Page 29 of The Dreaming Beauty
With the center finally carved from the block, he moved to the outside. He hadn’t planned to tell her about his theories, but he was counting on her desire to understand her own dreams. If he shared all he knew, perhaps she would confess more details, more dreams, more anything. There was so little written research on the subject, and without advertising for information at the risk of embarrassing his mother and brother, he was limited to what he could find in his corner of the world. Tansy was his greatest—and currently only—hope.
A few hours later, when the sun was midway up in the sky, he smiled at his creation, warmth filling him at what the gift would mean to the receiver. He wrapped his two carvings in paper and left his room. He had planned to wait at least a day before returning to Rose Cottage, but he could not think of a reason to delay. The family did not stand on protocol like other people did—not even when they tried to do so for his sake. Besides, he was anxious to deliver his present.
Voices sounded from the entrance hall as he moved toward the staircase. Did he have callers? The Bellvue family had already called on Monday. Could it be the Gardeners? He would have to postpone his visit to Rose Cottage a few more hours, but it could not be helped. The Gardeners were good friends, and he would not put them off. He slipped his package inside a vase on a pedestal table in the corridor, to collect later, then moved toward the voices. At the top of the staircase, he drew up short.
It was not the Gardeners but Simon. And his mother.
“Marcus!” Simon handed his hat to Mr. Hobson and held out his arms. “Surprise!”
Marcus grinned and gave a short laugh. “I’ll say! How long have you been back in England?” He jogged down the stairs and at the landing kissed his mother on the cheek.
“All of three days,” his mother said. Only her eyes betrayed her exhaustion. Not a single dark hair was out of place as she unpinned her hat, though there was a little more silver threaded there than before she’d left. Even her travel dress knew better than to bear a single wrinkle.
“Welcome home to you both.” Marcus turned to Simon, who seemed happier than he had been in years. He engulfed Marcus in a tight, exuberant hug.
Marcus laughed again and patted him on the back. They were both tall, but Simon had an inch on him and more of a wiry frame. Though, as he returned the hug, it seemed his brother had put on some needed weight while he had been away. “You must have adapted to the sea this time. I presumed you’d return home a skeleton.”
Simon laughed. “The trip home was much better, but the credit is due to the improved weather and nothing I can boast about.” He stepped back and took in the house. “Lands, it’s good to be home. I missed this shabby pile.”
“Shabby?” Their mother laughed. “It’s grander than any home we saw in the States and still you call it shabby?”
“It’s not updated in the latest styles, Mama. That is all I meant. But, not to worry, I will have the whole place done over as soon as I can make arrangements.”
Their mother pursed her lips as she often did when her patience was being tried. It was a common expression she bore and was usually brought on because of something Simon said or did. In this case, Marcus agreed with her.
“Don’t do anything rash,” she said. “I want to see all your plans before you change a thing.” She marched past Marcus toward the drawing room. “I need tea.”
Mrs. Kirk was making her way down the corridor, and she opened her mouth to greet his mother, but Mama did not so much as acknowledge the housekeeper.
“Tea,” Marcus mouthed and motioned toward the drawing room. Mrs. Kirk nodded and hurried away. In the past year, this house had begun to feel like his alone. There was little doubt having his family return home would take some adjustment for him. He drummed his fingers against his leg. He was not sure now if a visit to Rose Cottage would be possible today or even in the next week. Mama had a way of taking over everyone’s schedules.
Simon came up behind him and slung his arm around Marcus’s shoulder. “I don’t have to ask if you took care of everything while I was away. You always did a better job at this master-of-the estate business than I ever did. I can’t say I missed a single responsibility.”
“You had a good time, then?” Marcus asked.
“Don’t I look it?” Simon dropped his arm and put his hands on his hips, jutting his foot out in a pose.
“You do.”
“I tried to convince Mama to let me stay another year, but she refused me. You would thinkshehad inherited the dukedom.”
“She just wants the best for you.”
Simon grimaced. “So she says. You have to help me. I’m trying to convince her to go to New Castle to visit her favorite friend and relax. You know it would be good for her.”
“And good for you to have a break from her?”
Simon gave an exaggerated nod.
Marcus sighed. The endless game of pleasing Simon and his mother in order to keep some semblance of peace had begun again. “I’ll help you, but only because I am not ready to be around the two of you when you are constantly at odds.”
* * *
Tansy hadn’t seen any sign of Mr. Taylor for an entire week. She was convinced something of their behavior at dinner had finally put him off. She reviewed their conversations over and over, searching for what exactly had offended him. Her feelings ranged from hurt to annoyance to acceptance.
That week was one of the longest she could remember. Expecting his appearance had developed into a sort of routine for all of them, and there was a collective air of boredom without many friends in the neighborhood. Fate finally smiled on them on Friday when they received an invitation to dine with the Farris family, who were their nearest neighbors to the east, a good mile’s walk away. They had a son and daughter who were close to Tansy in age.
The dinner, however, was filled with its share of awkwardness, as the Farrises peppered them with strange questions about Rose Cottage. Tansy lost track of how many times they asked if anyone had seen a ghost yet. As frustrating as it was, she was hopeful that time would strengthen their acquaintance and she could be done with her persistent thoughts of Mr. Taylor.
