Page 26 of His Perfect Bride
He was silent as she scraped again, the soothing sound reminding her of her dad and the many years she’d watched him shave in the small mirror that he perched on the high window ledge of their flat.
“I know what you’re doing,” he repeated. “You got me talking so that I wouldn’t notice you cutting my hair.”
“It worked, didn’t it?”
He reached up a hand and tentatively touched his head. “Yes, it most certainly did work.”
“Tell me more about the turrets,” she persisted. “What do you envision for them? Why did you create them?”
He didn’t respond this time. Instead, his gray-blue eyes shifted to her face. “I’ve been rattling all about myself. Tell me more about you.”
“What would you like to know?”
“Who is David?”
Her heart thudded a painful beat at the mention of his name, the same way it had when Augusta had spoken his name earlier. “You may ask me anything else besides that.”
“So he’s the reason you came to the colony?” He continued as if he hadn’t heard her. “Because you wanted to leave him behind?”
She hesitated. Should she answer? She could surely do so without having to talk about David. “I came because I hope to earn enough to send for Dad and my sisters, so that they can come live here too.” Although the ache for them had dulled just a little, she still thought of them and prayed for them every day and hoped they were surviving without her there to oversee them.
“Not your mother?” His question was hesitant.
Sage swallowed the heartache that came whenever she thought about her mum passing. “No, she died last winter.”
“I’m sorry.”
“She would be happy I made it.”
For a short while, Jackson surprised her by asking more about her family, her sisters, her parents, and what her life had been like in Manchester. As she shaved, she told him about her years working in the mill, how she’d toiled long hours to help support her family, and that when the mills had closed, Willow had been the first of her family to immigrate to Vancouver Island.
“So you hope the rest of your family will be able to come soon?”
“Yes, I hope it won’t be too long.”
His gaze had been riveted to her face for most of the shave, and now as she allowed herself to meet his gaze.
The compassion in his eyes was unexpected.
A lump formed in her throat, and she rapidly shifted her attention back to the blade. His face was narrower without all the hair, a distinguished slender shape. His jaw was more angular than she’d realized, and his chin was strongly chiseled too.
She’d had to lather him twice and was now finishing the final drags to clear away the dark stubble that had remained. Each pull of the razor revealed fine, smooth skin. His lips were now visible, perfectly proportioned and firm, and she imagined he probably had a nice smile, if he ever smiled.
“I’m sorry you had to leave them behind.” He spoke softly. “I can tell you miss them and are worried about them.”
The sadness within her swelled again. “Once I see Willow, we can work together to make it happen.” She only had to wait until Saturday, and she’d finally be reunited with her sister—at least she hoped so.
He stared off into the distance, turning suddenly quiet.
With a final scrape, she removed the last section of stubble. She set the razor blade in the basin of murky water then lifted the towel from his shoulders, shook the hair from it, and used the edge to wipe away the remaining suds on his face.
He sat forward abruptly. “I shall loan you the money for their passage.”
A loan? She grew motionless, not sure how to respond.
“Yes, that’s what we shall do.” His posture radiated sudden determination. “I shall have my solicitor in London purchase their tickets and deliver them to Manchester.”
“Thank you. That’s a generous offer.” She brushed at the remaining hairs on his neck. “But I could never accept the money, not when I don’t know when or if I could pay it back.”
