“A good hot bath will do you both good,” Julia added, getting to her feet.
“No.” Deidre cried. “Not yet. I have to say this now, while I’ve got the courage. I might not, later.”
Julia sat back down. All eyes were on Deidre.
Hers were fixed on the ground. “I’m sorry for what I did. For all of it. Clear from the beginning. I knew I was acting shamefully. But I didn’t care. It’s no secret mother made me come on this trip just to get rid of me, so I guess I was sort of punishing all of you, because I was angry with her.
“And then we met Drew and Phillip, and for once, someone paid attention to me.Me.And the more Phillip acted like he liked me, the more I acted the way I thought he wanted me too.”
“But why—” Julia started to say something and Drew stopped her. “Go on, Deidre,” she finished.
After a shuddering sigh, Deidre looked from one sister to the other. “Neither of you have any idea what it’s like to grow up in your shadows.” Her voice was small. Contrite. “Julia, you’re gorgeous. I see surprise in everyone’s eyes when they find out I’m your sister.Poor plain Deidre. Even mom does it. She’s always telling me you’re the example of a perfect daughter, and asking why I can’t be more like you.”
Her miserable gaze moved to Lauren. “And you, Lauren. You have everything. You’re pretty, smart, and successful. But most of all you have the courage to defy our parents and be whoever you want to be, instead of who you’re told to be.”
Tears filled her eyes. “I know it’s not your fault, either of you, but I’m just so tired of trying to be whoever everyone else thinks I should be.” She dropped her gaze to the ground. “I kept trying to convince myself that was better than being nothing at all. Then when Phillip left because I was too boring, it just confirmed everything I’d believed.” She shrugged. “I don’t know why I came clear out here. I guess I thought it didn’t matter where I went. Or, if I never came back.”
Phoebe’s distressed cry drew her attention and she grasped her aunt’s hand. “But then Reggie came after me, even after he’d made it clear he wanted Lauren. Even after I was so mean to him and tried to destroy the gift he was making for her.” She turned to Phoebe. “It was me who set the fire. Reggie even tried to take the blame for that.”
Several tears fell from her lashes and ran down her face. “And then, on top of everything, he asked if he could be my brother, and protect me. No matter what. Even if…” she glanced at Lauren. “Even if things, here, didn’t work out the way he wanted, he’d still watch over me.”
Deidre’s tears fell unchecked, and her words hung on a sob. “A brother. Can you imagine? Someone, who doesn’t want anything in return? Who was never once, unkind to me, no matter how nasty I treated him.”
Reginald felt Lauren’s silent sobs and saw Julia’s, as well as the heartbreak on Phoebe’s face. “Ye still havnae said if ye’ll accept my offer, lass.”
Deidre’s shy smile said it all. “Of course, I will. Thank you. For everything. But most of all, for setting me straight.”
Reginald laughed his relief. “ ’Tis what brothers do. Now let’s get ye back tae the house. We could all use a bit o’ warmth and some of Phoebe’s good coffee.”
“Excellent idea,” Phoebe said, drying her tears as the sisters came together in a circle of hugs and chatter. “We’ll add a quick sandwich and after we tend to cuts and bruises, I suggest an early night for everyone. It’s been an eventful day. Drew, if you’ve nothing pressing, why don’t you spend the night? We’ve tons of room.”
Drew glanced at Julia. “I’d be honored. Thank you.”
Reginald’s eyes were on Lauren, as she gave Deidre one more hug. The sisters could start over now, with nothing but truth between them.
Unlike him.
Even if Lauren could ever love him enough to adjust her dreams, her life,everythingshe knew, so they could be together, how could her love last, when it was built on his mountain of lies?
* * *
Sleep hadnae come as easilyas Reginald expected, even as exhausted as he was. By the time the sun blushed pink, behind the eastern skyline, he was already sifting through the burned wood and ash in the shed, searching for the butterfly lid.
He found it near the far wall, picked it up and turned the carved wood over several times in his bandaged hands. After close examination, the damage wasnae as bad as he’d anticipated. Black, singed areas fanned out from one edge and trailed down the underside. His sigh of relief that the carving itself hadnae been harmed, sounded loud in the stillness.
Next he checked the half-carved chair back, of Crayton’s. The cloth cover that caught fire had been directly over it. ’Twas damaged but on close inspection he kenned ’twas no’ so much he couldnae sand it out.
Looking around the shed, he realized how lucky they’d been. One section of the front wall and a piece of the floor may need to be replaced, but that should be minor. He bent down to see how deep the burn was, on the floor.
“You’ll have Aunt Phoebe pulling out a new roll of bandages if she sees what you’ve done, to those.”
Reginald started at Lauren’s unexpected presence, and glanced down at the blackened bandages on his hands. He hadnae paid attention. Even after all her careful tending.
She came closer, tried to see what he held. “What’s that?”
“Why are ye up so early?” He dropped his hand to his side.
“Why are you?” She looked pointedly at his hand.
