minutes of this torture passed before
Addy was back, bringing Eddie with her.
"Please sit down, Ed," her father instructed.
Eddie was careful to not look at Robert or sit anywhere near him. Morgan took this as a good sign and jumped right in.
"Robert has asked for your hand in marriage. Did you know he planned to do this?"
"Well, I wasn't sure, but I thought he might."
"And how do you feel about this?"
"I hoped you could come to some sort of agreement."
Her words were almost more than Morgan could bear. It was all happening too swiftly.
"You'd like me to say yes." Morgan speared Eddie with his eyes, and all she could do was nod. "And if I don't?" he added.
Eddie bit her lip, and a look of misery covered her features. She looked at the hands clenched in her lap for
a moment and then back at her father. Her voice was just above a whisper when she replied, "Then I would tell him no.
Morgan couldn't think. How had things gotten so completely out of his control?
"You may return to your room, Ed."
Eddie did so without looking at anyone. Robert stood when she rose, and before he could be reseated, Morgan came to his feet.
"I'm going to need time to think about this. I'll talk to you tomorrow, Robert. Come, Addy."
Adaline dutifully rose and bid her guest good-night before she swiftly preceded Morgan from the room. The hallway was dark with the lantern behind her in Morgan's hand, but Addy didn't slow her flight. She nearly ran to the room they shared and waited only until the door closed before she turned on her spouse.
"How could you do such a thing?" She spat the words in fury, huge tears filling her eyes. Morgan's hard expression softened when he saw them, but Addy was far from through.
"Why did you think he'd come here, Morgan—to buy land? How could you look into your daughters face and put her through that? She loves and trusts you, but
you've asked her to pick between the two of you. And to leave them hanging! Neither one of them will get a moment's sleep this night. Now, isn't that a grand way to begin Roberts visit?" With that she turned her back on him, a sob breaking in her throat.
Morgan didn't think Addy had ever spoken to him in such a way. Then Eddies face came to mind, and he knew his wife had gone easy on him. He'd known very well why Robert was coming to Georgetown. Why was he fighting this when all he wanted was Eddie's happiness?
Addy was still crying softly when Morgan placed the lantern on the bedside table and lit another. Leaving one of the lights for his distraught wife, he moved back down the hall to Eddie and Jackie's room. The bed showed just one sleeping figure, and Morgan raised the light to find Eddie. She was in a chair by the window, and even though she'd scrubbed at her face with the sleeve of her gown, the evidence of tears was very clear.
Morgan stood for a long moment and looked down at her. While he did so, another drop slipped down her cheek. Morgan reached out to cup her face with one hand, and his voice was rough.
"Marry your Robert, Ed, with my blessing."
"Oh, Father, do you mean it?"
"Yes. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier."
Eddie would have risen, but Morgan put a hand on her shoulder. "Get ready for bed now and go to sleep. I'll see you tomorrow." With that he was gone. He took the stairs on silent feet and moved through the kitchen to the door of the small room they had prepared for their guest. He knocked and waited.
Only seconds passed before Robert came to the door. His jacket and tie were missing, but he was still dressed. The two men looked at one another for several heartbeats. Robert was much taller, but his look held respect.
"She's never had jewels or finery," Morgan began, "but she's had love. I would want no less for her."
"Love I can give her, sir, with all my heart."
'Then do so, Mr. Langley. I ask only that she be allowed to turn 18 and a half before the wedding."
Robert nodded, his mind moving. "That would be the end of February, wouldn't
Addy was back, bringing Eddie with her.
"Please sit down, Ed," her father instructed.
Eddie was careful to not look at Robert or sit anywhere near him. Morgan took this as a good sign and jumped right in.
"Robert has asked for your hand in marriage. Did you know he planned to do this?"
"Well, I wasn't sure, but I thought he might."
"And how do you feel about this?"
"I hoped you could come to some sort of agreement."
Her words were almost more than Morgan could bear. It was all happening too swiftly.
"You'd like me to say yes." Morgan speared Eddie with his eyes, and all she could do was nod. "And if I don't?" he added.
Eddie bit her lip, and a look of misery covered her features. She looked at the hands clenched in her lap for
a moment and then back at her father. Her voice was just above a whisper when she replied, "Then I would tell him no.
Morgan couldn't think. How had things gotten so completely out of his control?
"You may return to your room, Ed."
Eddie did so without looking at anyone. Robert stood when she rose, and before he could be reseated, Morgan came to his feet.
"I'm going to need time to think about this. I'll talk to you tomorrow, Robert. Come, Addy."
Adaline dutifully rose and bid her guest good-night before she swiftly preceded Morgan from the room. The hallway was dark with the lantern behind her in Morgan's hand, but Addy didn't slow her flight. She nearly ran to the room they shared and waited only until the door closed before she turned on her spouse.
"How could you do such a thing?" She spat the words in fury, huge tears filling her eyes. Morgan's hard expression softened when he saw them, but Addy was far from through.
"Why did you think he'd come here, Morgan—to buy land? How could you look into your daughters face and put her through that? She loves and trusts you, but
you've asked her to pick between the two of you. And to leave them hanging! Neither one of them will get a moment's sleep this night. Now, isn't that a grand way to begin Roberts visit?" With that she turned her back on him, a sob breaking in her throat.
Morgan didn't think Addy had ever spoken to him in such a way. Then Eddies face came to mind, and he knew his wife had gone easy on him. He'd known very well why Robert was coming to Georgetown. Why was he fighting this when all he wanted was Eddie's happiness?
Addy was still crying softly when Morgan placed the lantern on the bedside table and lit another. Leaving one of the lights for his distraught wife, he moved back down the hall to Eddie and Jackie's room. The bed showed just one sleeping figure, and Morgan raised the light to find Eddie. She was in a chair by the window, and even though she'd scrubbed at her face with the sleeve of her gown, the evidence of tears was very clear.
Morgan stood for a long moment and looked down at her. While he did so, another drop slipped down her cheek. Morgan reached out to cup her face with one hand, and his voice was rough.
"Marry your Robert, Ed, with my blessing."
"Oh, Father, do you mean it?"
"Yes. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier."
Eddie would have risen, but Morgan put a hand on her shoulder. "Get ready for bed now and go to sleep. I'll see you tomorrow." With that he was gone. He took the stairs on silent feet and moved through the kitchen to the door of the small room they had prepared for their guest. He knocked and waited.
Only seconds passed before Robert came to the door. His jacket and tie were missing, but he was still dressed. The two men looked at one another for several heartbeats. Robert was much taller, but his look held respect.
"She's never had jewels or finery," Morgan began, "but she's had love. I would want no less for her."
"Love I can give her, sir, with all my heart."
'Then do so, Mr. Langley. I ask only that she be allowed to turn 18 and a half before the wedding."
Robert nodded, his mind moving. "That would be the end of February, wouldn't
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