Read Online Concealing Grace (The Grace Series Book 1) by Elizabeth Courtright - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Elizabeth Courtright
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anxiety.
She was still pacing when her father called her name. Taking a deep, fortifying breath, she headed toward the staircase. It was important to descend slowly so she wouldn’t trip and make a fool of herself.
Step by downward step the captain came into view. He was wearing a neat, black suit with a navy brocade vest and pristine white shirt. His black boots were so well polished they shone. His stance was casual with his hands behind his back. He was smiling at her, too, but Jessica was unable to maintain eye contact. Like he had when they were at his home, he took her hand, kissed the back of it, leaned close and in little more than a whisper, said, “You are lovely.”
Her father grinned at them both. “Well, I have paperwork to do. I shall leave you two to yourselves. Have a good time.” He winked at Jessica and quietly disappeared, closing the study door behind him.
“For you,” the captain said as he brought his other hand out from behind his back. In it he held a small bouquet of daisies.
No one had ever given Jessica flowers before, and these were obviously handpicked! They were so bright and pretty. “Th…thank you,” she stammered as she took them from him. “I will put them in water. Please excuse me.”
In the kitchen Jessica inhaled and exhaled loudly. It was the first breath she drew since reaching the foot of the stairs. Quickly she located a vase, but it was almost impossible to arrange the flowers. Her hands shook too badly. After purposefully telling herself to relax, with the vase in hand, she went back to the foyer and her handsome gentleman caller.
He was still there, studying a still life painting hanging on the wall. At the sound of her footsteps, he turned and flashed that slightly crooked, disarming smile.
Averting her eyes, Jessica set the daisies on a table. “Thank you again for the flowers,” she said.
“They reminded me of you,” he said smoothly. “So sweet and charming.”
Daringly Jessica glanced at him. Her father paid her compliments frequently, and Trent did, too, although his were few and far between. She knew her father and brother cared for her, but they were family. The captain was a stranger. It was hard to believe any stranger would think so much of her.
“It’s a beautiful day,” he said. “Would you care to take a walk with me? I noticed you have a garden on the west side of your house.”
Jessica nodded. Following the captain’s lead, she slowly walked by his side, across the lawn to the archway and then onto the white stone path that meandered through the many plants and bushes. Now that the summer annuals were filling in, her garden was coming along nicely. Taking care of it was one chore that brought her a great deal of delight. When the captain asked, Jessica admitted she did the tending. It felt good, too, to have someone praise her efforts. While they strolled along, in addition to his compliments, the captain asked her the names of the different flowers. She could easily respond to him, and speaking of the flowers prevented the awkward silence she had anticipated. Her gratitude for this, she owed entirely to Maybell. Maybell had taught her, not just about gardening, but about so many, many things.
So far so good , Jessica thought. They were nearing a small stone bench. On either side of it were two rounded bushes filled with yellow blossoms.
“I like this one,” the captain said, pointing to one of the bushes. “What’s it called?”
Jessica’s mind went blank. In sheer mortification, she stammered, “I… I can’t remember.”
The captain laughed, and he said, “I am impressed, Miss Emerson. I enjoy gardens, and yours is especially lovely, but if you were asking me to name any of the flowers, I would fail miserably.” Gesturing to the bench, he said, “Would you like to sit and talk for a while?”
As any gentleman would do, he waited until she was seated before following suit. But the bench was too small! Jessica gulped.
She was still pacing when her father called her name. Taking a deep, fortifying breath, she headed toward the staircase. It was important to descend slowly so she wouldn’t trip and make a fool of herself.
Step by downward step the captain came into view. He was wearing a neat, black suit with a navy brocade vest and pristine white shirt. His black boots were so well polished they shone. His stance was casual with his hands behind his back. He was smiling at her, too, but Jessica was unable to maintain eye contact. Like he had when they were at his home, he took her hand, kissed the back of it, leaned close and in little more than a whisper, said, “You are lovely.”
Her father grinned at them both. “Well, I have paperwork to do. I shall leave you two to yourselves. Have a good time.” He winked at Jessica and quietly disappeared, closing the study door behind him.
“For you,” the captain said as he brought his other hand out from behind his back. In it he held a small bouquet of daisies.
No one had ever given Jessica flowers before, and these were obviously handpicked! They were so bright and pretty. “Th…thank you,” she stammered as she took them from him. “I will put them in water. Please excuse me.”
In the kitchen Jessica inhaled and exhaled loudly. It was the first breath she drew since reaching the foot of the stairs. Quickly she located a vase, but it was almost impossible to arrange the flowers. Her hands shook too badly. After purposefully telling herself to relax, with the vase in hand, she went back to the foyer and her handsome gentleman caller.
He was still there, studying a still life painting hanging on the wall. At the sound of her footsteps, he turned and flashed that slightly crooked, disarming smile.
Averting her eyes, Jessica set the daisies on a table. “Thank you again for the flowers,” she said.
“They reminded me of you,” he said smoothly. “So sweet and charming.”
Daringly Jessica glanced at him. Her father paid her compliments frequently, and Trent did, too, although his were few and far between. She knew her father and brother cared for her, but they were family. The captain was a stranger. It was hard to believe any stranger would think so much of her.
“It’s a beautiful day,” he said. “Would you care to take a walk with me? I noticed you have a garden on the west side of your house.”
Jessica nodded. Following the captain’s lead, she slowly walked by his side, across the lawn to the archway and then onto the white stone path that meandered through the many plants and bushes. Now that the summer annuals were filling in, her garden was coming along nicely. Taking care of it was one chore that brought her a great deal of delight. When the captain asked, Jessica admitted she did the tending. It felt good, too, to have someone praise her efforts. While they strolled along, in addition to his compliments, the captain asked her the names of the different flowers. She could easily respond to him, and speaking of the flowers prevented the awkward silence she had anticipated. Her gratitude for this, she owed entirely to Maybell. Maybell had taught her, not just about gardening, but about so many, many things.
So far so good , Jessica thought. They were nearing a small stone bench. On either side of it were two rounded bushes filled with yellow blossoms.
“I like this one,” the captain said, pointing to one of the bushes. “What’s it called?”
Jessica’s mind went blank. In sheer mortification, she stammered, “I… I can’t remember.”
The captain laughed, and he said, “I am impressed, Miss Emerson. I enjoy gardens, and yours is especially lovely, but if you were asking me to name any of the flowers, I would fail miserably.” Gesturing to the bench, he said, “Would you like to sit and talk for a while?”
As any gentleman would do, he waited until she was seated before following suit. But the bench was too small! Jessica gulped.
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