Chapters (46)
- Front Cover
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Contents
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-one
- Twenty-two
- Twenty-three
- Twenty-four
- Twenty-five
- Twenty-six
- Twenty-seven
- Twenty-eight
- Twenty-nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-one
- Thirty-two
- Thirty-three
- Thirty-four
- Thirty-five
- Thirty-six
- Thirty-seven
- Thirty-eight
- Epilogue
- Author’s Note
- Acknowledgments
- Back Cover
“Perhaps. It’s impossible to say, but you have a tie to those children, and that is a lovely thing, Joan. I’m sorry that this has all presented you with more questions than it has answered.” He sighed.
“Yes, but it also gave me answers I didn’t know had questions,” she replied.
“Yes, well, I’m sure Rowles is curious how all this went. Would you like to invite him for dinner?”
Joan nodded. “Yes, I think that’s an excellent idea.” She closed the box and wiped a gentle and loving caress over the top before turning to her brother. “I’m not sure how I feel about it all.”
“It’s a lot to consider, that is to be certain.”
“I–I think I’m glad…that I didn’t know sooner. I think I would have questioned much and now, looking back, I didn’t have the burn of that truth when I was too young to grasp it.”
“I’m glad you feel that way. For better or worse, we thought we were doing the right thing.” Morgan took the box and put it back in the wardrobe.
“I know. Which makes it easier for me to accept.” Joan studied her brother. “Though I must say, it is impressive you kept this a secret from me.” She frowned.
“Indeed, it was a challenge to say the least. I had to be very careful not to look at you, to avoid any conversation about your birth, but generally that was pretty easy.” Morgan hitched a shoulder. “Now, if you’re ready, I’m sure your betrothed is impatiently waiting to hear from you. I must say, it’s a wonder he’s waiting to have the banns read.”
“His patience is far more impressive than my own. But it’s two weeks. I think we can survive that,” Joan answered bravely.
Two weeks… It wasn’t that long.
Except, in her heart, it felt like an eternity.
Thirty-five
For Rowles, the next week passed with each day a test in fortitude and patience as one day bled into the next with exasperating slowness. Each day, he’d break his fast and then go over to Penderdale House, or Joan and Morgan would come to Westmore. Mrs. Adams and Joan had made considerable progress on arrangements for the wedding breakfast, and the final fitting for Joan’s wedding dress was tomorrow afternoon. She’d said as much yesterday, with a great amount of enthusiasm. It was going to be a day above all others. Today, Rowles had one important task to accomplish: arranging the wedding trip.