the garden paths between what had been Thomas's showy flower beds such a short time ago. Here and there a dry- looking stick acknowledged that something had lived in those beds. The snow covered all else. She was sure she would find the old gardener and his dog in the greenhouse.

"Thomas," she called as she entered the sanctuary. "Thomas, are you here?"

"Over here, miss," Thomas's rusty voice answered, and McIntyre came ambling from that direction to greet her.

"'Tis a mite chilly to be out wanderin'," Thomas observed, and Belinda nodded in agreement.

"It's colder than I realized," she admitted.

"You'll be catchin' yer death of cold," the old gentleman worried, looking at Belinda's feet for the warm footwear she should have been wearing.

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"I'm going right back in," she informed him.

She let a moment of silence pass and then spoke again. "I came to say good-bye."

The old man's head moved quickly up from the tender shoot he was grafting onto a rosebush. He said nothing, but his eyes quizzed her.

"I'm returning home . . . as planned," she continued. "Everything is arranged here now"

The old man still said nothing. He laid aside his twig and his tools and looked at Belinda.

"Yer sure?" he asked at length.

Belinda nodded, tears in her eyes. This was not going to be as easy as she had hoped.

"Ye don't plan on being back?"

Belinda shook her head.

"We'll miss ye," he said simply and turned away. It was not fast enough for him to hide the tears in his own eyes. There was silence for a moment. Thomas broke it.

"I have somethin' fer ye," he said and led Belinda to a table at the end of the greenhouse.

Curious, Belinda followed. Thomas reached for a small container, and Belinda could see a plant protruding from the soil. He handed her the pot.

"Mind it doesn't freeze," he cautioned.

Belinda accepted the gift, unaware of what it was she held. " 'Tis a Princess Belinda," he said softly.

"Your rose," whispered Belinda, and more tears came to her eyes. "Thank you, Thomas."

He nodded and reached a hand down to McIntyre's head. "We'll miss ye," he said again.

"And I will miss you . . . so much," responded Belinda. Thomas nodded. He seemed in a hurry to get the awkward good-bye over.

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"Thomas," Belinda said on impulse.

The old man lifted his head and blinked watery eyes.

"Would you mind. . . could I give you one quick hug?"

He moved clumsily to embrace Belinda. He held her much longer than she had anticipated and then they bid a quick farewell. Clutching her precious rose inside her coat, Belinda fled to the big house.

The other good-byes were no easier. She longed to just turn and flee from the house, but she knew she couldn't. She probably would never see these people again. She would miss them all so much. Especially the dear staff. They had been like a family for such a long time. It was difficult to think of life without them.

After Belinda said a hasty farewell to each of the new residents, she turned to the members of the staff. Potter blew her nose loudly on her pocket hankie, Cook let the tears run down her cheeks and then whisked them away with her apron, and Ella openly sobbed. Belinda felt she couldn't endure another minute of the emotional leave-taking. She lingered an extra moment to whisper to Mrs. Simpson, "I'm so glad you agreed to come." Then she gave Sid a hug and hurried out to the sleigh after Windsor.

She continued to blow and sniff all the way to the station. And then she still had to say good-bye to Windsor. "I have no words to tell you how much I've appreciated you," Belinda told the stiff butler, holding out her hand to him. He only nodded as he solemnly shook her hand.

"You've been so kind," Belinda went on.

"I've only done my duty, m'lady," he said with difficulty, "but you served when the duty wasn't even yours."

Belinda was puzzled at his statement.

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"I saw the love you gave to Madam," Windsor said frankly. "A love that went far beyond duty. . . and I loved you for it."

Belinda was touched. "You see, m'lady," and Windsor leaned forward slightly in a confidential way, "I've never told this to a living soul before, but . . . I loved her, too. Always!"

Belinda reached up on her tiptoes and placed a quick kiss on the weathered cheek; then she turned and ran toward the waiting train.

How beautiful,
she thought as she ran,
how beautiful . . and how sad. He loved her . . . all these years, and he would have died before he let her know. And just because . . . because he saw them as being from different stations in life.

Belinda climbed aboard the train with the help of the conductor and settled herself for a good weep.

Men can be so foolish!
she cried in desperation.

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TWENTY-FOUR

Settling In

The long train ride gave Belinda an opportunity to get herself under control. She needed every minute of it, she told herself. She was an emotional wreck. But as the miles ticked slowly by, she began to put things into better perspective.

Being back in her old hometown would be good, she assured herself. . . back again with her family. There would be many adjustments to be made, she was wise enough to realize, but she was capable of adjustments. She hoped that Luke and Jackson would still need a nurse. Nursing was the only vocation she had. There was no other way that she would be able to support herself--and she certainly did not plan to go crawling home again and be dependent on her ma and pa.

Belinda gently fingered the soft green petals of the rosebush she had carefully sheltered from the cold. Thomas had promised that it would be fine in the little pot until spring came again. Belinda intended to nurture it carefully.

When the train did finally pull into the local station, Belinda climbed down the steps to the familiar platform. There was no one to meet her, for she had informed no one she was to be on that particular train. She made arrangements for her luggage to be held in storage until she could get someone to pick it up.

After setting her rosebush securely in the warmth of the

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station, she set off for Luke and Abbie's. It was midwinter, but Belinda was hardy. Still, she was thoroughly chilled by the time she rapped on Abbie's back door.

"Belinda!" Abbie squealed and threw herself at her sisterin-law

Belinda returned the embrace. Ruthie came running to see what the fuss was about.

"Well, look at you!" Belinda exclaimed with a hug for her niece. "My, how you've grown."

Ruthie, well pleased with herself, stretched up on her tiptoes to emphasize the fact of her rapid growth.

"Come in, come in," urged Abbie. "Take off your things. How did you get here? I didn't hear a team." Her words came nonstop.

"Well, I didn't get a ride," she said. "I left my things at the station and walked."

"You walked? In this cold? Oh, Belinda. We'd no idea you'd be coming in or we'd have--"

"I know," Belinda quickly replied. "It was my own doing. I didn't warn you."

"Well, we've been hoping each day for a letter," Abbie rushed on. "The boys have hardly been able to stand it. Every day they come home from school and ask if you've sent your arrival date."

Belinda smiled. She intended to make friends with her young nephews again.

"How are they?" she asked.

"Fine. Fine," Abbie assured her, but Belinda detected a flickering of shadow in her eyes.

"How are the folks?" Belinda asked simply.

"Ma is a bit poorly," Abbie admitted before Belinda could inquire further. "Nothing serious, we hope, but Luke has put her to bed. He's out there now. . . just checking."

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Belinda felt her body grow numb. She was unable even to voice her concern.

"The flu, Luke thinks," Abbie rushed on. "But it has really

taken the starch outta her. It's been a bit hard for Pa."

"Why didn't someone let me know?" Belinda questioned. "You didn't get Luke's letter? No, I suppose not. It is likely

still on its way. Ma just took sick last Wednesday."

Belinda wanted to get home immediately. She was needed to nurse her mother.

"Is there someone who could drive me out?" she asked Abbie.

"I suppose we could get one of the fellas from the stables-- but Luke should be home any minute now. He'll take you."

"I'd really like to get there as quickly as I can," Belinda urged and Abbie nodded.

"Of course," she said. "I understand. I wish the boys were home. We could send one of them over to fetch a team. Well, sit down and have a cup of tea to warm yourself up."

"I think I'll just walk over and hire a team," Belinda said, drawing her gloves back on again.

"Oh, I hate to have you do that," moaned Abbie, wringing her hands. "I know you're anxious, but it's so cold."

"It's really not that bad," Belinda tried to assure her. "Don't worry about me," and she gave Ruthie a hug, kissed Abbie on the cheek, and hurried back toward town and the stables.

She was able to find a young lad to drive her out to the farm. They swung by the station, and her suitcases and trunks were loaded. The rosebush was left behind with the station agent's wife, who promised to care for it until some warmer day. Then they were on their way.

Belinda knew it was her anxiety that was making her impatient, but it was all she could do to keep from shouting at the team to hurry. When at last they did pull into the yard, Luke's

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team was still tethered out front. Belinda was both relieved and frightened.
What is keeping Luke here so long?
she wondered.

She rushed into the house without rapping on the door, and Clark and Luke both looked up when they heard her. They were seated at the kitchen table drinking coffee.

"Belinda!" Clark jumped up from the table. "Where did you come from?"

Belinda was unable to answer. She was being engulfed in a big bear hug.

"I have a driver to pay and luggage to get upstairs," she said quickly as she was passed to her brother for another big hug. "Where's Ma?"

"Up in her room--and she will be so glad to see you. I think she's sleeping right now," Luke answered.

Clark was drawing on his coat to go take care of the driver and the luggage. Belinda started for the stairs as Luke, too, slipped into his own coat.

Belinda tiptoed up the stairs and quietly opened her mother's door. Marty was sleeping. Her face was pale, but she did not look seriously ill as Belinda had feared she might.

She crossed to the bed and gently laid a hand on Marty's brow; she did not feel feverish. Belinda sighed deeply in relief. Belinda bent to press a kiss on her mother's brow. Feeling much more at peace with the situation, she left the room. She was sure her mother needed to rest. They could talk later.

"You found her?" asked Luke as he came through the kitchen with some of Belinda's suitcases.

"She was sleeping, as you said," Belinda admitted. "I decided she might need the rest more than a chat with me."

"She will be mighty glad fer thet chat, you can bet on thet," Clark assured Belinda, laden with suitcases on his way to Belinda's old room.

Belinda removed her coat and hat and laid them on the

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sitting room rocker. Then she returned to the kitchen and put some wood on the kitchen fire. It was getting close to supper- time.
I hope I still know how to cook,
she joked to herself.

Clark and Luke came through the kitchen with a trunk between them. "My word, little girl," Clark said teasingly. "Ya sure came home with a passel more'n ya left with."

Belinda nodded. She supposed she had.

She checked the coffeepot and was glad to find some coffee remaining. She was cold from the ride. Perhaps the coffee would help to rid her of the chill. She went to the cupboard for a cup.

Clark and Luke joined Belinda at the table. "Now, catch us up on all yer news," Clark invited.

But Belinda had very little news she felt like sharing. Instead, she asked them for the news of home. She was especially anxious to hear about her mother's illness. Luke explained in detail, and Belinda nodded in understanding as he talked.

"Then she seems to have improved?" she asked when he was done with his report.

"Oh, much," he said with relief. "She was even able to take some broth today--and she kept it down, too."

Belinda felt a surge of thankfulness. "Well, I'll be here to care for her now," she said with emotion. Clark and Luke both expressed gratitude for that blessing.

Marty did continue to improve, but it was three weeks before she was totally herself again. With the assurance that her mother was completely well and could once again take over the care of the house, Belinda began to make her own plans.

"I think it's time for me to move on into town," she informed her folks after their devotions one morning.

Clark and Marty both turned to look at her.