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Authors: Lisa T. Bergren
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herself.
I’m just not in the mood to see Miles.
“So what’s for dinner?”
“A bit of Thailand. Curried chicken and all the fixin’s.”
“Hmm. Been to Thailand, too, eh?”
“Ten years ago. Fascinating country, fascinating people.”
“You’ve wandered far and wide.”
“I’ve done my share.”
“Why? I mean, I like traveling just as much as the next person does, but Europe and a couple of other trips have pretty much sated that desire. What drove you to see so much?”
“I wanted to see it all. I really started after college and didn’t stop for twelve years. Here we are in this huge, wonderful, diverse planet—I wanted to see it. I wanted to know other cultures, other people, learn other views. It was a passion. I worked my way through four continents and forty-two countries.”
“Forty-two?” She reached for some cheese to put on her cracker.
“Forty-two.” He opened the fridge and pulled out a salad.
“So what happened? Did you see all you needed to?”
“I just reached a point where I felt like I’d gotten a solid overview of the rest of the world. I wanted to come home. I’ll always want to travel, but that won’t be my entire focus anymore. I told you I’d been dreaming about lighthouses. And Bryn was in Maryland, so I went there and started driving north. Which led me to Torchlight.” She felt as if he wanted to add “and you,” but his lips had quit moving.
“Is that how you’ve always done it? Just found your way, followed your nose, until someplace tickled your fancy?”
“Pretty much. I’d run into someone friendly or interesting or find a place so gorgeous I knew I had to stay and see it through at least one seasonal change. I’ve seen some amazing places, met some fantastic people.”
“I bet.” She chewed another bite of cracker and cheese, thinking back on her postcollege trip. “I saw Europe, briefly. Twelve countries in a month.”
Trevor smiled knowingly. “Dead guys’ grave sites, big buildings?”
“Yes,” she said, aware of what was coming.
“You missed the people, the texture. Are they all jumbled together in your memory, hard to decipher, one from the other?”
“Somewhat. Language changes help.”
“Uh-huh. I decided right away that it took at least three weeks in a country to get a real sense of it.” He turned to stir a pot, and Julia studied him. He was so worldly, so earthy, so sensual … so different from Miles, who considered himself worldly-wise.
Trevor handed her a tiny clay cup with hot green tea and raised his arm to toast. “To Torchlight.”
“To Torchlight,” she echoed.
After dinner they sat in the living room and settled into two chairs drawn close to the fire. Trevor had had the fireplace fixed right away so Julia could get heat from the wood-burning fireplaces and not just from the more expensive electric floorboard heaters. Heatilators were installed in each fireplace, making efficient use of the fire. Still, Julia and Trevor both pulled blankets over themselves.
“So where’s Grandmother Anna today?” Trevor asked with true interest. Julia had been reading Anna’s diaries nightly, and each day she was keeping him abreast of the news.
“Oh, Trevor! She was a wonderful writer. They’re still in the middle of the Atlantic, and she describes everything so well that it’s like I’m traveling with her.”
“Would you read me some? I’d like to hear what you’re so charged about.”
Julia’s smile was warm. “I’d love to.”
As she went to retrieve the diary from the library, she felt his gaze rest upon her. When she came back into the firelight, she paused to turn on the lamp beside her chair. “Sorry,” she apologized as the white light intruded upon their cozy atmosphere.
“The better to see you with,” he quipped.
She ignored him and began to read.
10 June 1840
I watch Shane in command, and my heart swells with pride. He is a good, fair captain, and the men respond to him with genuine
I’m just not in the mood to see Miles.
“So what’s for dinner?”
“A bit of Thailand. Curried chicken and all the fixin’s.”
“Hmm. Been to Thailand, too, eh?”
“Ten years ago. Fascinating country, fascinating people.”
“You’ve wandered far and wide.”
“I’ve done my share.”
“Why? I mean, I like traveling just as much as the next person does, but Europe and a couple of other trips have pretty much sated that desire. What drove you to see so much?”
“I wanted to see it all. I really started after college and didn’t stop for twelve years. Here we are in this huge, wonderful, diverse planet—I wanted to see it. I wanted to know other cultures, other people, learn other views. It was a passion. I worked my way through four continents and forty-two countries.”
“Forty-two?” She reached for some cheese to put on her cracker.
“Forty-two.” He opened the fridge and pulled out a salad.
“So what happened? Did you see all you needed to?”
“I just reached a point where I felt like I’d gotten a solid overview of the rest of the world. I wanted to come home. I’ll always want to travel, but that won’t be my entire focus anymore. I told you I’d been dreaming about lighthouses. And Bryn was in Maryland, so I went there and started driving north. Which led me to Torchlight.” She felt as if he wanted to add “and you,” but his lips had quit moving.
“Is that how you’ve always done it? Just found your way, followed your nose, until someplace tickled your fancy?”
“Pretty much. I’d run into someone friendly or interesting or find a place so gorgeous I knew I had to stay and see it through at least one seasonal change. I’ve seen some amazing places, met some fantastic people.”
“I bet.” She chewed another bite of cracker and cheese, thinking back on her postcollege trip. “I saw Europe, briefly. Twelve countries in a month.”
Trevor smiled knowingly. “Dead guys’ grave sites, big buildings?”
“Yes,” she said, aware of what was coming.
“You missed the people, the texture. Are they all jumbled together in your memory, hard to decipher, one from the other?”
“Somewhat. Language changes help.”
“Uh-huh. I decided right away that it took at least three weeks in a country to get a real sense of it.” He turned to stir a pot, and Julia studied him. He was so worldly, so earthy, so sensual … so different from Miles, who considered himself worldly-wise.
Trevor handed her a tiny clay cup with hot green tea and raised his arm to toast. “To Torchlight.”
“To Torchlight,” she echoed.
After dinner they sat in the living room and settled into two chairs drawn close to the fire. Trevor had had the fireplace fixed right away so Julia could get heat from the wood-burning fireplaces and not just from the more expensive electric floorboard heaters. Heatilators were installed in each fireplace, making efficient use of the fire. Still, Julia and Trevor both pulled blankets over themselves.
“So where’s Grandmother Anna today?” Trevor asked with true interest. Julia had been reading Anna’s diaries nightly, and each day she was keeping him abreast of the news.
“Oh, Trevor! She was a wonderful writer. They’re still in the middle of the Atlantic, and she describes everything so well that it’s like I’m traveling with her.”
“Would you read me some? I’d like to hear what you’re so charged about.”
Julia’s smile was warm. “I’d love to.”
As she went to retrieve the diary from the library, she felt his gaze rest upon her. When she came back into the firelight, she paused to turn on the lamp beside her chair. “Sorry,” she apologized as the white light intruded upon their cozy atmosphere.
“The better to see you with,” he quipped.
She ignored him and began to read.
10 June 1840
I watch Shane in command, and my heart swells with pride. He is a good, fair captain, and the men respond to him with genuine
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