Just Above a Whisper (43 page)

The crack of dawn found all three men searching the barn and outbuildings that stood near the big house.

“Look here,” Troy called to Conner in the middle building. He showed him footprints and the core of an apple.

“Someone’s recently been camped out in here,” Conner concluded. He walked outside and looked at the doors. “Let’s air these buildings out,” Conner suggested, swinging each door open wide, so that most of the interiors were visible to the green.

“What did you find?” Dalton asked as he came upon them, not having spotted anything in the haymow of the barn.

“Reese was right,” Troy said, heading that way to show Dalton.

The older brother nodded and asked, “Will Reese be all right with one of us around all the time?”

Conner heard and answered, “My greater fear is that she won’t be all right if we’re not around.”

This was not a hard point for the men to agree upon. Conner planned to tell Reese about it as soon as she arrived.

“So tell me,” Dalton quizzed Reese from the doorway of one of the bedrooms upstairs; it was midmorning. “Do you like children?”

“I do like children,” Reese said patiently, even though this was the fourth time he had found her to ask a question. “Do you like children?” she asked in turn, just as she’d done the three other times.

“Very much. I have five.”

“That’s a fun number.”

“Okay,” Dalton said enthusiastically. “I’ll let you get back to work.”

“Okay,” Reese agreed, holding her laughter until he was out of the room.

The men had told Reese their plan was to be around for however long it took to discover the identity of their intruder, and not seeing any help for it, she had agreed graciously. What she hadn’t expected was for Dalton to volunteer for the first shift. Not that it mattered. Reese simply avoided the study where he worked on his business papers. Little did she know that he would seek her out.

And he was being so obvious. Reese thought if Conner knew about it, he wouldn’t be happy at all. She would never tell, but that didn’t mean that he wouldn’t learn of it.

“What about housework? I mean, I know you do it, but do you enjoy it?”

Reese turned, amazed that he was back.

“Yes,” she answered, still managing not to laugh. “I like almost all housework.”

“What don’t you like?”

“The laundry.”

“Why is that?”

“Because it’s hard on the hands, but mostly because the table is high enough that I can’t sit and low enough that it makes my back ache.”

“Okay,” Dalton said before he slipped away.

Reese did some slipping of her own down the back stairs as it was time to check on dinner. She thought if she moved quietly enough, she might get some work done in the kitchen without being disturbed.

“What about celebrating Christmas? Some people think it’s wrong.” Cathy had come to the store to check with Doyle.

“I’m not sure about that. We can ask Jace.”

Cathy’s intent look was becoming familiar to Doyle. Ever since she’d come to see him the day before, she had been asking questions. Most he couldn’t answer, but for once she kept thinking instead of trying to prove her point.

Doyle now waited for the next question, but it didn’t come. He wondered what his expression had been when Cathy defended herself.

“Maddie said I should ask questions.”

“You should. I just wish I knew more.”

“Doyle,” Cathy came close now, her eyes worried. “Are you really all right?”

He put his hands on her shoulders and answered calmly, “Yes. It was a spiritual and emotional issue, not a physical one.”

Her heart still worried, Cathy nodded, but she also still pondered her niece’s words. Doyle watched the expressions chase across her face and put his arms around her.

“We’ll get it, Cathy,” he spoke reassuringly. “Don’t you worry. God won’t give up on us yet.”

“How do you like big cities?” Dalton asked when he found Reese an hour after the last question.

“I don’t know. I’ve never been to one.”

Reese was familiar with the sounds of the house and heard the front door just then. Dalton didn’t seem to notice. Nor did he notice when Conner appeared in the kitchen doorway a short time later.

“You’ll have to visit,” Dalton was saying. “I think you’d like it.”

“I might,” Reese agreed.

“And what about families visiting? Is that something that sounds fun to you?”

“Well,” Reese said honestly, “I don’t have any family.”

“But what if your husband had family?”

Reese caught the astonished look on Conner’s face and had to smile.

“I think it would fine,” Reese said.

“Okay,” Dalton said with pleasure and turned to the door. The way he jerked to a halt was one of the funniest things Reese had ever seen. She bit her lip hard to keep from laughing, not wanting to miss this interchange.

“Conner!” Dalton’s voice was evidence enough that he’d been caught in the act. “I didn’t see you.”

“Clearly,” Conner said, somewhere between amusement and frustration.

“I was just heading back to the study,” Dalton muttered, attempting to restore some of his dignity. “Reese will call me when dinner is ready.”

Conner moved out of the way so his brother could pass and then walked very deliberately into the kitchen.

“Do not tell me that he’s been like that all morning.”

Remaining silent, Reese only looked at him.

“Reese?”

“You said not to tell you.”

Conner shook his head.

“What did he want to know?”

“What
didn’t
he want to know?” Reese said with a smile, not willing to tell all.

“Is tomorrow Friday?” Conner asked suddenly.

“Yes.”

Conner smiled a smile that was a bit wicked and headed toward the dining room.

Reese knew that Alison would be working on tea preparations and that Mrs. Greenlowe was also expecting her home soon, but she had to talk to the pastor’s wife. Going around to the kitchen door, she knocked and slipped inside, happy to find only Alison and Martin.

“Hi, Reese. Done at the big house for today?”

“All done.”

“What will you and Mrs. Greenlowe do tonight?”

“Alison, should I cut off some of my hair?”

Alison, who had been half attending while putting the kettle on, stopped and looked at her guest.

“Your hair is beautiful. Why would you cut some off?”

“Oh, just in case.”

“In case of what?”

“It might look better.”

“Marty, run along upstairs for a moment, will you?” his mother asked.

“Okay,” the little boy agreed, and Alison came to sit next to Reese. She wanted Reese to tell her what was going on but didn’t know quite how to find out.

“Is there anything you want to tell me?” Alison tried.

“About what?” Reese asked, not able to meet the older woman’s eyes.

“About why you’re suddenly worried over your appearance.”

“Did you never worry about your looks when you first met Douglas?”

Alison nodded and admitted, “When he became interested, I did worry, yes.”

Reese didn’t comment.

“Is there someone whose opinion you’re worried about?”

“Maybe,” Reese answered, not willing to tell all just yet. But in truth Alison didn’t need much more. Reese’s eyes were filled with longing and questions, and Alison’s heart melted a little at the sight. She also made a swift decision not to pry.

“If you decide you want me to have more details, you know you can share with me.”

“Thank you, Alison.” Reese stood. “I’d best get home.”

“Tell Mrs. Greenlowe I said hello. And as for the hair, if I were you I’d think about it a bit longer.”

“I’ll do that,” Reese replied and was gone a moment later.

Alison meant what she said: She would be there if Reese wanted to talk, but waiting might be harder than she first imagined.

Nineteen

“Will you see if Doyle has any more of this fabric?” Reese asked Mrs. Greenlowe. She had run upstairs as soon as she got home and grabbed the other swatch she’d been eyeing. This one had a navy background with a coral design and tiny white flowers for accent.