“I am happy to hear that,” she turned to him, beaming with joy.
“I truly want this place to be everything they could possibly need.”
“What they need cannot be provided by just four walls,” she added, breathing the words out of her lips. He knew what she was referring to. “They need love, attention. They need to remain children for as long as possible, but with their life that cannot be. Their childhoods are stolen away from them, and no one can give them back.”
“I know…” he replied, looking down. He felt horrible for never understanding this as a child himself. He could have helped her, and instead, he made things even more difficult for her. “I’m sorry, Marjorie…”
“You are sorry?” She sounded taken aback by his apology. “Why would you be sorry, Alexander?”
“For… everything,” he said. “For being the way I was as a child, and for not understanding what you were going through, what any of these children is now going through.”
She smiled, walking over to him. Her closeness made his blood boil, but he managed to remain calm. Suddenly, her hand lifted to his cheek, touching him gently.
“You are a good man, Alexander Haddington, just like your father was,” she told him, the luscious green of his eyes completely taking over him. Just as quickly as she touched him, she pulled away, as if singed. “There is nothing to apologize for. What you are doing now is a selfless act of kindness, of love, and you should be proud of yourself.”
He wantedherto be proud of him. He wanted her to think that he was worthy of her love. He wanted to tell her all this, yet no words flowed down his lips. All he could do was smile stupidly, his cheek burning at the exact spot where she caressed him.
“Can we see the other rooms?” she chirped, looking around one more time.
“Of course,” he smiled back. “I want to show you the kitchen, and the playroom.”
“The play room?” She raised her eyebrow in disbelief.
“Why, of course,” he chuckled. “After all, children will be living in this house. So, one room among all these should be a play room. I have already discussed it with a few friends who wish to make donations in the form of money, but also children’s clothes and toys.”
“That is…” she gasped, pressing both her hands to her lips. “I can’t believe this… this must be a dream!”
“It is no dream, I assure you,” he could not stop smiling, and neither could she. “All this is because of you.”
Her face glowed with serene happiness, and he knew that he was feeling deeper under her spell. He was already in hazardous territory with her, opening his heart in such a manner, and there would be no going back.
“Come,” he added, desperate to move, to change the topic, because if they remained there for a single moment longer, he feared he would not be able to resist the urge to wrap his arms around her and shower her face with a thousand kisses. “Let me show you the other bedroom first.”
He started, listening to the sound of her dainty footsteps follow him, just like she did when she was a child. There was a time when he fascinated her, when she wanted to be his friend, to spend time with him, but he kept pushing her away, until she finally stopped following him. He knew that she would stop following him this time as well. Only it would not be because he was pushing her away again. She would be stolen away from him, taken by another man, and now, it was too late to do anything about it.
Chapter 24
“The place looks absolutely wonderful, Edith,” Marjorie could not hide her enthusiasm regarding the old Miller residence and how it was coming along, upon her return that evening.
It did not only resemble a house that would welcome children without parental care. It was starting to resemble a true home. Once the final works were brought to an end and the furniture was placed, she was certain that it would be more beautiful than many other houses in that same street. Still, she did not care about the beauty of the building or the aesthetics of the interior. She wanted the children to feel welcome there, to feel as if it was their home not because they had no other place to call home, but because they saw it as such.
“I can conclude as much just by looking at you, dear Marjorie,” Edith chuckled, as the two ladies sat in Marjorie’s drawing room. “Or perhaps that has less to do with the house and more with your company?”
Marjorie blushed violently at the insinuation, which both ladies knew to be completely accurate. She leaned forward and buried her face in her hands, a futile attempt at hiding herself and her emotions from the rest of the world. She could speak about him all day long. She could describe in minute details the way he laughed, the way he talked, the way he sometimes waved his hands around when he was excited while explaining something. There were so many endearing things she never noticed about him before. Now, unfortunately, she noticed them all.
“I honestly do not know why do not talk to him?” Edith mused, glancing at the empty table before them. Both ladies had refused Annie’s offer for tea, considering it much too late for the beverage. Marjorie felt overwhelmed by both joy as well as apprehension because of a combination of two factors. The factor that caused joy was the renovation of the Miller residence, which was coming along marvelously. The other factor, however, the one which made her lower lip tremble, and her palms clam was the upcoming ball, which would host, among other people, all three of them: Alexander, Percival, and herself.
“Talk about what?” Marjorie frowned, as if there was nothing she had to say to Alexander. The truth was far from it. Inside of her, a sparkling well of words and emotions felt like a geyser just waiting to erupt at the right moment.
“Well…” Edith gestured with her hand at the empty air in front of her. “About all this, about him and you.”
Marjorie sighed, with her brows still knitted in displeasure. “What am I supposed to say? Oh, you know Alexander, I have feelings for you, although you knew that I needed to get married and you suggested a friend of yours, instead of yourself. Yes, thatdoessound quite right.” Marjorie spoke fervently, although both ladies were on the verge of bursting into laughter.
“Well, you were spending so much time together lately,” Edith sighed wistfully. “Was there not a single moment when you could perhaps start such a conversation?”
“No,” Marjorie suddenly got up, unable to remain calmly seated during this dialogue. “It is never the ideal moment to start such a conversation. As for the time that we have been spending together, that too shall end very soon, and we shall both go our separate ways, as I think he planned from the start.”
“You do not have to marry… that man,” Edith commented, unwilling to state Percival’s name.
