Rekindling Trust by Sandra Ardoin

Author:Sandra Ardoin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: betrayal romance, 19th Century Historical, Murder Mystery, Heartwarming Romance, Family Life Fiction, Clean and Wholesome, Victorian Era Novel, Rebellious Child
Publisher: Corner Room Books
Published: 2021-04-19T16:00:00+00:00

BARRETT REINED IN THE carriage horse at the curb in front of the Danby residence. He sat inside the conveyance finalizing what he would say should the judge answer his knock. In that event, he expected to be told Edy wasn’t home—not to him.

Before he left the carriage, the front door opened. Edy descended the porch steps and followed the walkway toward the street. Head down, she focused on the bricks under her feet rather than her surroundings.

In all their years apart, he’d never found her equal in elegance, in kindness—in appeal. Truth be told, he’d rarely taken the time to look.

When she finally glanced up, she halted, her eyes wide. “I see you made it all the way to the house this time.”

Barrett controlled his grin. Evidently, her recent victory over her father had sharpened her tongue.

Before their lives turned upside down, he had enjoyed playing the part of Edy’s protector, her strength. Having her lean on him for comfort made his younger self feel more like a man, the only one she could count on. But, honestly, this side of her was something to behold and drove him to test how far he could push her.

He left the carriage and closed the distance between them, stopping within breathing distance of the flowery perfume she wore. “Who was I to disturb your Saturday evening visit with your beau?”

“He is not my beau.” Just as the resentment in her voice brought a surprising warmth to his insides, a tiny smile formed on her face. “Not yet.”

Maybe he preferred her to be less sure of herself.

She glanced over her shoulder at the house. “You shouldn’t be here.”

Barrett clasped her elbow. “If it’s too uncomfortable to ask me in, let’s take a ride.”

She raised her arm to pull away, then relaxed and allowed him to lead her to the carriage.

They said little while he drove to a quiet spot by the river. He’d had no idea what she’d been thinking as she stared ahead. As for him, his thoughts swirled, bouncing off one side of his brain, then the other.

They strolled down a narrow and winding path to their old meeting place on the bank. Unsure where to start their conversation, he picked up a small stone and skimmed it across the surface of the water. It bounced half a dozen times before it sank, leaving ripples to fan out over the surface. “Remember when I taught you how to do that?”

Edy wrapped her arms around her waist. “I was never very good at it.”

“I hear your father’s belittling voice.”

She bent down and picked up a stone. Positioning her fingers around it as he’d taught her, she gave it a quick side-arm toss. It skipped once, twice, three times before it plopped and sank to the bottom. She glanced at him and shrugged her shoulders.

“Not bad.” He stared at a squirrel digging in the dirt on the other side of the river, probably burying an acorn. He should have taken Edy straight to his office.

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