“I shan’t disappoint,” Miranda promised with a smile. When she glanced at Anthony again, his focus was still fixed on her. It was rather unnerving to say the least.
“Shall we eat?” Jacob announced. “I believe dinner is ready.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice!” Elaine’s husband, Daniel, said with a broad grin. He walked over to Miranda and offered her a gallant bow, and then held out his arm. “Would you do me the honor, Miss Applegate?”
She laughed and set her arm on his. “I should be delighted, kind sir.” She had liked Daniel from the first time he had come to call on her sister. She always had adored a man with a sense of humor. At one time Anthony had been delightful as well, but something told her those days were gone with the war.
It was a shame. It was one of the things she’d first adored about him. The first time she’d met Daniel, she’d told Elaine that she thought he was the one. She’d even taken note of how he’d regarded her sister, and his devotion had been real. Together, they had started a family that had made a world of difference in Elaine’s demeanor. They balanced each other perfectly.
Miranda had once thought the same about Anthony. They had always had nice chats when he came to visit with Jacob during leave from school. Other than her siblings, he’d been the only other person she could open up to when something bothered her. But even then, he’d been so much more.
She withheld a sigh and pasted a smile on her face, determined to make it through the rest of the meal without allowing melancholy over the past to bring her down.
Chapter 3
She was beautiful. It was the only word he could use to truly describe the woman Miranda had become. She had blossomed like a flower in the spring and brightened up the room with her brilliance. He was thankful that he had one good eye with which to see her, because to have missed her smile and her grace would have been a true shame. He would have lamented his wounds much more than he already did.
At times, he closed his eyes and listened. He had heard that, with the loss of one sense, one or more of the others became heightened. He could pick her laugh out of the assemblage, and it flowed over his skin like the finest spun silk. But it was nothing compared to witnessing her charm firsthand. He had long admired her courage and determination when she’d been young, but now, with the maturity of age, she had proven what a worthwhile lady she had become. No doubt her parents had been proud of her accomplishments.
“How long have you been published, Miss Applegate?” he asked. He hated using her surname, but he knew it was best if he gave her some proper space, some sense of normalcy.
“About five years,” she replied politely.
“How many books have you written?”
“Seven, so far, but I hope to complete the eighth while I’m in Cumbria.”
He smiled. “I’m sure you will be able to find the right amount of inspiration here.”
“Yes,” she concurred. “It is rather serene.”
As her sister slid into the conversation, Anthony wondered if she was similar to him, in that she was looking for a temporary escape from her life. He had also been searching for that blessed feeling of solitude, a place in which to restore his soul. He had found the answer to his long-awaited prayers in Cumbia. Perhaps she would as well.
“There’s two weeks until Christmas,” Miranda was saying. “That should give me ample opportunity to complete several watercolors for my next book.”
Before Anthony quite knew what he was about, he said, “Allow me to offer my assistance in showing you around Keswick.” As the table quieted, he cleared his throat. “I have become acquainted with the area in recent months and have found some rather interesting places that should be brought to life by your paints.”
He noted that Miranda didn’t seem all that thrilled to spend any more time in his company than she had to. Her sudden inability to speak when he had always known her to be quite vocal proved that. He just hoped her reluctance wasn’t because of his eye. If so, he would be willing to wear that dreadful eye patch, just to put her at ease.
“I think that’s a capital idea,” Jacob noted. When Miranda turned to him with an outright glare, he dared to add, “Think of all the benefits it would give you, Randie. Not only would you have an expansive area in which to paint, but it would give you and Anthony a chance to catch up.”
“I fear there isn’t much to catch up on, Jacob,” she returned stiffly. “You would surely have more to discuss with Mr. Gravehill. I was fifteen years old the last time I spoke with him.” As if realizing she was speaking of Anthony as if he wasn’t in the same room, she looked at him and said, “Pardon me if I sound crass. I just don’t wish to take up any of your time.”
He smiled in understanding. “It’s not a burden, I assure you. I would be glad for the distraction.”
After his explanation, she seemed to relax slightly. “Then I shall accept your generous offer.”
Miranda sighedas she set down her hairbrush. She was in her room, getting ready for bed, but her mind was elsewhere. She wasn’t sure if she would sleep a wink at all this night. More than that, she didn’t know whether she should start to panic now or later. Dear God, she was going to be alone with Anthony after all these years. It was almost too unimaginable to believe. She had long dreamed of this bittersweet reunion, but now that it was at hand, she wasn’t sure how to behave.
Her brother certainly hadn’t helped matters. No doubt he was grateful to find a way to entertain Anthony at the same time he could be rid of her. This way, he could spend time with his family without being bothered by his spinster sister.
Miranda closed her eyes. Now she was just being unfair. Neither Jacob nor Elaine had ever done anything to make her feel as though she was set apart from them. They never failed to invite her to any gathering that they held.
And yet…
Miranda was the one who had started to slowly distance herself from her married siblings. They had families and responsibilities to see to, while Miranda had nothing but her books now that their mother was gone.
Although she might be terribly uncomfortable around Anthony again, she would deal with those dreaded silences, because she owed it to her brother and sister. She had always vowed that she wouldn’t become a burden to them, and so she would remain true to her word.
