Page 46 of If I Loved You
“Now, we’re neighbors, miss, so you’d be calling me Callum. None of this formal stuff, this ain’t the city.” And he smiled, glancing sideways at her and Emma liked him immediately. He was handsome, it was true, with broad shoulders and thick, light brown hair, and a curious dent right in the middle of his chin. His eyes were grayish blue and his smile the friendliest thing she’d seen in many a moon. “See over there, you can just make out the line of your place,” he said then, pointing much further ahead. Emma’s eyes followed and indeed, there was just the topof the thatched roof of the Daisies Cottage. “Now,” Callum continued, “I’m down the lane, about a half mile or so, so that makes me your closest neighbor. Winn Klein, at the edge of the hill, is closer on the north side. But you come to me if you need anything that ol’ Henry can’t help you with, miss.”
“That is very kind of you, Mr. Mac—Callum,” Emma responded with a smile of her own, while Bethany made a fuss about being able to so clearly see the horses of his rig.
“Just neighborly, miss, that’s all. And what takes you into Perry Green today?”
“If I’m to call you Callum, I insist you call me Emma. Please,” she added when he looked as if he’d refuse. “Bethany and I only look to learn about our little town, I guess. Nothing specific to bring me to Perry Green, though it’s a good excuse to get out of the cottage a bit.”
Her neighbor nodded at this. “When old Mrs. Finch lived there—just before you—she’d tie a bright ribbon on the front porch when she needed something from town, or to get there herself. That way, I’d see it as I got close and either pick her up or run some errands for her.”
“I would hate to be a bother,” Emma demurred. “As it is, I do have family coming in a few weeks.” She smiled prettily at her neighbor.
He appeared rather disappointed by this last news. “Wouldn’t be no bother at all, miss.”
Once in front of the Daisies short drive, Callum deposited Emma and Bethany near the petite gate and inquired whether or not she knew if she’d like a ride the next day.
“You’re very kind, Callum. I haven’t any plans as of yet, and I’m guessing the walking to and fro might aid in my efforts to get this little one to nap.”
He nodded in understanding and tipped his head in farewell before flicking the reins to move the cart again. Emma watched for a moment as he guided the rig further down the narrow road, hoping all her neighbors were as pleasant as Callum MacKenzie.
THE VERY NEXT TIMEEmma saw Callum MacKenzie, it was at the Daisies. She and Bethany were trying to make some semblance of the vegetable garden, or what remained of it. Henry had offered, if she desired, to tackle the project himself, but Emma had declined his intent, claiming that it would give her and Bethany something worthwhile to occupy their time. This had been actually a bit of an understatement, as Emma found herself quite engrossed in the work. The immediate rear yard was conveniently contained by tall hedgerows which aided in keeping Bethany within close proximity. Sadly, her daughter hadn’t much interest in weeding and pruning as Emma might have hoped.
Presently, Emma glanced up, pushing her wide-brimmed hat up off her forehead, and saw that Bethany was safely occupied chasing a small yellow butterfly around the yard. Emma removed one of her heavy cotton gloves, provided by Henry for this task, and wiped at the small beads of sweat beginning to form on her brow. She considered her work as of yet—there remained at least two-thirds of the small tract yet to tackle—and thought it mighttake many more days to get the garden ready for planting. Apparently, this had been neglected for quite some time.
“Hullo, neighbor,” came a call then from around the side of the cottage.
“Hullo!” Emma called back, recognizing the voice of Callum MacKenzie. He appeared at the gate at the corner of the yard, peeking over the wooden slats before entering. Emma stood to greet him, giving her back a good stretch to work out the small kink from bending for such a length of time.
“Good day, Callum,” she greeted her neighbor, wondering suddenly about his family and farm. Surely a man as handsome and pleasant as Callum MacKenzie, who appeared to be in his thirties, at least, was well-married with children by now.
“Miss Emma,” he said and removed his hat, working it round in his hands. “I’m headed into Perry Green, if you have a need of anything.”
“How very kind of you, Callum,” Emma said, smiling at his thoughtfulness. “I haven’t any pressing need, thank you” she said with a shrug, but then she thought of something her neighbor might be able to help her with. “Callum, I was wondering if you might be able to help me with a small dilemma I have.”
“Anything you need, Miss Emma,” he said, moving his hands with an indicative gesture of openness.
“Well, I’ve taken a job in Perry Green,” she told him. “Next week, I’ll start cleaning Madam Carriere’s modiste after hours. Bethany and I can walk into Perry Green after dinner, but I was worried that my return trip might be too late for both her and me. Is it too much to ask you to fetch us in the evening?” While he did not at all look as if he might refuse, she was quick to explain, “It would only be for a few weeks, at most. Justuntil...my family arrives. I completely understand if you cannot,” she rushed on, “seems terribly forward of me to presume upon you so soon after meeting.” She rather grimaced at him, awaiting his reply then.
Callum’s gray-blue eyes crinkled a bit at the corners. “You’re not much used to asking people for help, are you, miss?” He watched her shake her head. “I can pick you up in the evening. It’s no problem at all.”
“You are very kind, Callum. It’s only two nights a week, and I think I’d not be later than nine o’clock or so—your wife or family won’t mind?”
“No, Miss. I’m a loner over there. No wife to speak of,” he told her with a lowering of his head and a shuffling of his feet. Emma could almost swear at that moment a blush crept up into his sun-tanned cheeks.
“I can pay you for the transport.“ She thought she might be able to, anyhow.
“I’d not take your money, Miss Emma. That’d not be very neighborly.”
A scream from Bethany turned both their heads towards the rear of the yard, just in time to see the little girl fall from the hedges she’d been trying to climb. Emma ran immediately to her, picking up the now crying child, checking for scrapes or cuts. “She’s all right, I think,” Emma told Callum, who hovered at their side. “Just scared herself, that’s all. Didn’t you, darling?” And she snuggled Bethany to her chest and stood again, while Bethany settled her head on Emma’s shoulder.
“She’s a nice girl, your daughter,” Callum said. “She’s got your eyes.”
Emma blushed at this. It was always, she guessed, going to be difficult to explain Bethany’s parentage to people she met. Michael had insisted that she needn’t have bothered, and Emma began to think he’d been right. Bethany was her daughter, in her heart, and in her mind.
“Yes, she does,” she agreed after a thoughtful moment, her voice quiet. Then, with more candor, “But I’ve yet to figure out where she gets her daring from.”
Callum laughed at this and they began walking toward the cottage. “Well, I’ll be off now, Miss Emma. And remember, I’m happy to help you and will see you next week.”
“Thank you, Callum,” Emma replied. “Thank you for everything.”
