They were just completing this tender exchange when the parlor door inched open and Caddie peered cautiously inside. She heaved a sigh of relief. “Thank God. It had gone so quiet in here, I thought you two surely must have killed each other this time.”
Zeke stood up quickly, shielding Tessa and giving her time to compose herself. “We are half-dead but only from from hunger.”
Caddie smiled until she dimpled. “The old starvation method. Mama was right. It works every time. Supper is ready if you are.” Her gaze tracked uncertainly from Zeke to Tessa.
Tessa heaved herself to her feet, smoothing out her skirts with an air of wounded dignity. “Then what are we waiting for? I can’t recall either one of you ever asking my permission to go and eat.”
Zeke grinned and made her a mock bow. “Ladies, permit me to escort you to the dining room.” Caddie was quick to take his arm, and after a brief hesitation, Tessa did so as well.
It was a strange feeling for Zeke to be seated back in the midst of a family gathering round a supper table. Caddie was doing her best to set him at his ease, pretend that nothing extraordinary was happening.
But she couldn’t quite dim the glow in her eyes nor suppress the tiny catch in her voice as she led them in the prayer. “Bless us, O Lord, for these thy gifts.” She glanced straight at Zeke, and he was obliged to look away, his own heart suddenly too full.
He barely tasted the excellent roast beef dinner; he was too unaccustomed to entertaining so many emotions to feel quite comfortable. One couldn’t do away with all the hurts and the barriers of years, not in the space of one evening. Although Tessa no longer sniped at him, she still refused to meet his eyes or say much to him.
After supper, she retired with the children as though eager to escape his company. Although disappointed, Zeke tried to understand. When Arthur also retreated, up to his artist’s studio, Zeke was left alone with Caddie.
As with Sadie, there was something about his eldest sister that induced one to open up to her. Zeke found himself telling her all about Rory, the entire mess he had made of their relationship.
“So what are you going to do about it?” Caddie asked.
Zeke heaved a deep sigh. “I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do. You’re going to go find that lovely girl, tell her how sorry you are and tell her how much you love her.”
Zeke tensed at the suggestion. Observing him, Caddie smiled. “You said as much to Tessa and discovered it didn’t kill you.”
Zeke gave a reluctant grin. But it had been easier with Tessa. The reconciliation had been important to him, but not as it would be with Rory, putting his entire heart and soul on the line.
But there was no arguing with Caddie. As she saw him to the door and handed him his hat, she said, “When you’ve made it up with her, bring Aurora Rose round to see me. I want to welcome her to the family.”
Zeke only nodded, the vision Caddie’s words conjured far too agreeable to dwell upon. As he turned to go out the door, Caddie rested her hand upon his arm. Her parting smile was a little wistful.
“Whatever happens, John, don’t be such a stranger, all right?”
For answer he deposited a brusque kiss on her cheek before he strode down the steps. He heard her delighted gasp of surprise, then she slowly closed the door, leaving him alone on the darkened street.
Alone? No. It was strange. There wasn’t another soul out on the pavement, but he didn’t feel alone. A soft smile played about his lips as he glanced back at his sister’s townhouse, the welcoming light shining past the lace curtains and making him feel as if he had brought some of that warmth away with him.
Whistling a tuneless song, he leaned up against one of the gas street lamps and wondered if he should return to Rory’s flat, if he had enough courage left to do any more soul-baring tonight. He was thinking of summoning a cab when the door to Caddie’s townhouse suddenly swung back open.
To his astonishment, Tessa burst outside. She was trying to arrange her shawl as she went, but she was in such great haste she let the black wool trail over her shoulder. She glanced anxiously up and down the street and appeared relieved when she spotted Zeke by the lamppost.
“Johnnie. Wait!” she called.
He hadn’t moved a muscle, but she came tearing down the front steps as though she expected him to disappear.
As she drew up breathlessly beside him, Zeke said, “What’s all this, Tess? You couldn’t bear to part with me or you decided you wanted to punch me in the nose after all?”
“N-no,” she panted. “This isn’t the time to be funny, John.”
The lamplight haloed her pale features, and Zeke could see she was not smiling. Nor was the familiar glare present either. Rather her eyes were filled with an uncertainty, that same troubled look that had rendered him uncomfortable at the dinner table.
“I have something important to tell you, something I should have told you a long time ago.”
She seemed so deadly solemn she was starting to scare the hell out of him. He waited, but she was unable to go on, to meet his questioning gaze. She hung her head.
He took hold of her hand to give it an encouraging squeeze and discovered her fingers were trembling.
