Page 57 of A Winter By the Sea
Emily’s heart lurched. Charles! At last!
She started toward the stairs.
Suddenly realizing her arms were full of dirty laundry, she looked wildly one way, then the other, and tossed the towels through the open door of her bedroom.
She yanked off her apron and pressed a hand to her chest.
Had he come to see her? To renew his addresses?
Below, Jessie took his hat and glanced around the empty hall. “I don’t know where everyone is at the moment. Please wait here while I look.” She laid his hat on the side table and headed toward the parlour.
Emily walked to the top of the stairs and gripped the newel post tightly. With her free hand, she smoothed the front of her bodice, wishing she were wearing something more becoming than an old day dress.
Perhaps hearing her footsteps, he glanced over his shoulder and turned toward the staircase.
At this first full look at his face—his devastatingly handsome face—Emily’s breath hitched. Despite his cold-chapped cheeks, Charles Parker was as attractive as ever with thick, dark blond hair and darker eyebrows, well-shaped nose, and full lower lip.Oh, those lips...
As his gaze alighted on her, a rapid series of emotions flickered over his features. His eyes brightened, and a slow smile replaced his serious expression. He took an eager step forward only to stop before he’d reached the bottom of the stairs. Was he unsure of his welcome?
As well he should be.
Emily descended slowly, hand trembling on the rail.
He followed her descent, eyes tracing over her hair, her face, her form. Once again she wished she were better dressed, better prepared physically and emotionally to meet Charles Parker after more than a year apart.
When she reached the hall landing, he bowed. “Miss Emily.”
She dipped a shallow curtsy in reply. As she did, she noticed the potted hyacinths in his hand.
He followed her gaze to the flowers and said, “For your mother. I did not presume...”
“Of course. I am sure she will enjoy them.”
An awkward silence passed. She wondered why Jessie had not taken his coat. Did he not intend to stay long?
Clearing her throat, Emily opened her mouth to say something more but every line she thought of seemed leading.What are you doing here? What brings you to Sidmouth?
She made do with “I am surprised to see you.”
“Are you? I did write to...Well, never mind. My sister has had a baby and is unable to travel, so—”
“Already?” Emily blurted before she could stop herself. Amanda Parker married shortly after the Summerses left May Hill. Emily once thought Amanda would ask her to be her bridesmaid, but no. Now she’d had a child and Emily had not even known she was expecting.
“Yes. So we went to her home for the holidays. Amanda and her husband live in Wells, not sixty miles from here.”
“I see. And you are traveling with ... your parents?”Please, not another woman.
He nodded. “Since we had already gone that far, we decided to continue to the south coast, hoping for milder weather. No luck.”
With effort, she kept her tone casual and hopefully her expression as well. “Sadly, it has been unusually cold here lately.”
He glanced around the hall, looked at her, then away again. “I ... understand many people overwinter here.”
She nodded. “And some even sea-bathe year-round.”
Pulse pounding, Emily was barely aware of what she said. She couldn’t believe they were standing there talking about such trivial things.
But at least they were talking.
