Page 29 of His Unforgettable Bride
“He sounds like someone who felt loss deeply, which means he probably also loved deeply.”
“He reared me the best he could. He broke his back after he fell from a roof, helping a friend patch a hole. Then he caught the consumption.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “He didn’t last long after that.”
Undoubtedly, her past had shaped her in multiple ways, and likewise, so had his. Yet Juliet had rallied the strength and courage to start a new life in a new country. “It is a pity you lost him so young, but it sounds like he set you on a good course.”
“Mostly, though, I’ve had a few wrong turns.” Her blue eyes latched on to his. “However, I never discuss my darker days.”
A firm knot tightened in his stomach. If he was Gray, he apparently faced darker days too—darker days he would rather not remember. “Tell me more about your brighter ones. I like learning about you, perhaps because I know nothing about myself.”
Her sweet face scrunched with emotion before she detailed how her grandfather taught her to play checkers, marbles, and card games. And how they had a kitten named Bing. Throughout her recitation, her voice carried a happy lilt.
She barely grabbed a breath before sharing a little about her time working at a textile mill, bypassing the period between her grandfather’s death and the orphanage. “For a few years, I labored as a weaver in a spinning room. It was hot, dusty, and horribly loud, but the payment satisfied me.”
What was fair compensation for such a position? He had not the foggiest notion. “I see.”
“After the mill closed, I briefly lived with my friend Molly, then boarded the bride ship where I made two life-long friendships. No matter what, I can always count on Willow and Daisy.”
Did friends miss him? Search for his whereabouts? Or was he more apt to seek solitude? Moreover, how long until he remembered these and all the other confounding questions darting through his brain? “Good friends are a blessing.”
How did he know such a theory was true?
Juliet leaned forward, her hands on her knees and her brow furrowed. “One day soon, you’ll tell me about your past.”
“Let us pray it is so.”
She studied him intently. “If you don’t mind my saying so, you don’t talk like anybody else I know, not even Tabitha and Livy. Your speech is…fancier.”
Was it? “I assume it is based on where and how I was raised.”
In a flurry, Livy rushed into the room with wide eyes and flushed cheeks.
Juliet jumped to her feet, bumping the bed with her knee.
“Oh dear, oh dear. I completely forgot about the two of you.” Livy was wringing her hands as if she had just caught them in an improper embrace.
Juliet stepped away from the bed toward the window. “I didn’t want to leave the patient alone since he was eating. I’m sorry if that was a mistake.”
“I asked her to stay.” He refused to let Juliet take all the blame.
Livy halted behind the chair Juliet had vacated. “Tabitha and I have never had a young man and woman under our roof together, and we want to keep Juliet’s reputation intact and spotless.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Juliet took another step away from him.
“Both of your reputations, actually,” Livy continued. “One day, you’ll thank us, especially when it’s time to find a marriage partner.”
Marriage? Matrimony was the last thing on his mind.
Livy stepped closer, slipped a hand behind him, and began to plump his pillow for the dozenth time. “I keep forgetting to ask why you’re wearing Tabitha’s black mourning dress, Juliet. Could you find no other options in the wardrobe?”
Juliet glanced down at her dress. “All my clothing needs laundering. When I picked this from the collection, I knew people mourned in black but didn’t realize it wasn’t worn otherwise. My uniform at the Firth residence was black.”
“Have no fear.” Livy’s round face dimpled in a cheerful smile. “During your upcoming etiquette lessons, we’ll cover topics such as what to wear when and much more. Soon, you’ll be a brand-new Juliet.”
Etiquette lessons? Was something wrong with current-day Juliet? In his opinion, following high-class standards and protocols mattered far too much to some people. “While everyone may benefit from polishing in one form or fashion, let us not forget that Juliet has value as she is. If she had not stumbled over me in the woods, I may have died.”
Juliet nodded at him appreciatively.
Tears formed in Livy’s eyes. “Heavens to Betsy, Juliet. I didn’t mean to imply you were inferior. Please forgive me.”
