Page 42 of If The Fates Allow
Eyeballing her brother, Willa kept her expression neutral. When Noah mentioned Cal was falling for this Jennie girl, it had been a laughable idea. Her brother was hardly serious about anything, let alone the women he courted. One after another, he would entertain himself with various females both while at home and even more so—as Willa had heard from Bonnie—during his semesters away at college.
“Well, there is always work to be done at Haven House, and we’re happy to have you, Jennie.”
Directly across the way, the glowing light of Noah’s lantern flashed impatiently in the woods.
“Who is that?” Cal went to the porch railing, lifting on his toes as if it would help him see through the fog better. “Are you meeting someone?”
He sounded utterly aghast at the thought. As if she could never have a suitor waiting for a secret rendezvous.
And it grated.
“I am.”
Her brother’s shoulders shook while he quietly laughed. “You’re joking.”
Head high, she made her way to the steps. “I trust you will keep this conversation between us.” She nodded a goodnight at Jennie. “As will I.”
Cal rushed over to block her way with a giggling Jennie right at his side. The lightheartedness in his expression was gone, and he coldly glared down at Willa in a way that reminded her of their father.
“Who?”
Willa didn’t answer, keeping her gaze averted.
“If you don’t tell me, I’ll not let you go.” Cal gripped her chin painfully, forcing her to face him. “Richards? It’s an awfully long trek from Hollingsdale to have a secret rendezvous.”
“It’s not Mr. Richards.”
“Then, wh—” As realization dawned, Cal released his hold on her chin. “Well, that explains it.”
Willa glared at him. “Explains what?”
Cal’s eyes slid from her face to Jennie, a gaping smile spreading. “Things.”
Willa didn’t care to be made fun of and pinched her brother’s bare chest, pleased when he yelped. “What things?”
“He never stays.” Rubbing the reddening spot on his rib cage, Cal draped an arm across Jennie’s shoulders. “For our parties.”
Jennie’s adorably freckled face lit up. “Oh, the doctor,” she whispered with excitement. “That does explain why he always ignored poor Ruth whenever she tried to have a… um, conversation with him.”
Willa had no clue who Ruth was but hated the woman instantly. “Goodnight, Cal.”
“Willa, wait.”
She paused on the first step, losing her nerve by the second. Her brother nodded at Noah’s lantern. The light was almost fully obscured by the fog now. “Be back by three. Father wakes at four whether he’s going to the mill or not.”
“Although he has been slow to wake lately,” Jennie added eagerly. “But I guess it depends on how much he exerts himself in the night.”
A flicker of annoyance crossed Cal’s face, but it quickly vanished into nothing. “The ground is soggy this late, and if you’re going where I think you’re going, those boots of yours will be covered in mud once you return. Make sure to take them off before coming up the porch steps so you don’t leave tracks. You can hide them in the bushes and retrieve them later in the day when no one is paying attention.”
Surprised he was willing to help, Willa nodded. “Thank you.”
“Loose ends, Willa.” Cal went serious again. “Always tie them up.”
She said goodnight and rushed off, disappearing into the mist. Following the light as it grew brighter, she almost crashed into Noah when she found him.
“Cal stopped me,” she said between his kisses. “But he let me go.”
“Cal has no room to judge.” Laying one last quick kiss upon her lips, Noah took her hand and began leading them deep into the forest by way of the trail that led to the Anderson estate. “We’re going to my medical cottage.”
