The Visitor (35 page)

“I think it must be. I feel as though you have the advantage on me. I feel ignorant and off guard.”

“I’m glad you told me,” Tate said and then admitted something shocking. “I was coming over today to propose to you.”

Cassandra gawked at him. “But you said…”

“I know, and I would have been foolish to ignore my own advice in Bath, but sometimes my heart runs ahead of me.”

Cassandra smiled at him.

“What is that smile for?”

“Some days I wonder if you’re human.”

Tate laughed in the way she loved.

“I fear I’m all too human, Cassie. Have no concern on that end.”

“Can you stay for lunch?”

“Thank you. I will.”

With the gentlest of movements, Tate took the small cutting tool from her hand. For the next hour they walked and talked, and Cassandra had only to point to the blooms she wanted.

Her heart taking its turn in running ahead of her, Cassandra nearly shook her head at her most recent doubts. At the moment she wanted to throw her arms around this man and never let go.

Morland found Lizzy alone in the large parlor, gazing out the window. Jasper had let him in, and while the door into that room had not been silent, she did not turn from her place on the window seat. He approached quietly, uncertain whether she’d even heard the door and not wishing to startle her. She heard him when he was halfway across the room and turned in surprise.

“I’m sorry, Lizzy.”

“It’s all right.”

Morland could tell she was upset.

“Is this a bad time?”

Lizzy shook her head, even as tears threatened. Morland went to sit beside her. She didn’t speak, so he took her hand and held it.

“I’ve had word from Anne Weston,” Lizzy said when she could speak. “The doctor has sent her back to bed for the remainder of her term.”

“How much longer?”

“The end of August. More than two months.” Lizzy looked at him. “I so want her to have this baby, Morland. I want it so much.”

“It would be a very nice thing.”

“And Weston. I haven’t known him very long, but his care of her is so tender.”

“All they can do is obey the doctor’s orders and trust God for this small life.”

The words were too much for Lizzy. At the mention of the tiny person inside Anne, she broke down. Morland sat patiently, hating to see Lizzy like this but knowing it was probably for the best. He had never feared tears as many men did, and had no issue with Lizzy’s need to cry.

“I’m sorry.”

“Not at all.”

“I think I’ve cried more since you returned than I have all year.”

“Should I go back?” he teased.

“I would send Henry after you.”

Morland’s thumb stroked the back of Lizzy’s hand and reminded her where her thoughts had roamed the night before.

“I was thinking about you last night,” she admitted, feeling a change in subject was needed.

“Good thoughts?”

“After a time.”

Morland smiled. “Was I in trouble?”

“Not exactly, but for a time I convinced myself that your feelings were only confused.”

Morland’s brows rose, and Lizzy hurried on.

“It’s logical, Morland. After all, you could view me as a sister. We have known each other for years.”

Morland laughed and sat back to regard her from a distance.

“Why is that funny?” Lizzy demanded.

“It’s funny because of all the hard work I do to be a gentleman.”

“You are a gentleman, Morland.”

“I don’t always feel like acting as one.”

The way he watched Lizzy was warm and tender, and she smiled at her own stupidity.

“Feeling better?”

“Yes. About both things. I need to visit Anne. I think I would feel better if I saw her. And of course,” she added quietly, “I always feel better when I see you.”

With no need for words, the two regarded one another for long minutes. Lizzy was still working to believe that he’d come back, and Morland was still working on the wonder that she cared for him.

“Stay for dinner?” she invited.

Morland sighed. “I thought you would never ask.”

Tate was back at Newcomb. He’d lunched with the Steeles, gone home, and returned after supper. Now the four of them, Lizzy, Cassandra, Tate, and Morland, sat around the card table, talking over a game of ruff.

“She’s loaded,” Morland said, watching Cassandra arrange her cards.

“How do you know?” Tate asked.

“She always bites her lip when she has so many good cards she doesn’t know what to play first.”

“Not fair, Morland!” Cassandra scolded him, still studying her hand. “You’re giving away old family secrets.”

“Well, if I didn’t, you just did.”

Cassandra ignored him and played trump.

“What did I tell you?” Morland said as he and Tate both surrendered cards.

“We shouldn’t have let them talk us into these teams,” Tate observed, surprised by how much Cassandra wanted to be Lizzy’s partner.

Lizzy smiled, just short of laughter.

“You are looking way too pleased with yourself, Miss Elizabeth,” Morland scolded, but all she did was smile a little more and take the next hand.

“That settles it,” Tate put in. “We’re going to mix things up next time.”

More competitive than Tate would have imagined, the women shared a smile. In the next hour they outscored the men three out of four times, and the men were crying for revenge.

“But you can’t really get revenge unless you remain a team and beat us,” Cassandra said, her voice a little too sweet.

“That’s not going to work,” Tate said, not falling for it. “And to make things more interesting, I think Lizzy should be my partner, and you should be Morland’s.”

Both women laughed at his nerve but agreed. Morland quietly went along, but he knew he got the better end of the deal. For all her unworldly ways, Cassandra was a dab hand at cards. The team of Cassandra and Morland thrashed Lizzy and Tate in less time than it had taken the women on their own.

“I should have warned you,” Lizzy said to Tate, not sorry in the least. “Cassie always carries me. She’s so unassuming, we get away with it every time.”

Cassandra did her best to look innocent, but Tate was not fooled.

“I shall have my revenge,” he promised.

“In what game?” Cassandra boldly asked him.

“I don’t know, but hear me well, Cassie, when I tell you that this is not over yet.”

The occupants of the table laughed at him before Lizzy rang for tea. They put the cards away, and Henry joined the four of them as they visited over hot cups of tea and biscuits.

The evening ended all too soon, both women taking the stairs at a slow pace.

“I do believe I’m in love, Cassie,” Lizzy said quietly.

“I would never have guessed.”

“And you?”

“I’m still mulling it over.”

Lizzy laughed. “The only thing you’re mulling over is what type of dress you want.”

The women hugged goodnight and went their separate ways, but it was a good long time before either of them slept.

“We are happy to welcome a certain gentleman into our midst this morning,” Pastor Hurst began. “Many of you have been praying for Mr Tate, and for the first time he has been able to join us.

“I’ve asked him to take the dais and say a few words to us about his recovery and some of the things he’s learned. Mr Tate, if you’ll come now, we are most eager to hear from you.”

Cassandra hadn’t known about this and suddenly felt her heart pounding as he rose from the pew he shared with his aunt, so tall and handsome, and went to the front.

“First of all,” he said in the deep voice Cassandra loved, “I wish to thank you for all your prayers. I know God used those prayers in my life. I am most grateful to have my eyesight restored to me, but I’m also grateful for the things I was able to learn in that time.

“I think my life had gotten very busy before the accident, but I was doing some studying on the life of Moses. When I think on his life, I can’t help but notice how often God demanded Moses’ trust. God never let him make excuses for not obeying—not when he had to leave Egypt, and not when he was asked to go back.

“When my world went black, I tried to remember that. God asked hard things of Moses, and He has the right to ask hard things of me. It does no good to be angry with God. He has a plan, and no plan of His can be thwarted. I worked to agree with His plan about my vision. I didn’t want to be blind. I wanted to see again, but I knew if God’s plan was different, I had better learn to accept it.

“At times I was fearful. At times I didn’t think I could wait, but God often reminded me of His provision and care. I’m sure He was able to work in my heart because of your prayers. Thank you.”

Cassandra had a hard time not staring over at Tate as he took his seat. Pastor Hurst was speaking again, and she did her best to attend but would have been forced to admit that she was distracted.

He’s so special, Father. Thank You for bringing Tate into my life. Help us to follow You. Help us to get to know each other and to know the right time to proceed. You’ve seen our hearts. You know how anxious we can be. Please help us to trust in Your timing.

The hymnals had been put away. Cassandra missed one entire song. Lizzy checked with her to see if she was all right. She gave a swift nod and bent her mind to paying attention to the sermon.