The Highest of Hopes by Susan Anne Mason

Author:Susan Anne Mason
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Fiction;Christian fiction;Love stories;FIC042030;FIC042040;FIC027200
ISBN: 9781493417254
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2019-01-22T05:00:00+00:00

“Did you spill ink in Emma’s desk the other day?” Will’s question extinguished Corinne’s excitement faster than a snuff to a candle.

She’d been thrilled to learn that he’d come over to the house on his lunch break, certain that he meant to ask her out on a real date. Every moment spent with Will on Saturday was etched with startling clarity in her mind. And even though he’d said he couldn’t court her, the longing in his eyes told her he wanted to do just that. One way or another, Corinne was determined to change his mind.

But now, seated on the sofa in her living room, Corinne’s palms grew damp. “Wh-what did you say?”

“You heard me,” he said quietly. “Emma swears she left the bottle of ink on top of her desk. When she came in this morning, it had been spilled in her drawer.”

Corinne dropped her gaze to the floor, clasping her hands together in her lap. How could she get out of this without lying to him?

“It ruined several valuable documents,” he continued. “Ones that were very important to your father, and it got Emma in a whole pile of trouble.”

Sudden outrage shot through Corinne’s system. Why was he taking Emma’s side over hers? She jumped to her feet. “If they were so important, she should have put them somewhere safer than a desk drawer. She’s probably just trying to save face for ruining them.”

Will stepped toward her, close enough for her to see the golden flecks in his eyes. “You were standing by her desk on Saturday. Did you perhaps knock the bottle over accidentally?” A frown furrowed his brow, but his eyes shone with sincerity. Was he trying to give her a plausible way to explain her actions?

A horrifying thought hit her. “You didn’t tell my father I was there, did you?”

“Of course not. I wanted to talk to you first to find out the real story.”

She bit her bottom lip and wrung her hands together, pacing away from him. Will was too honorable to lie to her father. He would eventually tell him of her presence at the office last night, and Papa would know what she’d done. How was she going to get out of this one?

The back of her throat burned. She stopped pacing and faced him. “Oh, Will. Something just came over me, and before I knew it, the ink was everywhere.” Tears bloomed in her eyes, blurring his features.

With a sigh, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. “Please don’t cry, Corinne. It’s going to be all right.”

The tension eased from her muscles. He didn’t hate her. He understood. She pressed her face into the wool of his jacket, drinking in the comfort of his embrace. The scent of his sandalwood soap mixed with a hint of smoke. “I’m sorry, Will. It was a foolish thing to do.”

He rubbed a hand over her back in a soothing motion. “Everyone makes mistakes,” he said in a gentle voice. “I’m sure if you explain it to your father—”

Tell Papa?

She jerked out of his arms.

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