Forty-five minutes later they were in a taxi en route to Charlotte’s flat. She could hardly contain her excitement while pointing out all the familiar landmarks to her niece. It was so good to be home.
She had thought Emma couldn’t get much more excited, but when the taxi stopped in front of her building her niece proved her wrong. Her eyes became big as saucers when she saw the grand entrance. “This is where you live?” Charlotte nodded as they exited the taxi. While she paid the driver, Emma stood on the sidewalk looking up at the high rise building with her mouth agape. If she looked up any further, the poor girl would have lost her balance and fell backward. “I’ve never seen anything like it!”
“Well there’s a lot more to see,” Charlotte said with a huge smile on her face.
While an attendant took their bags from the trunk and loaded them onto a rolling luggage rack, Charlotte grabbed Emma’s hand and they half walked, half skipped into the lobby like little children at a playground.
The main lobby attendant offered her a warm smile. “Welcome home, Miss Lewis.”
“Thank you, Duncan. I didn’t realize how much I missed it until now.” She dabbed at a single happy tear that had formed in the corner of her eye and then smiled at the older man, remembering that she had helped him find this job through her non-profit. They’d been good friends ever since.
“And who is this beautiful young lady?” Duncan asked, motioning toward Emma.
“This is my niece from the United States,” Charlotte introduced while putting one arm around the girl’s shoulders. Duncan shook Emma’s hand and welcomed her. Then after getting a large bundle of mail that had collected during her absence, they headed up to the elevator.
Emma looked at all the buttons with a curious gleam in her eyes. “Which floor do I push, Aunt Charly?”
“The penthouse.” At Emma’s confused look, Charlotte continued with an amused little chuckle. “Number twenty. The top floor has the very best city views.”
“Oh,” her niece said, pushing the correct button.
When they reached the top floor and opened the door to her flat, Emma just stood and stared for a few moments, taking in the high ceilings, modern décor and open floor plan. Then she ran in with an excited gasp to see the rest of the flat. Charlotte followed close behind, giving her the grand tour. Then they relaxed on the couch and took a breather, both exhausted from their long trip.
“There’s a spare bedroom that I use as an office. But I can move all my stuff into the corner of the sitting room and get a room divider. Then I’ll convert the space into your bedroom. If we decide to stay here permanently, you can paint it whatever color you want.
“Really? I’d love that,” her niece responded.
“Wonderful. But for right now, you can sleep on the futon in there. It converts into a bed.
“Okay,” Emma agreed with a yawn.
Charlotte gave her a knowing smile, stood up and then pulled the girl with her. “Come on. I’ll get the futon set up to sleep on and then you can take a nap. Honestly, I need one too. We’re going to have some fun, eventful days ahead of us. You’re going to love it. I promise.”
Emma lagged behind her as she walked, yawning even more. “Oh, Aunt Charly…I can hardly wait.”
The next few days were filled with sightseeing and fun, just as Charlotte had promised. They went up in The Shard and one of the London Eye capsules for thrilling views of the city, toured Westminster Abbey and other famous attractions.
The Victoria and Albert Museum turned out to be one of Emma’s favorites, especially after seeing a painting of Queen Victoria on horseback. “Why did people ride side saddle, Aunt Charly? It looks really uncomfortable. Did they ever fall off?”
“I’m not sure. I guess it was just how women were expected to ride back then. Lucky for us, times have changed,” Charlotte answered, having little experience with horse riding except for what Trevor had taught her.
Emma nodded and then moved on to the next thing. Her eyes grew wide in wonder as she stared at the elegant archways, ceiling paintings and sculptures. Charlotte had seen everything before but being in there with Emma was even more fun because of her niece’s reactions to everything.
During every attraction that they saw, Emma kept saying things like, I’ve never seen anything so amazing, or that’s my favorite thing yet, Aunt Charly. It was like they were both seeing the world with new eyes. However as the week came to an end, Charlotte felt a strange tightness in her throat and became almost claustrophobic while surrounded by the high rise buildings and traffic. Deep down, her heart almost longed for the wide open spaces of Wyoming—the fresh air and the sound of the horses whinnying out in the pasture. She tried to push the feeling away, telling herself that she just needed some time to readjust, but it kept returning. In the end, Charlotte decided they needed to get out of the city for the weekend and visit her mother. That would help her to refocus.
On Friday afternoon, Charlotte stopped by her non-profit an hour before her meeting to prepare her presentation. Her best friend, Hannah, greeted her with a hug right when they walked through the door. After the introductions, her friend sighed happily and smiled at her. “Oh, I’m so excited that you’re back!”
“Was it that bad without me?” Charlotte asked with a frown. She hoped things hadn’t gone too awry in her absence. However, taking a glance around the office, she could tell that Hannah had kept the place running like a well-oiled machine.
“Oh no. There are just some things I’d like to discuss with you before the meeting. Good things,” her friend reassured while flipping her long, raven ponytail over one shoulder.
“Okay…” Charlotte answered slowly, wishing Hannah would just spit it out. She despised playing waiting games. “Maybe we can go into my office and talk for a few minutes.” She turned to Emma. “Would you like to stay out here in the lobby and play a game on your tablet for a few minutes while I chat with Hannah?”
Emma agreed and once they were behind closed doors, Hannah finally blurted out the news. “I think I’ve narrowed our choices down to the perfect building for the future of the organization.” She paused and handed Charlotte a picture of the building and a map printed out on computer paper. Our current building has been so crowded lately and we’ve had to turn people away because we couldn’t fit them into the schedule, but with this new place, we’ll be able to expand and reach more people than we ever imagined.”
Charlotte smiled at her friend’s enthusiasm and then looked down at the picture. They had been looking for a bigger space in the city for a year now and one had finally popped up. It was an answer to prayer. It also proved that Hannah could handle the non-profit if she decided to move to Wyoming. The prospect of that possibility both excited and terrified her.
“Charlotte?” Hannah asked, pulling her out of the daydream. “Is everything okay. Do you like it?”
Charlotte nodded with a smile. “Oh, yes. It’s perfect! I think our investors will love it. Sure, it’s a little rough around the edges, but we can fix that. You know, running this organization really suits you, Hannah. You have so many great ideas.”
“Oh, I’m so glad that you like it,” Hannah said. “I already have plans written up if we end up renting the space.” They talked for a few more minutes about her ideas and then Hannah surprised her by changing the subject all together. “So…” her friend said, drawing out the ‘o’ in a teasing fashion. “A little birdie told me that someone has a crush on a handsome…what do people call him? A horse…whisperer?”
Charlotte’s face turned beet red, but she tried to hide it by looking down at her cluttered desk. “Trevor’s not really a horse whisperer. He just takes time to observe and listen to what the horse is trying to tell him.”
“Oh, so his name is Trevor, huh? Are you two getting closer?”
Charlotte fidgeted with the scarf around her neck and avoided Hannah’s gaze. “More like at a stand-still.”
“So, there really was something going
on between you two then?”
She shrugged, finally looking up into her friend’s curious hazel eyes. “We had some good conversations and shared a few kisses…” Charlotte’s voice drifted away, recalling how gentle and calming Trevor’s kisses had been. She’d felt so safe with him—so loved, but then she found out the heartbreaking truth.
“Charlotte, are you all right?” Hannah asked for the second time that day, snapping her out of another daydream. “You seem far away.”
She nodded. “I’m fine. It’s just, I really thought something was happening between us too, but he’s still not over losing his wife. I can’t compete with her.”
Hannah placed her hand on Charlotte’s arm. “I’m sorry. Maybe with time, things might iron out. You never know what the future could hold.”
Charlotte shook her head and dabbed at her misty eyes. “I don’t know. Really I don’t think it would have worked anyway. He belongs in Wyoming and I belong here. Besides, I’ve seen how long distance relationships work from watching how my parents’ marriage worked out. That’s definitely not something I want.” As the words came out of her mouth, Charlotte’s heart filled with uncertainty. Did she really know where she belonged anymore?
Chapter Fifteen
Trevor cringed when he walked through the back door of the main house. He’d thought Laina had left already but nope. She was sitting at the kitchen table with a steaming cup of coffee and had that look in her eye that he hated—the one that told him she was about to give him some kind of advice.
“Morning,” he said, walking past her to the coffee pot and pouring himself a cup.
“Hey. How are you holding up?”
“Fine,” he mumbled and crossed to the fridge to look for something to make for breakfast.
“No you’re not. You’ve been miserable all week.”
“Want some fried eggs?” he asked while grabbing the carton and ignoring her comment.
“No thanks. I’m not hungry.” Laina paused and let out a deep sigh. “Trevor, I’m sorry if I pushed you too hard before. It’s your life and what do I know about matters of the heart anyway? I have a husband that I haven’t spoken to in almost three years. But, I’d just like to say one more thing, if you agree to hear me out.”
He placed the egg carton on the counter and started grabbing a skillet and other ingredients from the cupboard. “I’m listening.”
“I’ve always thought of you like a brother and I care about you. I guess what I’m trying to say is, I’d hate to see you make the same mistake I did. If you believe there’s any hope of a future with Charlotte, don’t let the opportunity slip through your fingers. But most important of all, find joy in your life again, Trevor…no matter what you decide.”
Silence filled the room for several seconds, except the light sizzle of the eggs cooking in the skillet as Trevor allowed Laina’s words to sink in. Joy—that was an emotion that had always had guilt nipping at its heels ever since Grace passed away. Would the pain deep in his heart ever lessen?
Laina stood and patted his shoulder. “I’ll leave you alone to eat your breakfast now. See you at the stables later.”
Trevor responded with a nod before she left. Then after eating his breakfast he went out on the deck to enjoy the early spring weather. Trevor watched the sun rising behind the distant mountains. It was peaceful but uncomfortably quiet, letting his thoughts wander to places he didn’t wish them to go.
He couldn’t remember feeling so lonely in his life. He’d been just fine on his own before Charlotte’s arrival, but now it seemed to be suffocating him. Had he made a terrible mistake letting Charlotte go the way he did?
After washing dishes and putting everything away, he headed toward the stables to start the day, his mind heavy with scattered thoughts.
God, right now I feel like I’m just wandering around in circles. Please show me which path to take.
Just then as if it was meant to be, his phone buzzed in his pocket. When he took it out a smile spread across his face, recognizing the number of an old friend in Lander.
“Hey Vick. Long time no see.”
His friend greeted him warmly. Then after some small talk about their hometown, he got down to the business at hand. “So, I’ve got a problem with one of my jumpers. She’s never had any problems, but now she’s scared of the poles all of a sudden and my daughter’s supposed to compete in four weeks. I’ll pay you extra and give you food and board if you can come and help me out.”
“Oh, I don’t know. We’re kind of shorthanded around here right now.” Trevor scratched his chin for a moment, thinking it over. Then he eventually agreed, on the condition that Laina would be available to take care of things at the stables. He desperately needed to get away and clear his head. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to do so.
The weather turned out perfect for Charlotte and Emma’s train ride into the country. Spring had begun to awaken and tiny blooms sprouted from every rolling hill they passed. Charlotte drew in a deep breath and smiled as they traveled. This was just the change of pace they both needed after a long week of sightseeing. She could really breathe out here in the English countryside without feeling claustrophobic.
They enjoyed lunch and delicious slices of strawberry tart for dessert on the train. Then about twenty minutes later they finally arrived at their stop. From there it was a ten minute trip. Her mother’s neighbor, Edward, picked them up in his car and pointed out all the sights along the way, describing their historical significance. Emma marveled at the herds of sheep grazing in the fields. At one point, Edward even had to stop while some farmers herded the animals across the road, but Emma, completely mesmerized by the beautiful countryside, didn’t seem to mind the delay at all.
When they finally arrived at her mother’s cottage nestled among the hills, Emma could hardly contain herself. Her eyes took in the old historical structure, drinking in every inch of it. The gated courtyard, weathered stones, charming gables and landscaped flowerbeds were always enchanting and inviting for guests—even more so in the spring. Charlotte had always thought her mother’s cottage looked like something out of a famous painting. Now she saw from the wonder on Emma’s face that she felt the same way.
They entered the gate and journeyed up the cobblestone path with their bags in hand. Her mother’s Corgi, Pete, greeted them first, all wiggles and frantic licks. Charlotte smiled and patted the little dog on his head before he ran back to the house. Then her mother greeted them from the door, cane in hand. “Oh, do come in! I’m so happy you both decided to come.”
Emma seemed a little shy when Charlotte’s mom hugged her, but tried to be polite as possible and smiled at the older woman. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Fagen. Thank you for the birthday presents every year.”
“Oh you’re very welcome, dear. Now, no more formal titles between us. Please call me Grandma Mattie, or Mattie for short if you wish.” Emma nodded in agreement before Charlotte hugged her mom. “I’m so happy to have you home.”
“Me too, mother,” she responded, hugging the older woman a little closer. Maybe her mother would be able to help her sort through some of the things in her life that didn’t make sense—namely her sudden feelings for a charming Wyoming cowboy. Thinking of him made a lump rise in her throat, but Charlotte swept her emotions aside and asked her mother if she wouldn’t mind giving Emma a tour of the cottage. They would talk about serious things later. However, for the time being, it was just nice to be home.
Chapter Sixteen
Trevor arrived in Lander around nightfall and settled into the small guest quarters above his friend’s barn. Then, the next morning he woke up bright and early and headed downstairs to the horse stalls to observe the mare he’d been hired to train. Rosalyn seemed calm enough, and allowed Trevor around her without spooking. That was a good sign.
A few minutes later, Vick joined him by Rosalyn’s stall and leaned his tall frame against the wooden door. “So what do you think?”
Trevor rubbed
his jaw, thinking about his observations. “Well, she seems like a gentle mare and she’s comfortable with me…right now anyway. I’d like to see how she interacts with your daughter. That’s the other half of the equation.”
“Of course,” Vick answered, while removing his hat, revealing his auburn head of hair. “We can do that after church. Will you be going with us this morning? It’s in town, not too far away.”
Trevor smiled at him. “Thanks for the offer, but I have a preacher friend over at the Sweetwater River Ranch Resort. I’d like to go there for his Sunday morning service and surprise him.”
“Logan Haven…yeah, I’ve heard of him. Some of the ranchers around here didn’t like the idea of his resort at first…thought it would ruin the town. But so far it’s brought more business to local stores and restaurants. Tell Logan I said hello when you see him, okay?”
Trevor nodded. “I sure will.”
“And feel free to visit with your friend afterwards. We’ll plan on meeting back here at the ranch around say…three?”
“Sounds good. Thanks Vick.”
After his friend left, Trevor went back up to the guest room and changed into his dress clothes. Then he headed off to the Sweetwater in his truck. He arrived just in time for the service and slipped into the very back pew of the chapel. Halfway through the sermon, Logan noticed him and paused for a moment to smile and nod in his direction before continuing on.
Logan’s sermon was refreshing and centered around Galatians 6:2 that talked about carrying each other’s burdens. He mentioned it was a wonderful privilege as a Christian to be able to share burdens with others and also a responsibility to support others in their spiritual walk.
Guardian 0f Her Heart (Whispers In Wyoming Book 6) Page 9
