day as making me his fiancée seems to have sent him floating on air. I find it most difficult to even speak with him of the details, but I must say it is enjoyable to see him in such high spirits. He says it’s as if the world’s at his feet, now that I have agreed to become one with him on 18 January 1840, despite my parents’ concerns over his dangerous seafaring occupation and his desire to emigrate to America. It will be quite a trip, indeed.
“Julia?” Trevor stared at her. She was so absorbed in Anna’s journals that she didn’t hear his voice. Her distraction afforded him the chance to watch her intently, observing how her hair shone in the soft light of the lamp beside her, and how her violet eyes eagerly took in the words upon the pages before her.
“You are beautiful,” he said simply. But she did not hear him even then. “You are quite possibly the most beautiful woman I’ve ever encountered,” he said, more bold.
This, she heard.
She raised her head slightly and looked up at him. Her eyes threatened to melt his heart. Never had he encountered a woman like her. After only four weeks, he knew he was in trouble. “I’ve only seen eyes like yours in the Middle East. There are people there who have eyes the color of teal or the impossible violet of your own. Yours are amazing. I could sit and stare into them for hours.”
“Trevor …”
“I know, I know,” he raised his hands in immediate surrender. “You’re practically engaged to our friend Miles, and I’m the hired man. Still, you should know that I’m intrigued, Ms. Rierdon, and it takes a lot for me to be intrigued. You can take it or leave it. I just have to be honest. I agreed to no games when you hired me. I’m not flirting. I’m … declaring.”
She was apparently at a loss for words. “Thank you,” she said lamely.
He smiled at her. “You’re welcome.”
C HAPTER S IX
B en finished his blueberry pie as Tara served another customer and then returned to him to continue chatting. “And anyway, she said she’d put me in touch with some big New York publishers. Maybe it could really happen!”
“Well, don’t count your chickens before they hatch.”
“Oh, Ben, dream a little with me! Think of it. I could finish this cookbook, maybe another. Maybe I could even do a local cable cooking show in Portland.”
“Aren’t you getting ahead of yourself?”
“Why are you being so negative?” It made her cross that he was bringing her down from her high mood.
“I just don’t want to see you disappointed.”
“Well,
you’re
disappointing me. I thought you’d be happy for me.”
“Happy that you might up and leave to be a big-city author? Happy that you might start your own cable show in Portland? I like things the way they are.”
“And how are things, Ben?” she asked, crossing her arms in front of her.
“Well, you know.” He squirmed in his chair.
“No. I don’t.”
“I can’t talk to you when you’re like this.” He got up and laid a five-dollar bill on the counter.
“When I’m like what?” She raised her voice. The other customers in the tiny restaurant were watching them. “When I finally push you to tell me how you feel?”
“Good night, Tara.”
She turned away from him. Their relationship had reached a stalemate. She would
not
be the first to confess. It had to be his move.
Tara put her hands on the back countertop, not turning to face him. “Good night, Ben.”
All eyes followed Ben as he put on his hat and walked out the door.
“I know something that will make you happy as a cow in a field of clover,” Trevor announced as he arrived in the living room, where Julia was moving furniture. He wiped his greasy hands on a shop towel, and grinned from ear to ear.
“Don’t know if I like the comparison to a sister of the bovine species, but I’ll bite. What?”
“Come with me.”
Obediently she followed behind as he led her to the kitchen. He nodded at the sink. “Try ’er
“Julia?” Trevor stared at her. She was so absorbed in Anna’s journals that she didn’t hear his voice. Her distraction afforded him the chance to watch her intently, observing how her hair shone in the soft light of the lamp beside her, and how her violet eyes eagerly took in the words upon the pages before her.
“You are beautiful,” he said simply. But she did not hear him even then. “You are quite possibly the most beautiful woman I’ve ever encountered,” he said, more bold.
This, she heard.
She raised her head slightly and looked up at him. Her eyes threatened to melt his heart. Never had he encountered a woman like her. After only four weeks, he knew he was in trouble. “I’ve only seen eyes like yours in the Middle East. There are people there who have eyes the color of teal or the impossible violet of your own. Yours are amazing. I could sit and stare into them for hours.”
“Trevor …”
“I know, I know,” he raised his hands in immediate surrender. “You’re practically engaged to our friend Miles, and I’m the hired man. Still, you should know that I’m intrigued, Ms. Rierdon, and it takes a lot for me to be intrigued. You can take it or leave it. I just have to be honest. I agreed to no games when you hired me. I’m not flirting. I’m … declaring.”
She was apparently at a loss for words. “Thank you,” she said lamely.
He smiled at her. “You’re welcome.”
C HAPTER S IX
B en finished his blueberry pie as Tara served another customer and then returned to him to continue chatting. “And anyway, she said she’d put me in touch with some big New York publishers. Maybe it could really happen!”
“Well, don’t count your chickens before they hatch.”
“Oh, Ben, dream a little with me! Think of it. I could finish this cookbook, maybe another. Maybe I could even do a local cable cooking show in Portland.”
“Aren’t you getting ahead of yourself?”
“Why are you being so negative?” It made her cross that he was bringing her down from her high mood.
“I just don’t want to see you disappointed.”
“Well,
you’re
disappointing me. I thought you’d be happy for me.”
“Happy that you might up and leave to be a big-city author? Happy that you might start your own cable show in Portland? I like things the way they are.”
“And how are things, Ben?” she asked, crossing her arms in front of her.
“Well, you know.” He squirmed in his chair.
“No. I don’t.”
“I can’t talk to you when you’re like this.” He got up and laid a five-dollar bill on the counter.
“When I’m like what?” She raised her voice. The other customers in the tiny restaurant were watching them. “When I finally push you to tell me how you feel?”
“Good night, Tara.”
She turned away from him. Their relationship had reached a stalemate. She would
not
be the first to confess. It had to be his move.
Tara put her hands on the back countertop, not turning to face him. “Good night, Ben.”
All eyes followed Ben as he put on his hat and walked out the door.
“I know something that will make you happy as a cow in a field of clover,” Trevor announced as he arrived in the living room, where Julia was moving furniture. He wiped his greasy hands on a shop towel, and grinned from ear to ear.
“Don’t know if I like the comparison to a sister of the bovine species, but I’ll bite. What?”
“Come with me.”
Obediently she followed behind as he led her to the kitchen. He nodded at the sink. “Try ’er
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