Moonlight on the Millpond (15 page)

“I'll take you,” Jace offered, suddenly serious, but Maddie was backing away.

“I've got to go.”

Jace didn't press her, but then he didn't need to. He'd found out in a most unexpected way all he needed to know.

“I'm going into town tonight,” Jace told Woody over tea that evening, still thinking about the way Maddie had come to the mill.

“To the tavern?” Woody asked, his voice knowing.

“Maybe,” Jace said cryptically.

“Unless you find some other place to go?” Woody guessed.

Jace didn't need to answer. The smile he tried to hide gave him away. The smile faded swiftly, however, when Woody reached up and rubbed at his chest, his face a little pained.

“On second thought, I might just stay here.”

Woody looked at him with surprise and found Jace's gaze trained on him.

“Not for me, you're not,” Woody put in plainly.

“I think I can make that decision myself,” Jace countered.

Woody sighed. “Jace, I don't expect you to center your life on me.”

“That's not what I'm doing, but you're not at your best right now, and I'm not expected in town, so my plans are easily changed.”

“Go to town, Jace,” Woody commanded firmly, thinking that was the end of it.

“What I do with this farm is your business, Woody Randall. What I do with my time is my own.”

Woody looked at him, realizing this was exactly what he'd wanted for his heir, but he never reckoned on it being directed at him.

Woody sighed and Jace heard it. He didn't care if the older man didn't approve. He didn't want to live with the horrible feeling he would have if Woody died while he was away. He realized it could happen at any time, but when it seemed this obvious, he knew he would be foolish to leave.

It made for a long evening. Woody fell asleep fairly early, but Jace was strong in his resolve. Nearly as bored as he could imagine, he even got out the book he'd borrowed from Doyle and began to read.

“I need a favor, Clara,” Jace said on Saturday morning when Woody had already gone outside.

“As if I don't do enough around here,” Clara replied sarcastically, catching Jace off guard. For a moment he stopped and then realized she was teasing.

“I need a picnic lunch,” he plunged in and told her, “for tomorrow.”

Clara smiled. “Do I get to know whom you're taking?”

Jace smiled back. “As if you don't already.”

Still grinning, Clara turned back to the pan she was washing.

“I'll leave it for you in the buttery.”

“Thanks, Clara.” Jace kissed her cheek, surprising her mouth wide open.

But Jace didn't see how he'd startled her. He was already turning toward the door, hoping that Woody was at his best all day. He had to go into town tonight and ask a certain lady to join him on an outing after services tomorrow. And for that reason alone, he desperately needed his uncle to be in top form, at least for the next two days.

Tea was over on Saturday night by the time Jace arrived at the Shephard house. Cathy was handing dishes to Doyle to dry, and Maddie was putting the last touches on some muffins they would enjoy the next day.

Doyle answered the knock, pleased to see Jace, and invited him in.

“You just missed tea,” Cathy told him.

“I just had my tea, thank you, Cathy. I'm actually here to ask Maddie a question.”

This brought all the Shephards to attention. They looked at Jace as a threesome—two with pleasure and one with dread.

“Maddie,” Jace began, his palms sweating as they held his hat, “would you accompany me on a picnic tomorrow after services?”

“Well,” Maddie hedged, not wanting to look at her uncle and aunt. “I'm not sure that I'm free.”

“Of course you are,” Cathy put in, and Maddie turned surprised eyes to her.

“I thought we would leave right after services,” Jace explained. “I'll have the wagon.”

“I'm not sure that I can, Jace,” Maddie began.

“Why not?” Doyle chimed in this time, really causing Maddie's eyes to widen.

“Well, then,” Jace said, working not to smile. “Tomorrow, Maddie?”

“All right,” she said, unable to believe those words had come out of her mouth.

Jace was gone just moments later, and Maddie stood still, but only until she found her voice. She rounded on her aunt and uncle, feeling utterly betrayed and determined that they would know it.

Seven

“What happened here just now?” Maddie asked, her voice tight with frustration.

“You agreed to go on a picnic with Jace,” Cathy spoke up.

“I agreed, or you and Doyle agreed?”

“Either way, it's a good idea,” Doyle put in.

Maddie's mouth opened. “How can you say that? You know how I feel. I've never felt so betrayed in all my life.”

This silenced Doyle and Cathy. Maddie's feeling betrayed was never part of the plan. Cathy was sick at the thought of it.

“I'll go after him,” Cathy said, starting to remove her apron. “I'll tell him we made a mistake.”

Maddie looked into the crushed faces before her and shook her head.

“Please, Cathy,” she began, stopping her aunt's movements. “Just tell me why you both want me to do this. Please just explain it to me.”

“We think Jace is special, and we can see that he cares for you. We thought you might be feeling the same way.”

Maddie heard these gently spoken words and realized something. They had never interfered. They had never tried to pair her off or do any matchmaking. That they were doing so now was something she had to take notice of. And on top of all of that, she
was
noticing Jace. It would be a lie to say anything else.

“I'll go with Jace tomorrow,” Maddie said, doing her best to cover all annoyance. She couldn't take their crushed faces any longer, and as always, Doyle's health lingered in her mind. “But you need to understand that I'm not making any promises. I think Jace might be special too, but that doesn't mean I trust him. I would never deliberately hurt him, but if my rejection of him does that, I'll not feel guilt.”

“We don't expect any more than that, Maddie,” Doyle told her. “We want you to be honest about your feelings, and if they don't include Jace, then he'll have to learn to live with it.”

“And we don't think he's the type to play games with your heart, Maddie,” Cathy added. “We would not have welcomed him in the first place if he were that sort of person.”

Maddie nodded, hoping they were right. It had been years ago, she knew that, but some things you don't overcome. She honestly didn't think her heart could take that kind of treatment again.

Jace didn't know when he'd been so nervous. He was ready for services a full hour early, the picnic basket prepared and waiting, and all he could do was pace.

Woody would be going on his own, giving Jace the wagon. He wasn't sure his uncle felt that well, but Jace thought he might be putting on a good front so that Jace would keep the date.

In a last-minute, desperate move just before he went out the door, he slipped a small flask of Woody's liquor into the basket. Not even when he'd come to Tucker Mills on the train had he been this nervous. As excited as he was to have Maddie Shephard all to himself, he wondered if he'd have the wits about him to say anything intelligent.

“You're going to be late,” Woody said, already to the door.

Jace shook himself. He'd paced himself into a standstill and was now behind schedule. He went out the door knowing he mustn't dare but wondering if he might need a drink from that flask just to get into town.

Maddie was utterly silent on the wagon seat next to Jace. Jace kept the team at an easy pace, not having revealed where they were going, but Maddie noticed they were headed in the direction of the mill.

“Did you have anything to ask Mr. Sullins this morning?” Jace asked.

“No,” Maddie said, not wanting to admit that she'd heard little of the sermon.