Coming Home to Bellingham by Katie Stewart Stone

Author:Katie Stewart Stone
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published: 2020-04-22T22:22:40+00:00

Chapter 15

Andrew and I walked along the river the next day. After the embarrassing events at the ball, I was ready to take a break from society altogether. We went farther than ever before, and I did not expect to return home until dinner. I packed food for us, and we ate lunch under a large oak tree, singing loudly and telling stories. I enjoyed days like this with my cousin. Spending time with him and going on adventures made up for all the years spent inside learning etiquette. Andrew had become the brother I never had. When I thought of all the years I’d missed with him, I felt cheated. I wondered repeatedly why my father never made an effort to join our families. Why had he never told me I had a cousin? My mother’s side of the family was gone; her parents passed before I was born, and her sister moved to the continent to marry a man from Belgium. Mother did not approve of her sister’s choices and therefore never spoke to her. I disliked thinking poorly of my mother, but I felt ashamed at the way she shunned her sister.

Andrew began singing, and I joined in, finishing the melody with a loud, operatic howl. He bent over laughing at my absurd singing. “Annie,” he said, using his nickname for me, “you sounded like the old choir lady in church! Only you are much worse!” He continued to cackle at me.

I threw my apple core at him. “I happen to be a great singer, you know.” I stood and threw my arms out dramatically as I sang another squealing note. I turned back to him and grinned. “Now you cannot tell me I do not have a great talent!”

He held his side with laughter. “You,” he breathed through his amusement, “are terrible!”

“Miss Milton?” a deep voice sounded nearby. My eyes went wide. I wheeled around toward the voice and saw him.

“Lord Alexander!” I said, surprised. “What are you doing here?”

“Fishing,” he responded, cocking his head to one side. “Was that you screeching a few moments ago? I was afraid something terrible had happened.” I bit my lip as I smiled at him, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. No doubt he would have rescued me if that were the case.

“Yes! Isn’t she terrible?” Andrew chimed in, diverting our attention to him.

I grinned with abandon and turned back to Lord Alexander. “I needed to show Andrew my excessively impressive musical talents.”

“Did you convince him of your prowess?”

“I do not think he enjoyed my performance.” I pulled a disappointed face.

“How could anyone enjoy that?” Andrew asked, wrinkling his nose.

Lord Alexander shrugged. “Sometimes, Andrew, you do not have to like it.” He paused and became very serious. “However, you must always tell a lady that she has talent. A curse will come upon you if you insult a lady.” As Andrew pondered that, the eldest Alexander brother turned to me and gave a full smile. My heart burst with joy at seeing him smile so effortlessly at me.

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