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Authors: Mona Ingram
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about her parents?” She gave a delicate shudder at the thought of the cold, unfeeling faces in the portrait.
“Apparently they were away at an agricultural fair.”
“Wouldn’t they have gone after her, forced her to come back?”
Janelle frowned. “I don’t think so. Things were pretty strict back then. My guess would be that once she’d run off, the family probably would have disowned her. Or perhaps they would have made up a story about why she’d gone away, but then we’ll never know, will we?” She tapped the hairbrush against her cheek, deep in thought. “I can’t imagine what her life was like after she learned that he’d died.” She raised an eyebrow. “Can you?”
Charlie shuddered. “I’d rather not, especially assuming that those are her parents in the portrait across from her.”
Janelle nodded.
“They look nasty. I’ll bet they made her life miserable.” She picked up the mirror again and studied her reflection. “I wonder if I’d have had the nerve.” She glanced over at her aunt. “You know…if it had been me?”
“I think you would have.” Janelle’s eyes grew misty. “Love is such a powerful emotion.” Her voice was so soft Charlie had to lean forward to her the words. “They say it lasts forever.”
Charlie believed her. Everything she’d learned about her ancestor confirmed it. Since arriving at Clearwater Springs, she had somehow tapped into Charlotte Freeman’s soul, with all its joy and sorrow. She knew without a doubt that the young woman with the haunted eyes loved as strongly today as she had all those years ago.
Chapter Six
Charlie found her aunt quietly drinking coffee on the porch the next morning. “I’d like something to do. I’ve decided I’m going to take some time away from writing.”
Janelle looked at her fondly. “If I didn’t have this cast, I’d be working in the garden. Are you up for picking some lavender and lemon balm?”
The ringing of the telephone cut off Charlie’s reply and she ran into the kitchen.
“Hello?”
“Uh…hello.” The woman’s voice was hesitant. “Is Janelle there?”
“Sure.” Charlie passed the handset to her aunt.
“Hello?” Janelle listened for several minutes, her face reflecting growing dismay. “Please Laurel, don’t worry about The Trip. I can do it myself. More importantly, is there anything I can do to help you?” She listened for another minute. “Well, if you change your mind, be sure to let me know.” She nodded, as if reassuring the person on the other end of the line. “Really, we’ll be fine. You just take care of your mom and call me later in the week, okay?”
She disconnected and turned to Charlie. “That was Laurel. She cleans the dance hall. Her mother fell and broke her hip. She’s only recently been widowed, and Laurel is the only family in the area.” She pushed herself up and made her way to the window. “Life sucks sometimes, you know?”
“Yeah, I know. Will she be all right, do you think?”
“I think so. I’ll give her a couple of days to get settled and then I’ll stop by to see if there is anything I can do.” She looked down at her foot. “At least I get my walking cast tomorrow. I can hardly wait.”
“You said she cleans the dance hall. Why don’t I take that over? I’ll be there anyway, for the dance lessons.”
“I suppose so.” Janelle fingered her braid. “We could get you down there a bit early, and you can get started on it.”
“What’s involved?” Charlie asked, hoping she hadn’t bitten off more than she could chew.
“I leave it up to Laurel. I know she sweeps the floor, wipes down the tables, checks the bathrooms…stuff like that. She usually works five or six hours at it, but you could spread it out over a few days if you like, since you’ll need time for your lessons.” Janelle leaned against the counter. “Are you sure you wouldn’t mind? It would save me the trouble of finding someone else.”
“Are you
“Apparently they were away at an agricultural fair.”
“Wouldn’t they have gone after her, forced her to come back?”
Janelle frowned. “I don’t think so. Things were pretty strict back then. My guess would be that once she’d run off, the family probably would have disowned her. Or perhaps they would have made up a story about why she’d gone away, but then we’ll never know, will we?” She tapped the hairbrush against her cheek, deep in thought. “I can’t imagine what her life was like after she learned that he’d died.” She raised an eyebrow. “Can you?”
Charlie shuddered. “I’d rather not, especially assuming that those are her parents in the portrait across from her.”
Janelle nodded.
“They look nasty. I’ll bet they made her life miserable.” She picked up the mirror again and studied her reflection. “I wonder if I’d have had the nerve.” She glanced over at her aunt. “You know…if it had been me?”
“I think you would have.” Janelle’s eyes grew misty. “Love is such a powerful emotion.” Her voice was so soft Charlie had to lean forward to her the words. “They say it lasts forever.”
Charlie believed her. Everything she’d learned about her ancestor confirmed it. Since arriving at Clearwater Springs, she had somehow tapped into Charlotte Freeman’s soul, with all its joy and sorrow. She knew without a doubt that the young woman with the haunted eyes loved as strongly today as she had all those years ago.
Chapter Six
Charlie found her aunt quietly drinking coffee on the porch the next morning. “I’d like something to do. I’ve decided I’m going to take some time away from writing.”
Janelle looked at her fondly. “If I didn’t have this cast, I’d be working in the garden. Are you up for picking some lavender and lemon balm?”
The ringing of the telephone cut off Charlie’s reply and she ran into the kitchen.
“Hello?”
“Uh…hello.” The woman’s voice was hesitant. “Is Janelle there?”
“Sure.” Charlie passed the handset to her aunt.
“Hello?” Janelle listened for several minutes, her face reflecting growing dismay. “Please Laurel, don’t worry about The Trip. I can do it myself. More importantly, is there anything I can do to help you?” She listened for another minute. “Well, if you change your mind, be sure to let me know.” She nodded, as if reassuring the person on the other end of the line. “Really, we’ll be fine. You just take care of your mom and call me later in the week, okay?”
She disconnected and turned to Charlie. “That was Laurel. She cleans the dance hall. Her mother fell and broke her hip. She’s only recently been widowed, and Laurel is the only family in the area.” She pushed herself up and made her way to the window. “Life sucks sometimes, you know?”
“Yeah, I know. Will she be all right, do you think?”
“I think so. I’ll give her a couple of days to get settled and then I’ll stop by to see if there is anything I can do.” She looked down at her foot. “At least I get my walking cast tomorrow. I can hardly wait.”
“You said she cleans the dance hall. Why don’t I take that over? I’ll be there anyway, for the dance lessons.”
“I suppose so.” Janelle fingered her braid. “We could get you down there a bit early, and you can get started on it.”
“What’s involved?” Charlie asked, hoping she hadn’t bitten off more than she could chew.
“I leave it up to Laurel. I know she sweeps the floor, wipes down the tables, checks the bathrooms…stuff like that. She usually works five or six hours at it, but you could spread it out over a few days if you like, since you’ll need time for your lessons.” Janelle leaned against the counter. “Are you sure you wouldn’t mind? It would save me the trouble of finding someone else.”
“Are you
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