“Of course,” Mamma said. “Effie, my dear.” She opened her arms, and the girl melted into them, clearly relishing the maternal embrace.
Releasing Effie, Mamma turned to Mr. Henshall to introduce the new-wed couple. “You remember Emily, I trust.”
“I do indeed.” He bowed.
“And this is her husband, James Thomson.”
“A pleasure.” The two men shook hands.
Mamma said, “Would you like your former rooms? That is, unless you object, Sarah?”
“Not at all. I was about to suggest the same.” Sarah managed a smile, even as her hope faded. When Mr. Henshall had turned up in the churchyard, she’d briefly believed there might be a future for them, but now the reality of her family’s situation came rushing back.
She noticed Emily watching her, realization dawning.
“Sarah, you should have said something. Perhaps we can wait a bit longer or...”
Mamma interrupted her with a single clap of her hands. “Well now. Let’s get our guests settled. The keys, Sarah?”
Clean towels in hand, Sarah led the Henshalls up to their rooms, Georgie tagging along.
When they reached the door, Mr. Henshall paused to regard the placard beside it. “This is new.” He ran a finger over the carved words:Scots Pine. Then he turned to her, brows high in question.
Sarah felt her face heat.
Georgie grinned. “We named it in your honor!”
“Did ye indeed?”
“Um-hm.”
Sarah opened the door and stepped inside, setting the towels on the washstand. The two young ladies disappeared into the adjacent room—Effie closing her door none too softly—leaving Sarah alone with Callum Henshall. In a bedchamber. She swallowed hard and reminded herself she was there in a business capacity only.
He set down his cases, turned to her, and sank his voice. “I hope you don’t mind us coming to Sidmouth like this, unannounced. When we learned you’d come all the way to our house, I felt I had to see you. Even Effie, who despaired of the long journey after our last trip, wanted to come.”
“I had to see you.”Sarah’s nerves thrummed at the words, even as she told herself to be practical, to remember she was content as she was. Useful. Needed.
“I don’t mind at all,” she replied. She thought of James and Emily leaving, and again her mind ran through her lists, her plans, her tallies. She had accounted for a certain number of people for Christmas Eve, Christmas dinner, New Year’s, and Twelfth Night. Would the plum pudding be large enough? Perhaps she should have ordered a larger goose....
The next moment, all of those practical concerns fled. To travel all this way, and at Christmastide yet—what did it signal? How was she to respond? With cool officiousness, as though he were just another return guest, or at best, a family friend joining them for the holidays? Should she pretend to be unaffected by his arrival when every inch of her being was acutely aware of his presence?
She glanced up and was surprised to find him so near. Had he stepped closer, or had she?
He said, “When we met in the churchyard, ye seemed happy to see me. Has something changed?”
“Oh, um...” What to say? “It’s only the busyness of the season. And Emily and her husband will be spending more time away from home, so there will be her duties to take care of as well. Nothing’s wrong, just ... a lot on my mind.”
“And we have added to your duties by being here, especially at Christmastime.”
“I didn’t mean ... It is not a problem, truly.”
“We shan’t expect any special treatment. Well, I shan’t. I canna speak for Effie.” He gave her a half grin. “For instance, I recall ye don’t serve dinner to guests on Saturday and Sunday evenings. Don’t make an exception on our account. We can easily go to one of the hotels.”
Sarah considered. “We do have two other guests with us presently, and they might notice if we made an exception for you. But when they leave in a few days, I can easily modify the menus and shopping to include you and Effie as well. And you must join us for all the meals during Christmas week. I have promised Georgianadinner parties and evening parties and every festivity I can think of. Last Christmas was a sad disappointment to her.”
“We shall happily join you, then. In the meantime, perhaps I might take Mr. Hornbeam out for a meal. Is he still with you?”
“He was until a few months ago. He recently married.”
