SUNDAY BROUGHT A new day and fresh snow. Hannah woke irritated at the world and she was snippy when Emma came into her room at nine with fresh clothes. “Good morning, Han-Han.”
Hannah groaned and rolled away from her voice.
“Uh-oh. Didn’t sleep well?” Hannah scowled into her pillow. Emma stood at the side of the bed. “Are you hungry?”
“Starved.”
“Well, that’s a good sign.” Emma stood with her hands on her hips. “Let’s get you dressed and then we’ll eat.”
“Yes, fine,” Hannah said with a yawn and climbed out of the bed. “You know, the whole hoopskirt thing bites, Em.”
Emma smiled gently. “I’m with you, but when we get back to Sophie’s, we’ll be able to be a little less strict.”
“What’s the plan?”
“We leave on Tuesday. Clayton got us on the noon train. The trip will take about four hours, then thirty minutes from the station to the house.” Emma tightened Hannah’s corset and helped her step into her skirts.
“Let’s eat,” Emma said and the girls made their way downstairs.
Sophie sat in the dining room, looking miserable. Hannah let out a quiet, “Uh-oh,” and sat down next to her.
Sophie grimaced. “Being pregnant sucks.”
Emma pushed the toast toward Sophie. “Are you going to ride this morning or wait for Jamie?”
Sophie pushed it back. “I’m going to wait for Jamie. He’ll be home at lunch, and I need to pack anyway.”
Hannah patted her hand. “Where is he?”
“He’s consulting with Clayton and Chris today, so we’re on our own.”
“On a Sunday?” Hannah asked.
Sophie nodded. “Yep. They want him to train a new batch of soldiers after Thanksgiving, so they’re utilizing as much face-to-face time with him that they can. They won’t have the convenience of cell phones to communicate once we’re back in Harrisburg.”
“Back in Harrisburg? For good, you mean?” Hannah asked.
Emma sighed. “Yes. Sophie’s not coming back at the end of our little vacation. Jamie was given special permission to come here with us, but he has to get back to training.”
Hannah lowered her cup. “So, you’ll come back with Clayton, but they’ll stay in Pennsylvania?”
Emma nodded. “Exactly. Of course, you’ll come back with us. I highly doubt Chris will want to date you long distance.”
Hannah threw a grape at her. “We are not dating... nor will we be.”
Emma shrugged. “We’ll see.”
“You’re funny.” Hannah helped herself to some eggs. “What time are we leaving on Tuesday?”
“I think we’re leaving the house at ten.”
“Well, I’d better start packing. It’s going to take me today and tomorrow, and I want the luxury of sleeping in,” Sophie said.
“We probably should as well,” Emma said. “We’ll see you before lunch.”
“Sounds good.” Sophie stood and left the room.
Hannah pushed away from the table.
Emma raised an eyebrow. “Where are you going?”
“Don’t you need to pack?” At Emma’s smirk, Hannah let out a quiet snort. “You’re procrastinating, aren’t you?”
Emma held her hands up in surrender. “I plead the fifth.”
“Was there even a fifth amendment at this point in time?”
“Ooh, I didn’t even think of that. We’ll ask Sophie later.”
Hannah laughed. “Until then, I’ll help you. You’ve never been very good at packing.”
Emma shrugged. “I’m a lover not a packer.”
“Oh, for the love... !” Hannah laughed. “Coming?”
“What do you think?”
“Well, come on then, rattle your dags.”
Emma giggled as she stood and followed Hannah up the stairs. Hannah ended up doing all of the packing while Emma directed her from a spot on the window seat.
“You’re becoming a kept woman, I see,” Hannah accused.
Emma shrugged. “You’re the Martha Stewart of the packing world. You can fit twelve towels, a comforter and a pillow into a handbag.”
Hannah snorted.
“Don’t curse the gift God gave you. Just go with it.”
Hannah laughed. “I can’t curse it because it works for you, is that about the half of it?”
“Nah, it’s pretty much the whole of it.”
Before they knew it, lunch was ready, and the girls were called downstairs. They found Jamie and Sophie in the parlor, kissing. Emma rolled her eyes. “Get a room.”
Jamie chuckled and wrapped his arms tighter around his wife.
“I’m starving,” Emma said.
“When aren’t you, sweet?” Clayton asked from the doorway.
Emma turned with a squeal and made her way over to him. “I thought you were working late today?”
Clayton shook his head. “We were able to finish early.”
“We?” Emma asked.
“Good afternoon.” Christopher walked into the room and over to Hannah.
Damn it, elephants... not now!
She smiled at him as he lifted her hand and gently kissed her fingers. “Hi.”
“How has your day been so far?”
“Fine.” Hannah pulled her hand away and placed it over her stomach.
“Lunch is served,” Mrs. Price said from the doorway.
The group moved into the dining room and Christopher pulled out the chair to his left. Once Hannah was seated, he leaned down and whispered in her ear, “You look beautiful.”
Hannah took a deep breath and tried to calm her heart. “Thank you.”
Christopher took his seat and shook out his napkin. “You’re very quiet.” Hannah frowned. Christopher raised an eyebrow. “I’m sorry, have I offended?”
She shook her head. “No. It’s just no one has ever accused me of being quiet before.”
“Would you join me for a walk after lunch? Perhaps we can speak more then.”
“Don’t you have to go back to work?”
Christopher smiled. “Not until tomorrow morning.”
“Oh.”
Emma handed Hannah a platter with sliced ham. Once she’d slid a piece onto her plate, she passed it on to Christopher.
“Hannah?”
She glanced at Christopher. “Hm?”
“Would you join me for a walk?”
“Oh, sorry.” Hannah nodded. “Sure.”
Hannah stayed quiet for the duration of the meal. Christopher glanced her way several times, but didn’t draw her into the conversation humming around her.
Once lunch concluded, Christopher stood. “I’d like to steal Miss Nelson away for a walk, if no one objects.”
Emma smiled. “I’ll grab some outerwear for you, Han. Come with me.”
Hannah followed Emma upstairs. “I could have just taken one of your coats by the front door, you know.”
“I’m sure you could have.” Emma ushered her into the bedroom and closed the door. “But, are you wearing shoes?”
“No.” Hannah wrinkled her nose. “Crap.”
Emma grinned. “I’m here to save you from yourself. Get your boots on and I’ll find something that hopefully won’t trip you.”
“Ta.” Hannah slid into her boots and then checked her appearance in the mirror. “Ick.” Pulling her backpack from the wardrobe, she rummaged inside for the makeup bag she carried with her at all times. After smoothing a little concealer under her eyes and a dab of blush on her cheeks, she felt a little less tired... at least she looked a little less tired.
Emma returned with suitable outerwear and Hannah followed her downstairs. Christopher was waiting and smiled as she stepped into the foyer. “Are you ready?”
Hannah nodded, her heart racing. As he offered her his arm and smiled again, a wide, soul-touching smile, she was reminded of a pick-up line her friend, Mark, used to use on women. “I’d smile, but then you’d be pregnant.”
Hannah took his arm and tried not to imagine babies with his deep green eyes and her freckles. Christopher led her down the front steps and onto the sidewalk. “Now, tell me why you’ve been so quiet.”
Hannah glanced up at him. “I didn’t realize I was.”
“You said more to me while you were at my parents’ home.” He smiled and laid his hand over hers. “Do you not feel safe here? Because if you don’t, you’re welcome at the farm for as long as you’d like.”
“Christopher.” Hannah rolled her eyes.
“What happened to ‘Sir Knight’?”
“A thousand apologies, Sir Knight.” Hannah grinned. “In answer to your question, I feel perfectly safe. Emma and Sophie are as close as sisters to me.”
“Are you certain?”
“I’m certain.” Hannah squeezed his arm. “You’re a little overprotective of someone you just met, don’t you think?”
“Absolutely not.” Christopher stopped and faced her. “I care about you, Hannah.”
Hannah snorted. “You’ve just met me!”
“So?”
“Sooo...” She spurred him on and they started to walk again. “It’s too soon for you to know whether or not you care about me. We don’t know each other.”
“I disagree.”
“You do, do you?” She cocked her head and narrowed her eyes. “About which part?”
“All of it.”
This time she stalled. She pulled her hand from his arm. “You can’t be serious.”
“I can’t?”
She slapped his arm playfully. “Christopher, stop it. It’s been two days.”
“Three.”
Hannah rolled her eyes. “Three, whatever. Too soon to care, and too soon to know.”
Christopher took her gloved hand and lifted it to his lips. “Not true.”
Hannah stared up at him and tried not to get lost in the sincerity in his eyes.
“Hannah, I would like to court you.”
She lowered her head. “Sir Knight, are you trying to save me?”
He lifted her chin with a finger. “That’s not what I’m doing, and I think you know that.”
Hannah sighed. “Don’t you think it’s a little soon?”
“I only know how I feel, and it’s not something I’m used to. I’ve never met anyone like you before, and I’d like to court you.”
“So I’m a novelty?”
“Hannah!” Christopher sighed and pulled her away from the street and between two of the row houses.
“Christopher, what are you doing?”
Pressing her gently against the brick of one of the houses, he leaned down and kissed her. She responded without hesitation and kissed him back, grasping the lapels of his thick coat to keep from falling. The taste of the whiskey he’d drunk earlier played on her tongue, and she whimpered when he broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against hers. “May I court you, Hannah?”
“Knight,” she whispered. “This is crazy.”
He pulled her tighter into his embrace. “Yes, it is.”
She looked up at him. “How is this even possible?”
Christopher sighed. “I have no idea. Maybe our souls know something we don’t.”
She smiled at him. “I didn’t peg you for a romantic.”
He touched her cheek. “There are several things you don’t know about me.”
“Which is my point entirely!” She slapped the palms of her hands against his chest. “We don’t know each other.”
“Then courting is the perfect way to get to know each other.” He grinned. “Wouldn’t you agree?”
“Stop smiling at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you can read my mind.”
Christopher smiled again. “I can read your mind.”
“Oh, really.” Hannah wrinkled her nose. “What am I thinking now?”
“That you adore me already and can’t live without me.”
Hannah couldn’t stop the giggle from bubbling out. “You got all of that, did you?”
“I did. I also heard you say, yes.”
Hannah sighed. “Check your channels.”
Christopher frowned. “I have no idea what that means.”
She dropped her head again. “I know.”
“Hannah, look at me.” She raised her head and he stroked her cheek. “May I court you?”
Hannah chewed her bottom lip for several seconds before letting out a deep breath. “Yes, Christopher, you may court me.”
“Thank you.” Christopher kissed her one more time and then pulled her back out onto the sidewalk.
She slid her hand into his arm and leaned against him. “Did you just compromise me?”
Christopher glanced down at her. “Excuse me?”
“You pulled me to a private space to kiss me senseless,” she whispered. “Does that mean you compromised me?”
“Do you feel compromised?”
Hannah smiled. “If I say yes, will that stop you from kissing me again?”
Christopher grew serious. “Hannah, do you feel compromised?”
“If I had, you wouldn’t be standing right now.”
“Hannah, it’s important. Please be serious.”
“Oh, you need me to be serious.” Hannah’s eyebrows puckered and then she smiled. “You didn’t compromise me.”
“Are you certain?”
Hannah stopped walking, forcing Christopher to face her. “Do you ever joke?”
“Of course I do.”
“Really? When?”
He seemed to ponder her question as he slipped her hand back into the crook of his arm. “I do joke.”
Hannah squeezed his arm. “You’ve said that twice. Are you trying to convince me or yourself?”
Christopher smiled down at her. She shook her head and his smile faltered. “Is something amiss?”
Hannah grinned. “That smile is not going to work on me, bud. But good effort.”
Christopher raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t realize.”
Hannah snorted. “Of course you did. But never fear, I’ll loosen you up.”
They reached the Maddens’ stoop and Hannah stepped onto the first step. Christopher pulled her back. “What does loosen me up mean?”
“Okay, first of all, I’d like to be a little taller when I tell you something you probably don’t want to hear.” Hannah stepped back onto the step. Face to chest didn’t bolster her courage, but she felt she needed to be completely transparent with him. “Not much more of an advantage... this is why Gwen calls you “Christopher the Big,” huh?”
Christopher raised an eyebrow, but didn’t respond.
“Okay, here goes nothing.” Hannah lifted her head. “You seem very wound up and the way you are with your sister makes me think you’re used to being obeyed.”
“How exactly am I with my sister?”
“You grunt, she jumps.”
“Excuse me?” Christopher frowned. “I do not grunt.”
Hannah took a deep breath and laid her hand on his shoulder. “You do grunt. And your sister is quiet and sweet... and intimidated by you.”
“You wouldn’t say that if you’d heard her lecture me the night I found you.”
Hannah shrugged and lowered her hand. “Perhaps I’m wrong, then.”
Christopher sighed. “No, you’re not wrong.”
“I think you have so much on your mind that you’ve forgotten how to laugh.”
Christopher leaned forward slightly. “What if I never knew how?”
Hannah chuckled. “With your father’s obvious sense of humor and your sister’s ability to tease, I highly doubt that. But laughing is really important to me, and if we’re going to be in a relationship, I’m gonna need you to loosen up.”
Taking her hand in his, he lifted it to his lips. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Good. Now, I’m freezing. Let’s go inside.”
Hannah led him up the stairs and into the foyer. Removing their outerwear, they hung everything on the rack and set their gloves on the bench. “It’s so quiet,” Hannah whispered.
“Yes it is,” Christopher said. “Why don’t you go and warm yourself in the parlor and I’ll find Clayton.”
Hannah rubbed her hands together. “Aren’t you cold?”
“Not terribly so, no.”
“Still, why don’t you come with me into the parlor?”
“I should try and find Clayton.”
Hannah grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the parlor. “But then we won’t be alone.”
“Exactly my point.”
Hannah stalled. “Oh. That’s frowned upon... right.” She sighed but continued into the parlor. “Go find Clayton.”
“One thing before I do.”
She turned and found him standing close. She dropped her head back. “What’s that?”
Leaning down, he cupped her cheek and settled his lips over hers. Hannah slipped her hands inside his jacket and slid them up his chest. He broke the kiss and smiled. “I don’t seem capable of not touching you.”
“I’m okay with that.” She patted his chest. “Even if it’s frowned upon.”
His finger ran across her cheekbone. “You have the most remarkable skin.”
“Knight,” she whispered, her face heating.
Someone cleared their throat behind them, and Hannah peeked her head around Christopher to see Jamie smirking in the doorway. “Hi, Jamie.”
“You two didn’t waste any time.”
Something flickered over Christopher’s face—Hannah wasn’t sure exactly what—and he straightened slowly. She grasped his lapel. “Knight. This falls under the category of loosening up. Jamie’s joking.”
“About what?” Jamie asked as he made his way to the fire.
Hannah shook her head. “Nothing. Where is everyone?”
“Sophie’s asleep, and I think Clay and Emma went for a ride.” Jamie flopped into one of the chairs near the fireplace and settled an ankle on his knee. “I take it your walk was a success?”
Christopher raised an eyebrow and Hannah smiled. “Jamie, quit.”
He shrugged nonchalantly, but the mischief in his eyes indicated something entirely different. “What?”
Hannah sat on the sofa and waggled a finger at him. “You’re trying to get a rise and you know it.”
Jamie grinned. “Am I?”
Hannah patted the cushion next to her and waited for Christopher to sit down. Jamie slapped his ankle. “Have you proposed yet, Chris?”
“I did.” Christopher smiled. “She refused me.”
Hannah smacked his leg.
Jamie laughed. “How rude.”
Christopher linked his fingers with hers. “She did agree to a courtship, however.”
“Excellent.” Jamie grinned. “A word of warning... she can be a little bossy.”
Christopher squeezed her hand. “I’ve noticed that.”
Hannah rolled her eyes. “Only when necessary.”
“What’s only when necessary?” Emma asked from the doorway.
Christopher let go of her hand and rose to his feet. Jamie followed suit and said, “Hannah’s need to be bossy.”
Emma made her way inside, Clayton followed. “Oh, yes, she is bossy.”
“She wasn’t before she met you,” Jamie retorted.
Emma laughed. “You didn’t know her before me.”
He shrugged and sat. “No, but I knew you.”
Christopher sat down again and leaned over. “Are they still jesting?” he whispered.
Hannah chuckled. “Most definitely.”
Emma sat on the sofa kitty-corner from the one Hannah was on. “How was your walk?”
Hannah glanced at Christopher and then turned back to Emma. “It was great.”
“Hannah has given me permission to court her,” Christopher said.
“Congratulations!” Emma jumped up and pulled Hannah from the sofa for a hug. “You like him,” she whispered in her ear. “You really like him.”
“I like him,” Hannah whispered back.
“Good.”
Clayton shook Christopher’s hand. “I assume you’d like to stay for dinner?”
Christopher smiled. “Yes, thank you.”
He sat back on the sofa, but didn’t take Hannah’s hand again. She was surprised by her disappointment. She felt somewhat bereft without his touch. Conversation swirled around her for several minutes, and she stared at her hands clasped in her lap. Christopher touching his shoulder with hers brought her back to her surroundings. She glanced up and found him smiling. She gave him a quick smile and focused back on Jamie, who was teasing Emma again.
“Shouldn’t you check on Sophie?” Emma asked.
Jamie pulled out his pocket watch and popped it open. “Yes, I should.” He grinned at her as he stood. “You’re off the hook for now.”
Emma giggled. “I’ll have some snappy comebacks when you return.”
Jamie laughed. “Excuse me, everyone. I’ll be back shortly.”
“Chris?” Clayton asked. “Would you like a drink?”
He nodded. “Yes, please.”
Clayton rose to his feet.
“Could you get me one, please?” Emma asked.
“Red wine?”
Hannah didn’t miss Emma’s bottom lip pop out, even if it was just for a second.
“Yes, red wine would be lovely,” she said a little sarcastically.
Clayton smiled. “Hannah? Would you like wine as well?”
Hannah nodded. “Sure. Thanks.”
“I’ll help.” Emma made her way to him, stepping into the foyer.
Christopher turned to face Hannah. “You’ve gone quiet again.”
“Have I?” Hannah forced a smile. “Sorry.”
He glanced over his shoulder and then leaned down to kiss her. When he broke the kiss, he grinned. “Better?”
Hannah pursed her lips. “You think I was quiet because I wanted a kiss?”
“Weren’t you?”
Hannah sighed... she didn’t want to admit how close to the truth he was. She didn’t have to. Emma returned with a cheeky grin on her face. Hannah narrowed her eyes. “What did you do?”
Emma sat back on her sofa and laid her hands on her lap. “I can’t imagine what you’re talking about.”
Clayton returned, followed by Jamie and Sophie. Jamie handed Hannah a wine glass with something other than wine in it, and then handed Christopher a tumbler with whiskey. Hannah lifted the glass to her lips and drew in the unmistakable woodsy aroma of her favorite vice. She took a sip and let the liquid slide over her tongue and then down her throat. She hummed in elation and grinned at Emma. “I love you.”
Emma giggled. “Thought you might.”
“How do you feel, Sophie?” Hannah asked.
“Pretty good.” Sophie smiled and settled herself in the chair next to Jamie’s. “How are you enjoying your sherry?”
Hannah tipped her glass toward her. “It’s very nice.”
“Dinner is served,” Mrs. Price said from the doorway.
Christopher stood and held his hand out to Hannah. She took it and let him pull her up from the sofa. As she followed the group into the dining room, Hannah couldn’t help leaning back against Christopher’s hand that she felt firmly on her lower back. She relished the brief touch.
Before she knew it, dinner was over, and they were making their way back to the parlor. Clayton pulled a small table to the middle of the room while Emma started gathering chairs. “Cards, Han?”
Hannah shook her head. “No way. You and Sophie are sharks.”
Christopher took one of the chairs from Emma and placed it next to the table. “Why don’t you and I bow out of this game, Hannah?”
Hannah smiled. “Sounds good to me.”
The men finished setting up the table, then Christopher pulled Hannah to the window seat on the opposite side of the room. “I thought we could talk.”
Hannah settled herself on the soft cushion and smiled.
“Don’t go quiet on me again.”
Hannah chuckled. “Is that a warning that you’ll kiss me again?”
Christopher shrugged as he folded his tall body onto the short seat. “A promise, perhaps.”
Hannah put her hand on his thigh and leaned toward him. “I dare you.”
His eyes darted above her head, and then she found herself kissed and released just as quickly. Hannah chuckled.
“Hannah?”
She turned to the sound of Emma’s voice. “Yes, Emma.”
Emma grinned. “Just checking.”
Hannah turned back to Christopher and found him grinning. She wrinkled her nose. “You’re cheeky. I’ll have to remember that.”
The grandfather clock in the foyer clanged ten o’clock, and Christopher frowned. “I should take my leave.”
“It’s only ten.”
“Clayton and I have an early day tomorrow.” He smiled gently. “I’d like to spend some time with you before you leave for Harrisburg on Tuesday. Shall I collect you for a drive tomorrow? I’d love to show you D.C.”
“Will I have to ride a horse?”
Christopher chuckled. “No. I’ll bring my buggy. I’ll even bring blankets so you don’t get cold.”
“Then I’d love to go for a drive with you.”
“I’ll collect you at ten if that’s acceptable.”
A shout and a giggle from Emma interrupted their conversation. “I win!”
Hannah raised an eyebrow at Christopher. “Don’t ever let her sucker you into playing cards with her.”