by Annie Boone
“Thank you, thank you! It all couldn’t be more perfect,” said Audrey. “I’m Audrey Norris, this is my mother, Kathleen Riley, and my daughter, Daisy. We’re from Boston.”
“I’ve been expecting you, just like the rest of the family has. If you need anything at all, please let me know. And Beatrice, dear, be sure to show them around the grounds after breakfast.”
The girl nodded and smiled. “Yes, ma’am, Mrs. Dansby.”
The breakfast was delicious and filling. The girls both ate with gusto, chattering through the whole meal.
“Beatrice, what are the best parts of living here in this house?” asked Audrey.
“I just like living where my father lives. He’s the best.”
“I agree that it’s good to have your parents close to you.” Audrey reached out and squeezed her mother’s hand gently. “What are your favorite parts of the grounds?”
“The stables. Definitely the stables. The horses are there. Mr. Dansby takes care of them. Sometimes he lets me ride on one. Usually Clover ‘cause she’s not feisty.”
Audrey smiled. Sounds like Beatrice had several care takers. Maybe they’d all look out for Daisy, too, in time.
“Will you take us to the stables to see the horses and meet Mr. Dansby?” asked Audrey. “And Clover, too, of course.”
“Sure! Come on!”
She led the way across the expansive lawn to the outbuilding Audrey had seen when they pulled up the day before. It was large, but not massive like a barn would be on a farm. It was a sizable carriage house with stables.
“Dansby! Dansby!” yelled Beatrice as they entered the open doors.
“In here, Miss Beatrice. Down by Clover’s stall,” he called out.
The older man looked up as the two women and two girls came into view. He smiled and waved.
“Well, well! You all finally made it, I see. It’s good to have you here. So, Beatrice, what should we show them today?” Dansby asked, squatting down in front of Beatrice. “But wait a minute. Shame on me! I didn’t even ask for their names.”
Beatrice giggled. “That’s Audrey, that’s Mrs. Riley, and that’s my new friend, Daisy,” she said as she pointed each one out.
He smiled at the members of the little group and held up a finger. He turned and went toward the horse stalls. He came back with a white horse walking behind him.
“How about a ride on Clover, Daisy? Beatrice can sit behind you,” he nodded and beckoned for the girls to come to him. “That all right with you, Mrs. Norris?”
“Yes, it’s fine. But please call me Audrey,” she nodded. Then she turned to her daughter. “Do you want to ride on Clover with Beatrice?”
Daisy nodded, but Audrey could see the hesitation in her eyes. She looked over to her grandmother and Kathleen nodded for her to go to Dansby to get on the horse’s back.
Once the two girls were on the horse securely, Dansby held the reins and led the horse out of the stable. Audrey and Kathleen followed behind at a safe distance. They watched as the man escorted the horse and the girls all around the pasture at the back of the lawn. Audrey could tell Daisy had forgotten her apprehension. She was smiling and laughing constantly.
“Well, it looks as if Daisy has two more new friends to add to her circle. Dansby and Clover are quite a hit,” Audrey said.
“Yes, it appears so. I’m glad she’s fitting in so well. Gracious, I hope it continues. Now if we can just get you to settle in,” replied Kathleen.
Audrey looked at her mother with a raised eyebrow and headed back to the house. A bit more tea sounded good. Kathleen followed and the two women sat quietly taking in their new surroundings and enjoying their tea.
“How’s it all going today, ladies,” asked Caleb, startling both women.
Audrey jumped and spilled her tea on the napkin. She was silently happy she hadn’t spilled it on her dress. That would have been more embarrassing to have to hide the stain or leave to change clothes.
“Fine. We’ve had a very nice start to the day,” said Audrey. “I didn’t expect you until tonight.”
“I just thought I’d stop in to check on you since it’s your first full day,” he answered. “I think Dansby is making us some lunch if you’re hungry.”
“Lunch sounds nice. Breakfast was good, but it was a while ago,” smiled Kathleen.
The sound of a piercing scream startled them all of a sudden. They turned around in alarm and found little Beatrice running around the garden and Daisy was chasing after her. Soon she fell down and her companion was on top of her, embracing her and rolling around in the dirt giggling helplessly all along.
“Oh, my,” exclaimed Audrey. “I thought someone was hurt! I believe they’re getting along beautifully. They rode Clover this morning. I think they took a good bit of Mr. Dansby’s time.”
“That’s good. He loves teaching Beatrice about horses and how to ride. I show her what I know, too, but he truly loves doing it. So I let him.”
“Those girls are truly bonding. It seems so easy for them, doesn’t it? After only a few hours together, they’re friends. The innocence of childhood is wonderful. If adults could only find it that easy to make connections,” said Audrey wistfully, staring dreamily at the girls.
“Let me get Dansby to hurry that lunch up. I’ll have to get going back to the shop, soon,” he said and left the women watching the girls play like there wasn’t a care in the world.
Chapter Thirteen
It was a bright, sunny day and the sky was perfectly clear. There wasn’t a trace of a cloud anywhere around, and a mild, sweet breeze was blowing. The bubbling river in front looked extremely inviting for a swim, with the crystal clear water flowing past and making a small, rippling sound.
Caleb stood on the grassy banks of the lazy-flowing river and looked around. There wasn’t another soul in sight. The soft, green grass of the bank was comfortable to stand upon and he enjoyed the smooth feel of its touch on his feet. It gave a tickling sensation that ran through his nerves. He sat down on the grass and enjoyed the feel of sitting on such a comfortable surface.
Caleb looked up towards the sky and watched a mockingbird fly by screaming a warning at some unseen interloper. The bird dipped and rose again as he alerted his enemy of his presence. It was so interesting to watch his unique way of protecting his territory and making his mark against the beautiful blue backdrop of the clear blue sky. The scene looked almost picturesque.
The sun was starting to get hot so he got up from his place and moved a few steps away to the shade of a nearby tree. It was cool in the shade and the breeze felt a little stronger than before. He turned to go back to the shop.
It had been a few months since he’d come here. Audrey’s arrival a few weeks ago had made him feel more restless than usual. He needed to be here to get back in touch with his thoughts. With Susannah.
He felt guilty for bringing Audrey here. More importantly, he’d been harboring crippling guilt for years about Susannah’s death. He imagined his family knew he felt guilty, but they never discussed it. He didn’t even talk about it with Janine anymore. It had been long enough for him to get past it. Or at least that’s what he believed his family thought.
It hadn’t been long enough, though. He’d killed his wife. Not by holding her head under the water, but by being too busy. Caught up in himself and his work. He’d give anything to have a chance to make different choices that day.
As hard as it was, he knew he needed to move forward with his life. Audrey was a beautiful woman. He hadn’t counted on that. He even felt guilty that he thought she was pretty!
He thought coming to Susannah’s place on the river would help clear his mind. It wasn’t really working. He stood up, put his hands in his pockets in frustration, and walked back to the road. His horse was tied to a tree and he needed to get back to work.
He needed to be on time for supper that night. Beatrice and Daisy were helping Dansby in the kitchen and they had planned a special meal. Or that’s the word that
was going around the house. He didn’t want to disappoint them.
When he walked in the door, Audrey met him there. She raised her eyebrows in amusement.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“What isn’t going on is a better question,” she replied. “The kitchen is a mess and the girls have flour from head to toe. Both of them.”
He shook his head in mock annoyance, and then he smiled. “I’ll bet Dansby’s having the time of her life. She loves to have them in there to help her.”
“They might be pushing it this time,” said Audrey.
“So what’s the menu?”
“Fried chicken, cornbread, and tomatoes.”
“That’s all? I hope there’s more than one chicken in the pot. I’ll starve if that’s all there is,” he groused.
She punched him gently in the arm. “Oh, come on. Your daughter is going out of her way to fix something for you. You’ll be just fine. I think Dansby has a little something else to go with it, too. There are cookies for dessert, too.”
He looked at her and smiled. “You’re right. I’ll live. After I raid the cupboards when they go to bed.”
She laughed. “That probably won’t be a bad plan. How was your day? Busy?”
“Yes, it was busy. We had a waiting line this afternoon. I don’t know why people don’t come in earlier in the day. It would be better for them and for us. But I suppose I’m just glad we had a good day.”
“It’s good to see you tonight.” She stepped up on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. When she stepped back she was blushing and so was he. “Let me just go see if they need anything. We’re probably just about ready to sit down. Why don’t you get washed up and join us?”
He watched her walk away. It seemed like her show of affection was impulsive. He hoped she wasn’t falling for him. That would be a problem. He’d thought that she wouldn’t cause any emotional entanglements. She’d already had love and lost it. Just like him. It wouldn’t be smart for them to fall in love. He’d have to keep an eye on his relationship with Audrey. It couldn’t get out of hand.
When he sat down at the table, he could see that supper looked a little different than it normally did. He hoped Dansby had more of a hand in the preparation than it looked like she might have. Then she brought out mashed potatoes and some gravy to go with the rest of the meal. At least there were mashed potatoes. Hallelujah! he thought.
Audrey smiled at him and gave him a knowing look while Beatrice said the blessing. Audrey had plenty of time to look at Caleb during the prayer. Beatrice felt it necessary to bless Clover, the neighbor’s cat named Risky, every member of the family individually by name, Mr. and Mrs. Dansby, and finally every dish on the table.
Caleb looked back at Audrey because he couldn’t look away. She was tempting him and she didn’t even mean to. She’d told him in the first few days she was there that she hoped they’d be friends. He felt like they were well on their way to that place. He was happy about that, but he was also frightened. He reminded himself that he had to be careful. She was beautiful and dangerous.
Chapter Fourteen
All of a sudden, a stabbing feeling of dread and fear brought him out of his sleep. He woke up with a start and looked around. He was in the guest bedroom at Janine’s. He was drenched with sweat. He sat up and wiped his brow. He was breathing heavily as if he’d just run a hundred miles.
Then he remembered. The dream. He’d been down at the river. He was sitting under the willow tree set back just a bit from the water.
Just as he was about to leave, he saw a woman coming out from the woods. She was running toward the river. She was naked. Her long legs helped her to run fast and effortlessly. She seemed familiar, but he couldn’t place her. The young woman ran past him and jumped into the water. He stood and stared at her in amazement.
She disappeared under the water and he thought she was gone. Then, her head bobbed out of the water. River water streamed from her dark hair and sparkled like diamonds on her tanned skin. She beckoned for him to follow her with a simple gesture.
He felt like he was under a spell as his feet started carrying him towards the water. Caleb had just reached the bank and was about to dip his feet into the cool, flowing river when the beautiful woman’s face became a mask of terror. She started screaming and flailing about in the water.
“Caleb, save me! Oh, Caleb, please save me!” the woman screamed. She was frantic as her head dipped back under the water. Caleb tried to jump into the water to help her, but the water had receded far back from the bank where he stood. He started running towards the water, but the more he ran, the further it receded. The screams of the woman grew more hysterical.
Suddenly, the screaming stopped and all he heard was a piercing silence. Caleb stopped short in his tracks. The river had returned back to its original place and he was still standing on the edge of the water. He looked around, but the woman in the river had disappeared. He couldn’t see her anywhere in the river. She was gone.
He felt the anxiety rise in his chest so quickly that it took him over completely. He couldn’t breathe. He felt like he was underwater and couldn’t get air. He was drowning and he wasn’t even in the water. How was this possible?
Then he heard a voice behind him. It was a voice he’d know anywhere. A voice he hadn’t heard in more than six years. “Caleb, you could have saved me! Why didn’t you come? Why did you let me die?”
The dream always ended there. He never answered her question and he could never save her. He hadn’t had the dream in almost a year. Did Audrey’s arrival have anything to do with the return of the dream?
He’d hoped the guilt and the dream would go away as time went by, but it wasn’t getting better. He still blamed himself for Susannah’s death.
Why did I have to go to the shop? Why didn’t I go with them on the picnic? I promised and then I didn’t go! he screamed out silently. He’d yelled the same questions over and over again out loud when he was alone. He still didn’t have answers.
He’d realized much too late that although his business was important, it wasn’t more important than his family. He only wished that this insight would have come to him sooner. If he’d been a better man, Susannah would still be with him and Beatrice.
Caleb knew that it was pointless to dwell on events that had already happened. He remembered a wise statement his mother had once told him when he was young. She had punished him for playing in the fireplace. He’d almost caught the rug on fire that day.
“Always remember that what is done cannot be undone. You can only face what comes next,” she’d said.
He knew that he had to apply that wisdom to this situation. He was required to do that now, but the feeling that he’d failed his wife so gravely gnawed at his heart. Worst of all, he couldn’t share his guilt with anyone. Not even Janine or Thad. He was sure they knew how it ate at him, but they didn’t talk about it. He had decided to just live with this guilt, which only made the whole thing more tragic.
He went to get a drink of water to clear his head and relieve his dry throat. Then he tried to get back to sleep.
He knew he couldn’t afford any more sleepless nights. Things had changed in his life and he could possibly be getting back on track. He had to make this new arrangement work. For Beatrice, the little girl who’d been left without a mother because of his single-minded selfishness.
Chapter Fifteen
“Mother, can you come and lend me a hand in the kitchen please?” Audrey called out to Kathleen. The older woman looked up from her reading in the living room. “What is it, dear?” she asked.
“Can you come and watch this porridge for a minute? I don’t want it to burn and I need to go and get the girls ready for school,” her daughter replied.
Kathleen put down her book and got up from her chair. Audrey was busy stirring a mixture in the pot and she looked up as her mother approached.
“Oh, thank you! Just keep stirring it a few more minutes. I need to go an
d see what the girls are up to. I’m sure they’re dawdling,” she chuckled.
“Certainly! Leave it to me,” Kathleen said as she took hold of the ladle. Audrey wiped her hands and rushed out of the kitchen. She had just stepped into the hallway leading to the bedrooms when Caleb walked toward her. He smiled.
“Oh! Good morning. I didn’t expect to see you until tonight. Did you forget something?” she asked in surprise.
“Yes, I need my other boots. They were in the wardrobe,” he answered.
“Well, it’s good to see you to start the day! Did you sleep well?” she asked.
He nodded, even though it was a lie. He’d slept fitfully after the dream.
“Well, then I’ll just go and get the girls ready.”
“They’re already up, I think. I could hear them giggling,” Caleb said with a smile.
Audrey smiled at him and walked past him into her daughter’s bedroom. Beatrice and Daisy looked at her; both of them had wide grins on their faces. “Don’t you little ones want to go to school?” she asked. “What’s with the big smiles? What mischief have you been up to so early in the morning?”
“Nothing, Mama. You know old Morgan, the sweeper, who works in our school? Do you know he whistles so loud that Miss Doolittle has to tell him to stop sometimes?” Daisy said as the two girls broke out into uncontrolled giggles yet again.
Audrey maintained the grin on her face. “Well, I’d sure love to meet this Morgan fellow sometime soon. He sounds like he’s a happy man. But for now, let’s get you two ready for school.”
“Oh, do we have to?” the two of them groaned. “We don’t want to go to school today!”
“Again?” Audrey said in a stern voice, the smile disappearing from her face. “I believe we have been over this many a time. No more discussion about this. Get up right now and head over to get dressed.”
The two girls looked crestfallen as Beatrice stood to go to her own bedroom. Caleb leaned in the doorway with a bright smile. “Good morning, the two of you! What’s the matter, why do you look so down?” he asked.
