Levi’s thumb stroked the back of her hand again, and his gaze caught hers with a serious expression. “I like your people. But the question is, what do they think of me?”
Audrey swallowed the thickening in her throat. If only she had the answer. “I ... don’t know. No one has spoken to me about what might be the penalty for either of us. The fact that the council members are visiting you to learn more about you bodes well, I think.”Lord, please let that be a good sign.
He gave her hand a squeeze as he nodded. “Do you think it would help if I spoke to someone? The chief, maybe?”
A ripple of unease spread through her. “What would you say?”
Again that thoughtful frown and a moment of silence. “Maybe apologize for anything I did that contributed to Leonard’s death. I didn’t get a chance to tell him how sorry I was in our previous conversation. I’d like to tell him it was never my intention to hurt the people of Laurent in any way.” His face cleared as he studied her with expectancy.
He’d not said anything about telling the chief he wished to leave. Was that simply because they didn’t know how long it would take him to heal suitably? Probably so.
She forced her thoughts back to his question. Would raising the topic of Leonard’s demise help ease the tension between Levi and the council? Or would it simply bring up wounds that might be struggling to heal?
“I...” She tried to picture Chief Durand’s reaction to theconversation Levi proposed. He was such a thoughtful man, never responding rashly. Perhaps Levi could start there and see how much more would be wise to say.
She finally focused on him. “If you feel the Lord leading you to speak on the topic, Chief Durand would be the best to begin with. Even if it’s hard for him to hear your words, I think he might appreciate your speaking them. I’m not sure how the others would feel, but his response might tell us.”
Lord, don’t let me be leading him astray. The Bible said to settle a dispute with a brother quietly, right? This wasn’t a dispute, but the concept still seemed to apply.
Levi nodded. “If you have a way to invite him to come visit me when he has a free minute, I would appreciate it.”
“All right.” As she met the warmth of his eyes, she once more fell headlong into them. He seemed to have more to say, and she waited, captured.
“I’ll do everything I can to earn your people’s trust, Audrey. It’s important to me. I want—”
The rear door opened with awhoosh, stealing his words as his gaze flicked up to see who was entering.
Disappointment slipped through her at the interruption. It felt like Levi was about to say something important.I want—What? To leave without having to sneak out in the wee hours of morning? To keep from being bound and held under guard as soon as he felt better?
...to stay here with you.
... to be accepted by the village and to make you my wife.
No matter how much she craved those words, the chances of them ever being spoken felt so slim.
25
Levi couldn’t seem to help fidgeting as he waited for Chief Durand. Audrey had said the man would come by after he finished his noon meal, and that should be any minute. The workers across the hall must also be eating, for the sounds had just ceased.
Audrey had gone to visit some of her infirm patients around the village, so that must mean she thought his conversation with the chief might go better if she wasn’t present. Did she realize her father would be here, though?
He sent a glance toward Monsieur Moreau, who sat in a chair by the fire. He didn’t look at all like he planned to leave the apartment soon, for he was rubbing down a long wooden rod almost as thick as his wrist. The man so rarely spoke, it was hard to know what he might be thinking. His only comments had to do with daily living.“I’m going to bring in more wood.”“Charlotte sent over food for the evening meal.”
Those were usually aimed toward Audrey, and occasionally, when father and daughter were sitting at the table or taking in a meal together, he caught a gentle expression whenthe older man looked at Audrey. In those moments, the man seemed real, not the stranger who hobbled around like a wooden doll.
Did the distance he keep stem from Levi being in their home, invading their usual rhythm? The thought pinched in his belly. He didn’t want his presence to be hard on them. And he hated the thought that the father of the woman he loved felt so ill at ease around him. Levi had tried to be friendly, but his efforts didn’t seem to make a difference.
Maybe the only way to set things right between them was to have a candid conversation about what had happened, just like he was about to do with Chief Durand. That reminder renewed the roiling in his belly.
The click of the latch finally signaled the back door opening, and a man’s head appeared first. Chief Durand glanced around the room, his gaze pausing on Levi, then a smile formed on his face as it settled on Audrey’s father.
“Come in.” Monsieur Moreau’s expression also seemed to gain a bit of life at sight of the other man, though he didn’t stand or set aside his work.
As the chief entered, he glanced toward Levi again with a nod of greeting but aimed his steps toward Monsieur Moreau. The two shared a handshake and a few words, then the chief finally turned his full attention to Levi as he moved to his bedside.
“How are you feeling these days?” His gaze slid down to the blanket covering Levi’s leg, then back up to his face. “You look a lot better than the last time I saw you.”
Levi nodded. “Yes, sir. Getting my strength back now. Audrey says the joint seems to be healing, though she won’t let me test any weight on it.” The moment he spoke Audrey’sChristian name, he nearly winced. Perhaps he should’ve called her Miss Moreau, but it had been a long time since he’d even thought of her that way.
