With a glare at both of
them, Jack smashed his cap on his head and stalked from the room. He proceeded
to slam the door behind him, but it hit the doorframe and bounced open instead.
Nora pushed out a sigh.
“You didn’t have to be rude. Jack’s been very helpful to me this past week.” Maybe a bit too much. But she didn’t
voice that thought. Colin needed no further ammunition against Jack.
“I’m sure he has,”
Colin muttered, his expression as dark as his eyes.
Nora pinned him with a
piercing look.
“You’re right.” He
finished buttoning his cuffs and slipped on his vest. “That was ungentlemanly
of me.”
She ignored his
reference to her joke at their first meeting as she put away the corn starch
and closed the cupboard. It was easier to keep her heart firmly locked if she
held onto her disapproval of Colin’s behavior. Plus it would also stop her from
wondering what he’d been about to say before Jack’s arrival.
“How may I redeem
myself?” he asked as he pulled on his jacket. The amusement tugging at his
mouth contradicted his contrite tone.
Nora folded her arms,
contemplating a suitable penance. “I think your punishment needs to be
two-fold.”
“Very well.” He nodded.
“What is your sentence?”
“First, you must join
me for choir rehearsal at the church tomorrow morning.”
The mirth drained from
his face. “Nora.” His voice held a note of warning. “That is entirely—”
“Second, you and
Perseus can give me a tour around the lake. I’ve already been here a week and
haven’t even seen all of it.”
Colin scowled. “A walk
around the lake would be acceptable. But the choir rehearsal . . .”
“Please, Colin.” She
hazarded a step toward him, hoping he’d relent. “I sang with them last Sunday
and they need more male voices.”
She had another reason
for wanting him there. Everyone had been kind at rehearsal and at church the
following day, but Nora still felt uncomfortable with the continued references
to her likeness to Eleanor. Apparently their similarities also included their
singing voices. With Colin at the rehearsals, she wouldn’t feel as awkward. She
was beginning to think he was the only person in Larksbeck who hadn’t known
Eleanor.
Colin’s brow knit in
obvious annoyance, while Nora held her breath. Would he accept her proposal?
Finally resignation settled over his countenance. “I’ll go, but only once.” He
held up a single finger. “Once,” he repeated. “I make no promises after that.”
Grateful, she breached
the remaining space between them and put her hand on his sleeve. “I agree to
those terms.” She couldn’t hide her smile as she added, “Be careful, though, we
might make a regular choir member out of you yet.”
Instead of the light
laugh she expected, Colin solemnly watched her. Though he didn’t touch her, she
felt as powerless to release his sleeve as if he’d detained her hand. She
couldn’t step away—his nearness drew her in like the promising warmth of a fire
after being out in a storm.
“You know,” he
murmured, his voice low, “you are rather charming when you jest like that.”
Nora’s pulse stuttered
to a stop, then sped up again like a train gaining speed. She tried to remember
why she’d been angry with him, tried to remember why she couldn’t allow
anything more than friendship to blossom between them. But she couldn’t
concentrate on any one thought, except for the growing desire to touch the hint
of dark bristles covering his jaw.
Colin studied her lips
as Jack had done last week, but this moment couldn’t be more different. A part
of her, one growing more insistent by the second, actually wanted Colin to kiss
her. How long had it been since she’d last felt the press of masculine lips
against hers?
Not since before Tom
left.
The memory crashed over
her with all the effect of an ocean wave. She felt suddenly ill and cold.
Releasing Colin’s sleeve, she stepped back, crossing her arms over her chest
for warmth.
Forgive
me, Tom.
She’d done nothing
wrong, but even entertaining the idea of Colin kissing her felt like a betrayal.
Her heart could never belong to anyone else. And yet, in this moment, the past
felt more like a burden than a boon.
“I’ll . . . uh . . .
just get my sweater, then we can go on that walk.” Nora went to pull the
garment off its usual peg. Her hands shook slightly as she slipped the sweater
on over her blouse. “Ready?”
A flicker of emotion
gleamed in Colin’s dark eyes. Was it disappointment? Frustration? Would he
forgive her abruptness or understand the source of her pain? As quickly as it
had come, though, the sentiment faded and Colin shot her a carefree grin.
“After you, fair lady.”
