He gathered up a piece of cake and a few cookies, then followed her over to the corner, where there were two vacant chairs.
“You don’t have to sit here with me while I eat. I’m sure you’d rather be out there with your guests.”
“I’m actually glad for a chance to sit down. Unless you want me to go.”
“No, of course not. I just didn’t want to seem rude to everyone else.”
“Well, I’m staying, so that settles it.” They both laughed, then Meredith said, “I was noticing the Larsen girl tonight. What was her name again?”
“Lucinda.”
“That’s right. I think she’d be a sweet girl to take for a moonlight stroll. Don’t you?”
“Hmm? I never really noticed.” Luke took a bite of his cake, and a little crumb dangled from his lip until it fell back on his plate. Meredith wanted to giggle, but she didn’t.
“Well, you might want to take a look. See how well she looks in that blue dress?”
Luke glanced over in that direction, then took a second look. Meredith smiled—Luke needed a sweet girl to keep him balanced, and she thought Lucinda would be just the thing. The girl was cultured, well mannered, and not afraid to speak up for herself when it was called for. “What do you think? Doesn’t she look nice?”
“She does, but I don’t think I’ll be calling on her for a moonlight stroll anytime soon.”
That was disappointing. “Well, why not?”
Just then, Jonathan walked up to them. “I’ve come to claim my birthday dance, Miss Atwell.”
She didn’t want to leave Luke while they were in the middle of such an interesting conversation, but she had promised Jonathan. She excused herself and followed him to the middle of the room, where he took her in his arms and they began to sway. There wasn’t a great deal of space in the parlor, so they were somewhat confined, but they managed to make it work.
“And how are you enjoying being eighteen?” Jonathan asked.
“So far, quite a lot, but considering this is just the first day, I might change my mind. You never know what might happen tomorrow.”
He laughed. “That’s a fair assessment. I dare say that not every day will be filled with cake and music.”
“Most likely not. So, how are you liking college?”
“Very much. I’ve made some good friends, as you know with Alex being here. I hear you met him this afternoon.”
“Yes, Cissie brought him over to meet me.”
Jonathan laughed again. “I was afraid of that. She’s made up her mind that you’re going to marry him.”
“What?” Meredith had already suspected as much, but to hear it spoken outright like that was a bit startling. “Why does she want me to do that?”
“She says he’s quite handsome, and since she’s obviously going to marry Edward, she wants to pass Alex on to someone who will take good care of him.” Jonathan looked into her eyes. “I think I remember a time when you thought you would marry me.”
Oh, gracious. Meredith almost missed a step, she was so embarrassed. How had he known about her silly romantic notions? “I might have entertained the thought a time or two,” she finally admitted.
“And I think that’s perfectly charming. But we’re both older now, and we know things like that are just pretend.”
She smiled, not wanting to admit just how recently she’d been having those thoughts about him. “Yes, we do grow up,” she said, wondering why he was choosing this moment to talk to her about her feelings. It seemed a bit odd.
“And so if you were to fall in love with Alex, it wouldn’t be the end of me,” he continued. Oh, now she understood. He was taking Cissie’s side on this crusade, was he?
“So now that both you and Cissie are working on me, it’s a done deal, I take it? Neither Mr. Bingham nor I are to have any say about it whatsoever?”
“Well, I imagine you’ll have some say in it. It’s your life, after all. But he’s a good fellow, and I think you’d be very happy with him.”
“Considering that I just met him and that he’s only here for the weekend, I can hardly go planning my life around him, now can I? Believe me, Jonathan, when I marry, I will do it for love, and I’ll know quite a lot more about my groom than I do about Mr. Bingham. He should be glad, though, to have such faithful friends.”
“I’ve always liked the way you put me in my place, Meredith. I’m glad to see you haven’t lost that skill over the years.”
“If I were to lose it, you might as well just shoot me because life would lose all its color.”
He laughed again as the music came to a close. “I’ll keep that in mind. Happy birthday, Meredith, and thank you for the dance.”
“No, thank you. It was most enlightening.”
She turned to take her seat again, but Mr. Bingham walked up before she could. “And now may I claim my dance?”
She cast a despairing look at Luke, who had obviously gone back to the refreshment table while she was dancing—he had a type of cake on his plate that he hadn’t chosen before. He did nothing to save her, but gave her a nod and took a bite.
With nothing else she could do, she gave Mr. Bingham a smile and allowed him to take her back out. Only a few minutes ago, she’d been looking forward to dancing with him, but after her talk with Jonathan, she felt nothing but apprehension. Did Mr. Bingham know that his friend was trying to marry him off? Was he expecting this dance to turn into something more?
“You seem distracted, Miss Atwell,” he said as they swayed toward the side of the room.
“I confess that I am,” she replied. Should she flat-out ask him? Would that be rude? She should probably wait for him to give her some sort of hint, but she wasn’t the most patient person, and she didn’t think she’d be able to hold her tongue. It was probably best if she brought it up, but she’d do it in the most casual way possible. “I just had the most fascinating conversation with Jonathan.”
“You did seem to be rather engrossed in whatever he was saying.”
“Yes, I was. It seems there’s somewhat of a conspiracy brewing.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Of what sort?”
“Jonathan and Cissie have decided that we’re to be a couple.” Meredith forced a small laugh, but it didn’t sound at all natural. “Isn’t that absurd?”
Mr. Bingham didn’t reply right away, and Meredith wondered if she’d done the worst possible thing by telling him about it. That wasn’t embarrassing at all. She opened her mouth, ready to change the subject, when he replied. “May we step out onto the porch? It’s rather loud in here for a private conversation.”
“Of course.” She led him through the crowd and out the front door. As soon as it closed behind them, the noise was all but smothered, and she could hear herself think. “Oh, that’s much better. Thank you for the suggestion.”
“You must be like me—able to think more clearly when it’s quiet.”
“Absolutely. That chaos in there? It was impossible.”
He laughed. “That’s just how I feel about it. Now, Miss Atwell, you said something a little unexpected just now.”
She turned away, mortified. “I shouldn’t have brought it up. I apologize.”
“No, not at all. I think it’s only right that we discuss this and get it out in the open. That’s much better than being caught off guard by rumors later, don’t you think?”
She looked at him, astonished. “Yes, exactly.”
He leaned against the railing. “So, it’s being speculated around that you and I might make a good match.”
“That’s what Jonathan and Cissie have decided. I have no idea if anyone else is speaking of it.”
“But they will. That’s the nature of these small towns—they live for whatever crumb gets thrown their way.”
Meredith knew the truth of that all too well. “So what’s to be done about it?”
Mr. Bingham studied her eyes. “I suggest that we don’t worry about that at all. Instead, we should worry about th
e two of us.”
She blinked. “The two of us? What do you mean?”
He took a step forward and smiled. “Perhaps we should give the idea a chance. Get to know one another. Become friends, and then see if we become anything else. Surely Cissie and Jonathan only want what’s best for both of us—they wouldn’t have started us on this path if they didn’t feel there was some merit to it.”
Meredith didn’t have a response right away. She sank onto the bench her father had built for the porch and just stared at him. “You’d like to become friends?” That seemed the least shocking part of his little speech.
“Friends, with the possibility of more if we end up liking each other.” He seemed to like befuddling her. At least he seemed amused.
“Mr. Bingham, I’ll be honest with you. I can’t imagine what incentive you would have to want to make friends with me . . . with the possibility of something more. I’m hardly wealthy, I have no standing in the community, and you’ve only met me just today. And yet you’re already suggesting that there might be something between us eventually? You don’t know anything about me. I could have appalling table manners or I could snort when I laugh or . . . I don’t know. Any number of things could be wrong with me. Shouldn’t you wait and find some of that out before you start hinting at a possible future?” She’d certainly want to know all that about him.
“You are certainly refreshing, Miss Atwell. Yes, I’d want to know all those things about you, which is why we’ll start out as friends. That will give us ample opportunities to make all these discoveries about each other.” He took a seat beside her on the bench. It was nice and long, and he didn’t crowd her, which was appreciated. She didn’t think she’d know what to do if he sat close—she was that astonished by this whole conversation. “You were honest with me, so I’ll be honest with you. It wasn’t entirely Cissie’s idea to bring me over this afternoon.”
“Yes, I know. Jonathan told me that he’s been in on this whole plot.”
Mr. Bingham held up a hand. “No, that’s not what I mean. I actually asked to be introduced to you.”
Meredith blinked a few more times, taken aback yet again. “You did?”
“Yes. I took Cissie into town this morning, and I saw you coming out of the general store. I asked Cissie about you, and as it turned out, you’re her best friend, of course, and she was able to tell me quite a bit. Everything she said only made me more eager to meet you.”
Unable to be proper a moment longer, Meredith allowed herself to flop back on the bench. “You saw me and asked questions about me? Why? What sorts of questions?”
Mr. Bingham leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees. “Have you ever seen something and just known from that first moment that it was meant to be yours? Well, as soon as I saw you, I knew there was something about you—something about us—that was fated, and I needed to learn what that was.”
“Fated?”
“Yes. Destiny. Providence. Whatever you want to call it. I felt tingles run down my arms, and I knew I needed to meet you.”
“Well, you’ve not only met me, but now you’re talking about a future. I think you and your providence are taking this just a little too fast.” Meredith didn’t know whether to be offended or flattered. She supposed it was romantic, in a way—she’d read a book where the hero spied the heroine as she crossed the castle courtyard, and he immediately fell so in love with her that he forgot where he was going and walked right into the path of a cart and broke his leg. All right, perhaps that wasn’t the best comparison, but she knew about love at first sight.
Love. That was definitely unexpected.
“I apologize, and if you like, I’ll go away right now and leave you alone. I just thought we might explore the idea a little bit.”
He looked so crestfallen, she immediately felt bad. “No, wait. You don’t need to leave. I’m just surprised—and I do have to admit that I’m flattered. It’s nice to be noticed and admired. I’m not used to it, and maybe that’s why it has me skittish.”
“You’re not used to being admired? Are the men around here blind?”
Meredith’s gaze dropped to her lap. “Another question I really can’t answer.”
“I’m sorry. I’ve embarrassed you again.” He let out a sigh. “I’m in a difficult spot, Miss Atwell. I’m surrounded by men in class all day long, I’m surrounded by men during my leisure time, and I’m surrounded by men when I go on vacation. I’ve completely forgotten what it’s like to associate with women, and now that I finally have a chance to polish those skills, I’m bumbling around like a nincompoop. Please be patient with me.”
Meredith allowed herself to smile. “I’ll try, but only because you recognize it and want to do better.”
At that moment, the front door opened, and her mother stepped out onto the porch. Mr. Bingham came to his feet immediately.
“There you are,” Jemima said. “Meredith, please come back inside. Your guests are asking about you.”
“All right, Mother. I’ll be there in a moment.”
Jemima gave Mr. Bingham a suspicious look, then went back inside and closed the door.
“We have been out here a long time,” Meredith pointed out.
“We have, and your mother’s right—we should go back in.” He made a sweeping bow, and with a small laugh, she entered the house, once again surrounded by loud voices and gay laughter.
Chapter Three
Luke caught Meredith by the elbow as soon as she entered the parlor. “Where have you been?” he asked. “Your grandmother is about fit to be tied.”
She glanced over at the corner of the room, where Grandma Mary had been seated in their best chair. “Why was she so upset? I only went outside for a little fresh air.”
“Yes, but you went out there with a strange man. You know how she is—she cares about you, and she wants you to keep your reputation in mind.”
Meredith’s cheeks grew a little warm. Nothing questionable had happened out there, but Mr. Bingham had said some very interesting things, and maybe she should be careful. As soon as she had the thought, though, she dismissed it. She knew herself well enough to know that she wouldn’t get caught up in anything compromising.
“I’ll go talk to her,” she promised, taking a step away.
“I get the next dance,” Luke called after her, and she nodded.
She wove her way through the crowd until she reached Grandma Mary’s chair. “Here I am,” she said. “I understand you were concerned.”
“Well, of course I was concerned,” Grandma Mary replied. “You just disappeared from your own party.”
“I didn’t mean to make anyone worry. I was just a little warm and needed some air.” Meredith looked down and noticed what her grandmother was doing. “Oh, you brought your sewing. Is that a new quilt pattern?”
“It is, and I think it looks right nice with your red dress. This one might have to be yours.” She looked up at Meredith with shrewd eyes. “You planning on getting married anytime soon?”
Meredith tried to hide her smile. “Oh, goodness. I have no idea.”
“Well, you make sure that you choose the right one. I put a lot of work into these wedding quilts, you know.”
“I know, Grandma.” Meredith bent and gave her grandmother a kiss on the cheek, then turned to find Luke.
He was over at the refreshment table, helping himself to another slice of cake. Meredith hadn’t seen him dancing with any of the other girls, and she supposed that when you’re not dancing, you might as well entertain yourself with cake. She made her way to his side, wishing the house were a little larger or they’d invited fewer people, and fixed him with a look.
“Will I have to stand here and be patient while you finish that?”
“No, not at all.” He flashed her a grin, then shoved the rest of the piece in his mouth with one motion. It was fairly large, and his cheeks bulged. She laughed and allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor.
“Tell me about this Mr. Bin
gham fellow,” Luke said as they fell into step with the other dancers.
All at once, Meredith wanted very much to talk about Mr. Bingham, but this wasn’t the time or the place. “Are you busy tomorrow? Can you come over after church? There are so many listening ears right now.”
“Oh, so this is a private matter, is it? What happened out there?”
“That’s what I need to talk to you about, and yes, it is a private matter.” Meredith glanced over to see Mr. Bingham chatting with Jesse and Cora. Good—she wanted him to meet her family. “Will you come over tomorrow? You can stay for dinner—I know Mother’s planning a roast.”
Luke glanced over at Jemima and smiled. “I do enjoy your mother’s cooking. All right, I’ll come over. You’ve got me worried now, though. Is anything wrong?”
“No, of course not. I mean, I don’t think there is.” Meredith noticed Mr. Bingham moving over to chat with Cissie in the corner. He caught Meredith’s eye and smiled, and she couldn’t help the thrill of excitement that ran through her. Was this actually happening? He had just appeared out of thin air—he couldn’t possibly be real.
***
When Meredith saw Mr. Bingham walk into the chapel with the Camerons the next morning, she had to clench her hands into fists to maintain her composure. It wasn’t polite to giggle or wave in church, and she certainly couldn’t run over there to say hello, so she sat still, forcing herself to remain calm. The sermon had something to do with the miracle of the loaves and the fishes, but she was so distracted, she couldn’t pay attention to much more than that.
At last, the sermon was over. It felt as though it had lasted at least twice as long as usual, although she knew that wasn’t the case. She noticed Luke slipping out the back of the building as everyone came to their feet, but then Mr. Bingham was standing in front of her, and every other thought left her mind.
“You have an excellent pastor here,” he said, nodding toward the front of the chapel.
“We do? Oh, yes. We do,” Meredith replied, hoping he didn’t expect her to say something intelligent or faith-promoting about the sermon. It was entirely his fault she hadn’t been paying attention—he’d better not put her to the test.
Meredith's Mistake (Grandma's Wedding Quilts Book 4) Page 2
