Perfectly Matched (The Blue Willow Brides Book #3): A Novel (13 page)

That’s all it took for Edward’s blood to simmer again. “Hardly,” he answered. “I may not have your brawn but I can rival your intelligence.”

“Whoa. I didn’t mean that as an insult. Please, step inside.”

“No thank you. What I have to say can be said right here on the steps.”

“Edward, something botherin’ you? You look a little angry. Hope it’s not with me—”

Edward put his hands on his hips. “Oh, it’s with you all right. What do you mean by running over to
my
house and building pens in
my
barn? Tell me that, will you?”

Daniel’s eyes narrowed, but he faced Edward square on. “Edward, I did what I could to help you out.”

“I don’t need any help, for your information!” Edward raised his voice, and Daniel’s neighbor, who was just leaving his house, turned to look.

Daniel shoved his friend through the doorway with an irritated glare in his eyes. “Keep your voice down and tell me what burr you got in your saddle today. I’ve known you for years and I know when something is wrong.”

“I wish you’d talked to me before you took it upon yourself to build pens in my barn! That’s what.” How could he stand there and pretend to act innocent?

“That’s what’s eatin’ you? For goodness’ sake, man. Your wife asked me, and she said it was okay with you.”

“She did, did she? Well, it’s not all right with me. You still should’ve consulted with me. How long have you known Anna?”

“About a month.”

“Exactly. And how long have you known me?”

“Since grammar school, I reckon. Look, I’m sorry, Edward. Do you want me to go tear them down now? ’Cause I will.”

Edward sat down in a nearby chair, his shoulders slumped forward. He leaned over and put his face in his hands, then swiped his eyes before answering. “I’m sorry for railing at you. It’s just that I wanted to surprise her, and I left work early to go buy the supplies.”

Daniel took a step near his friend, laying his hand on his shoulder. “I understand why you’re angry now. I’m really sorry if I caused grief between you and Anna. I was just trying to lend a hand.”

Edward stared up at his friend. “I . . . I guess I realize that now, but I let jealousy and my emotions get the best of me.”

“Look, don’t let it worry you. Do you have time for a quick cup of coffee with your old friend?”

Edward stood facing him. “I’m sorry, Daniel. It’s just that you seem to be everything I am not—good-looking, strong physique, charming, a fine woodworker, a cowboy . . .”

“But you have Anna, Edward. Don’t ever forget that. I have no one.”

“I guess I still have her, but she’s pretty upset with me right now.”

“You know you have her. She adores you. Don’t sell yourself short.” Daniel stuck his hand out. “It’s settled now?”

Edward took his hand in a firm shake. “Settled.”

“Now, how about that coffee?”

“I’d love to stay, but I must go reopen the shop. I’m late as it is.” He strolled back to the still-open front door, then paused. “You say you have no one, but goodness, man, haven’t you ever seen how Callie looks at you at church?”

Daniel stopped dead in his tracks and scratched his head. With narrowed eyes, he looked at Edward. “Really? I can’t say that I’ve noticed her looking at me, but I
have
been looking at her for some time now.”

“So why aren’t you courting her?”

“I’m not rightly sure, Edward. We have a good friendship, so I didn’t want to jeopardize that—plus I figured that she had plenty of beaus more in her class, if you know what I mean.” He leaned against the door and crossed his arms.

“Then you’re a downright knucklehead, I tell you.” Edward stepped outside.

Daniel followed him out to the porch. “Maybe that’s why Anna invited me to a dinner party yesterday. She said others would be there.”

“Hmm, I didn’t know we were having a dinner party. I think she wants to play matchmaker with Callie. Get you two together or something like that.” Edward chuckled.

“I’m glad to hear you laugh, ol’ friend. Hey—go easy on your sweet little bride. She’s still young and just full of ideas and pure excitement for living.”

Edward smiled at his friend. “I know. I think I’ve expected way too much. I tend to do that, don’t I?”

Daniel laughed outright. “Yes. I’m glad to hear you finally admit it, though.”

Edward shook his head. “It isn’t easy.”

“It never is easy to admit our faults or apologize.”

“Now you sound like a preacher,” he teased.

“Maybe that’s another thing I can add to that illustrious pedestal you have me on.” Daniel laughed good-naturedly.

“See you tonight,” Edward said, then hurried down the walk.

When Edward entered his house, he admired how the floors shone from the light coating of linseed oil. He could smell the fresh scent of lemon and beeswax on the furniture. The sun shining through the sheer curtains gave the furniture a basking, homey glow. He’d love to stop and sit a spell in his easy chair, reading the paper, but since he’d gotten a late start, that would have to wait. He knew Anna was getting better at some of the household chores, just not all of them all of the time or on a timely basis. Sometimes her head was in the clouds. Whether it was her personality or her youth, he wasn’t sure. But one thing he knew for sure—he hadn’t told her directly that he appreciated her efforts.

The rest of the day, Anna busied herself with the remaining chores and later took a coffee tray to Edward. He was waiting on customers, so she discreetly put it on his counter until he could take a break. She wondered if at some point he might let her work alongside him. It looked to her like he could use her help at times. But she slipped out the way she’d come, shutting the door between her and the shop.

Anna decided they could have leftover ham slices for supper before they left for the literary circle. Her other chores were done, so she decided to spend some time writing to her
sisters. She quickly found pen and paper at the secretary in the living room and enjoyed the sunny view of the street from the window as she composed her thoughts for her letters to Greta and Catharine.

Anna and Edward sat through an uncomfortable silence for most of their light supper, until Anna thought she was going to scream. She realized that neither of them wanted to budge. Finally she had to say
something
to break the ice, but even now she didn’t think Edward appeared mad—more thoughtful than anything else.

She sucked in a deep breath, then dabbed her mouth with her napkin. “Edward, it was pretty busy today with customers when I popped in.”

“Yes, it was for a little while,” he said.

Tread lightly, but don’t bring up animals yet.
“If you need me to help out from time to time, I’d be happy to.”

He looked up from his plate, his eyes looking directly into hers for a long moment before answering. “Maybe. I think you might be a distraction for me and then I couldn’t get any work done.”

He almost chuckled
, she thought.
If only he would.
She couldn’t gauge his thinking with his passive expression. She still felt really bad that he’d wanted to surprise her. “Edward, I’m sorry that I let Daniel do the work without checking with you first. It won’t happen again.”

“I sincerely hope not. We need to be partners, not enemies.”

“Does that mean I’m to consult you on everything that happens in our household?” Anna could feel her angst rise.
“Am I not allowed any freedom to make decisions I think are best sometimes?”

“I think that would be better, Anna. That way there will be no misunderstandings,” he said.

She started picking up the dishes and carried them to the sink. He’d put her in her place like some lord of a medieval castle. Well, it wasn’t going to work—not for her, not ever!

It was a crisp, cool evening with a full moon casting long shadows on the sidewalk as Anna and Edward made their way to the literary circle at Callie’s. Edward wondered what the others in the group thought as they’d read
Pride and Prejudice
. Callie greeted them warmly, taking their coats, and led them to the parlor where the others were already sipping hot coffee.

“So nice to see you again, Anna. Did you get a chance to read the articles I found for you?” Pearl asked after they’d greeted everyone.

“Yes. I read them on the way home. I didn’t bring them because I wanted to make a few notes, if that’s all right.”

Edward’s forehead wrinkled. “What articles?”

“Oh, didn’t Anna tell you? There are societies formed for the mistreatment of animals. I thought they might interest Anna and help her with her cause. Such a marvelous idea she has, wouldn’t you agree, Edward?” Pearl smiled at him.

“Well, er . . . I’d have to know the particulars first, and we haven’t had a chance to discuss it yet,” he answered stiffly, then glanced at Anna. She sat perched primly on the edge of her chair but refused to give him any eye contact. She was being
so contrary today that if he threw her in the river, he was sure she would float upstream. And yet, even so he was enchanted by the curve of her cheek where her lashes lightly touched. He glanced down at her shapely fingers and remembered the feel of them slowly circling his chest. Suddenly he felt desire for his wife.
Good grief, man. Quit letting your mind wander.
From the mood they were both in now, it would take awhile for them to iron out their differences before either felt like being intimate again.

She was talking to Chris, and Edward knew that his charm wasn’t lost on Anna. Better that Chris keep that for another young lady.

“Everyone get a piece of Pearl’s scrumptious pie?” Callie shyly glanced over in Daniel’s direction and he nodded.

Harvey nodded too, smacking his lips. He turned to Pearl and said, “You’ve outdone yourself again, Pearl.”

Pearl gave him a sweet smile, making Edward wonder if there was more than met the eye between the two of them. Funny, he’d really never given much thought to others’ attachments until he was attached. He wondered if that meant he wasn’t a good friend.

Callie continued talking as they all sat in somewhat of a semicircle. “Since Anna was our newest member, she got to choose our reading material this time, which, as you all know, was
Pride and Prejudice
.” She turned to Anna. “Would you like to start the discussion with your thoughts about the story?”

Anna blushed prettily but spoke clearly. “It’s such a romantic book.” Her eyes softened as they slid over to Edward, and her look pierced his heart as she began to speak. “The novel centers on the belief that a single man with a fortune must be in search of a wife, but as the story progresses,
it’s more the woman in want of a husband.” Pausing, she glanced at Edward again, then back to the group. “Marriage should not be based on class or prejudice but on the depth of feelings of acceptance and true love. Money and possessions do not ensure happiness. Only real love can accomplish that.”

Edward shifted in his seat to better see Anna. She spoke with such passion. It was no wonder that she cared so much about animals. He felt his heart skip a beat. Tonight he would talk to her and get everything between them all worked out, or so he hoped.

Daniel shifted his gaze in Callie’s direction. The look wasn’t lost on Edward, and he hoped that Callie was aware of Daniel’s interest.

Callie set her teacup aside and leaned back on the settee. Her book began to slide, but Daniel quickly leaned over and was able to catch it before it fell to the floor. Callie turned bright pink and murmured her thanks, then recovered her composure.

“As I read the story, I really identified with Jane and the way she lost her heart to Mr. Bingley,” she said. “The story depicted different segments of love—courtship, marriage, struggles, and acceptance of not only others but ourselves.”

Pearl pursed her lips. “Mmm, information that we can all use at one time or another. I found it to be a wonderful story. I was happy to discover that Mr. Darcy finally declared his love for Elizabeth and it was reciprocated in the end.”

“I think Mr. Darcy was too hard on Jane, trying to protect his friend Mr. Bingley. Don’t you think?” Callie looked around at the group, then gave Daniel a shy glance that made him squirm in his chair.

“Yes, he was, and I agree you
are
like Jane—kindhearted and proper,” Chris said.

Callie cleared her throat, turning pink. “Well, thank you, Chris, for saying that.” But her eyes were on Daniel.

“My pleasure.”

Harvey added his thoughts. “Mr. Darcy was disapproving of Bingley’s infatuation with Jane and seemed to have much disdain for her high-strung mother and her frivolous sister Lydia. It was so conniving of him and Bingley’s sisters to invent a plot to have Bingley removed from the situation in order to save him from making any kind of commitment to Jane.”

“Yes, indeed,” Pearl said. “Caroline was snobby, perhaps because of her money. My heart twisted when Jane mistook Bingley’s leaving for rejection and became depressed. I confess, I felt depressed myself.” She frowned.

Edward was starting to become more uncomfortable with all this intimate talk about feelings and romantic love.

Callie turned to Edward. “You’ve been awfully quiet. Do you have any thoughts you’d like to share about what you read, Edward?”

Edward pulled himself up from the slump he’d sunk into while the others were talking. “I confess I felt somewhat divided when Mr. Collins, their cousin, was rejected by Elizabeth when he proposed marriage. That’s a blow to a man’s ego, but I suppose he deserved it since he was little more than an opportunistic clergyman.”

Chris laughed. “However, it’s just like a man to feel dejected and turn right around and marry her friend.”

“I wouldn’t blame Elizabeth one bit, since his proposal was given in such a condescending manner,” Anna interjected.

“I’d never even read this novel until now, but I’m glad that I did. It may help me whenever I find the right lady. Hopefully I won’t make the same mistakes.” Daniel smiled directly at Callie, who looked away shyly, then cast her eyes back to Anna.

“I wouldn’t mind having three marriageable daughters.” Harvey smiled at Pearl, a twinkle in his eye.

Pearl laughed. “And tell me—what would you do with an impetuous daughter like Lydia who elopes with a penniless army officer?”

There was a rumble of laughter through the group.

Harvey humphed. “Well, I’d like to think I wouldn’t be married to a woman like Mrs. Bennet, who was narrow-minded and given to palpitations.”

Pearl gave him an endearing smile.

“This has been a lively discussion on love and marriage, and we may have to continue our discussion at our next meeting. There’s so much more we could talk about,” Callie said. “I’m glad you chose this book, Anna. Do you have any ending thoughts?”

“
Ja.
I think the course of Elizabeth and Darcy’s relationship was truly decided when Darcy finally dealt with his pride and Elizabeth overcame her prejudice. This ultimately led them both to surrender to their love for each other.”

“I couldn’t agree with you more.” Pearl nodded. “I believe I fell in love with Mr. Darcy.” She sighed dreamily.

It occurred to Edward from reading this book that marriage was not supposed to be hard but a partnership that grows out of love and enjoyment with each other, as God had designed. Anna had made him proud tonight. Very proud.

“This was a delightful read and a change from our normal pace of adventure,” Pearl said. Turning to Edward, she added, “You have a very romantic wife, you know.”

Edward merely smiled. “I think I see that now.”

Anna tilted her head at him with what he hoped was affection.

“Christopher has chosen
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
by Mark Twain for our next read,” Callie said. “I haven’t read it, but I bet some of you have.”

“Sounds good. I’m about to have another slice of that pie, Pearl, if you don’t mind. It’s not often that I get to taste homemade cooking.” Harvey stood, and Pearl took his arm affectionately with a pat and led him to the sideboard.

“Well, I guess we’re through until the next time,” Callie added. “Help yourself to more tea, coffee, or what’s left of Pearl’s pie.”

After chatting for a few minutes as they retrieved their coats and said good night, the group parted for the evening. Anna noted that when Edward helped her with her coat, his hand lingered on her shoulder. She could feel the strength of his fingers through the coat’s material, transporting her thoughts to that leisurely morning they’d spent in their bedroom. She took a deep breath, lifting her eyes to his piercing gaze—and they held. She knew at that moment that everything would be all right somehow.

Walking home, Edward kept his arm about her waist when she mentioned that it was colder.

“I’ll keep you warm tonight, Anna,” he whispered as they sauntered along. “When we get heavy snowfall, I’ll drive us to the meetings if need be.”

Anna shook her head. “No, I find it very invigorating to walk outdoors in all kinds of weather, except blizzards or bad lightning, of course. I’ll dress warmer.”

“You know, Anna, you surprised me with your choice of books.”

“And
you
surprised me with your knowledge and interpretation of the book. I’m glad I married a smart man!”

He chuckled. “I’m not so certain about that, but I’m pleased that you think so.” He paused under the streetlight, turning her toward him. The shadows from the swaying elm tree branches and leaves made an interesting pattern against the starlit sky in the enfolding darkness, outlining their forms. “Anna, will you forgive me for acting like a jealous child earlier? I have so much to learn about you and how to be married, I guess.”

She took his hands and brought them to her lips in a brief kiss. “Yes, I will. It’s not only you, Edward. I let my passion for animals overtake my good judgment momentarily. We should’ve talked this through. But you must try to understand, I truly
want
to have an active part in doing something for helpless animals. I would never keep you from doing something that you felt was very important. In fact, I’d try to find a way to support you, even if I disagreed.”

He tapped her nose with his finger. “I don’t doubt that you would, my sweet one. I guess I’ve been bullheaded in my opinion of your idea, but let me tell you a little about why I probably was dead set against it.”

Anna was confused. “
Was?
Does that mean you’ve changed your mind now?”

“I have a clearer picture of your heart tonight,” he answered huskily. “If anyone can change my mind, it’s you. Around you, I come undone like a bad watch spring!”

Anna had to laugh at his analogy.

“Come, you’re shivering. When we get home, we’ll have some hot chocolate. It’s time I tell you a story.”

Back at the house, Anna made hot chocolate, checked on Cricket fast asleep in her bed, and smiled. Moose and Baby seemed comfortable enough on the back porch for now, but Edward had left the barn door ajar for them earlier.

Once they were ready for bed, Edward tucked warm quilts around her while she leaned against the fluffy pillows in their massive cherry bed and unpinned her hair. A crackling fire burned in the bedroom fireplace, casting a soothing yellow-golden glow on their skin.

Edward sat cross-legged, looking comfortable in his long handles. With a cup of chocolate between his large hands, he faced her and shared his story of losing his dog. “I still have an occasional bad dream about the incident, and it haunts me still.”

“Ack! Edward . . .” Anna spoke softly, tasting the salty tears streaming down her cheeks and onto her lips before they fell onto Edward’s forearm. Such childhood sorrow was mirrored in his face when they locked eyes. “Now I understand why you never wanted any dogs in your home.” She grabbed his hand, rubbing her thumb across the back of it, and he reached up to wipe the tears from her cheeks with one thumb, never taking his eyes from hers.