Chapter Thirteen
Keeping his promise, Corin took Reuben fishing when they were done eating, and it took less than thirty minutes for Reuben to catch a fish.
“Well done,” Corin said as he helped Reuben take the fish off the hook. “This is bigger than the ones you caught the other day.”
“It’s not as big as what you catch,” Reuben replied.
Corin was surprised by his brother’s comment, but it only went to prove how hard he was trying to impress him. “Reuben, it’s not the size of the fish that matters. It’s the process of catching. You’re skilled with a fishing pole.”
“You think so?”
“Yes. Reuben, why do you doubt yourself?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, it seems to me that no matter what you accomplish, you don’t think it’s good enough. Take this fish for example.” Corin held it up. “It’s a fine fish. This will be good for tonight’s meal. Why aren’t you happy with this?”
After a moment, Reuben shrugged. “Because it’s not as good as the fish you would get. You do things better than I do. I want to be like you.”
With a sigh, Corin set the fish down in the basket, settled onto the grass, and patted the spot next to him.
Once Reuben was sitting, Corin put his arm around the lad’s shoulders. “I wish you wouldn’t try to be like me. I’m not as perfect as you seem to think I am.”
“Yes, you are,” Reuben said. “You ride horses faster than anyone I’ve ever seen. You catch fish bigger than anyone else around here. You know so much about money that Mother is always talking about how intelligent you are. Mother says if it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t have a place to live right now. Everything you do turns out well. You never fail at anything.”
As much as the words pleased him, Corin shook his head. “We all have things we’re good at. We also have things we’re not so good at. Reuben, you have some wonderful qualities that I lack.”
Reuben’s eyebrows furrowed. “Like what?”
“Like your ability to get along well with people. For instance, what do you think of my wife?”
“She’s nice. I like her.”
“And from what I’ve seen, she likes you, too. You just met her a week ago, and already, I can see that the two of you have formed a friendship.” A friendship that, even now, he didn’t have with her. “What made you trust her?”
“I like the way she talks and acts. She has good manners.”
“A lot of people have good manners when others are around, but that doesn’t mean they’re worthy of someone’s trust.”
“I don’t know why I trust her. I just know she’s a good person.” He paused then added, “I think she’s been hurt in the past.”
Eyes growing wide, Corin focused on what he was saying. “Has she said anything to you about being hurt?”
“No. She doesn’t have to. I feel the sadness in her.”
Was it possible that Reuben was right? Was Candace sad underneath it all? Was she hiding something painful?
Now that he thought about it, his mother had warned him that he needed to be careful with Candace. Granted, his mother had been referring to the bedchamber, which was why he had dismissed her words. Even so, she had been trying to warn him.
His mother had said Candace’s first husband had been cruel to her. She’d said that Candace was afraid to be intimate with a gentleman and that Corin must be gentle with her when he finally consummated the marriage. If Candace’s first husband had hurt her, then it must have had something to do with their intimate life.
If Candace had been telling his mother the truth, if she hadn’t been resorting to manipulation in order to gain his mother’s sympathies, then it stood to reason that she would never try to have her way with him in the den at Lord Edon’s ball. If that was the case, she really had slipped and touched his penis by accident.
And, if that was true, then it meant the scandal really had been Stephen’s fault. Oh, Celia had had a part in it. Stephen never would have come up with the scandal on his own. He would have had other things he’d rather be doing. But given what Corin knew about Stephen, it was very possible that Stephen caught Candace by surprise and threw her at him.
“Do you like Candace?” Reuben asked, breaking him out of his thoughts.
Corin turned his gaze back to his brother. “I’m not sure what to think of her. Unlike you, I don’t trust easily.”
“Why is that?”
“I don’t know. I’ve always been cautious around people I don’t know.”
“You can trust Candace,” Reuben said. “I know it.”
He studied his brother’s face, and it really did seem to him that Reuben did know it. It was something he was so convinced of that he would probably bet his life on it. “If you’re right, then you have a way of knowing things that no one can explain.”
“Is that bad?”
“No. It would be an admirable strength. And it’d be one that I don’t have.” He squeezed his brother’s shoulders affectionately. “Reuben, I want you to know that you’re an important part of my life. I know I don’t see you a lot. I spend way too much time in London. Somewhere along the way, I forgot what really mattered in this life. Money has its place, but I lost sight of my family. For that, I apologize.”
“You don’t have to apologize.”
“Yes, I do. I didn’t come here at all last year.” And had it not been for another one of Celia’s schemes, he wouldn’t be here right now. “From now on, I’m going to come here every year, and we’re going to do a lot of things together. When you’re older and in better health, I’m going to bring you to London to live with me. Then we don’t have to spend so much time apart.”
“What about Mother?” Reuben asked. “Will she come, too?”
“If she wants to, she is welcome to join us.” Since there was nothing else Corin could think of to add, he asked, “Do you want to catch another fish?”
With an excited nod, Reuben jumped up and grabbed his fishing pole. “Are you going to catch one, too?”
Laughing, Corin replied, “Why not?” He got up and grabbed his own fishing pole. Then he joined his brother at the lake.
***
Corin paid close attention to Candace during dinner that evening, wondering if he could see her the same way Reuben did.
As usual, his mother did most of the talking. She was rambling about her love of embroidery. Candace replied to her, often asking questions here and there that encouraged his mother to go into even more detail on the subject. The whole conversation couldn’t have bored him more.
And Reuben felt the same way since he was trying not to fall asleep. His head bobbed forward a few times. At one point, Corin thought it might end up in the plate, but the boy quickly straightened up, blinking his eyes several times in order to refresh himself. Then, as if he hadn’t almost fallen asleep, he proceeded on with the meal.
Corin was impressed. At only eight, the lad had figured out how to keep himself awake during a very dull meal. That would serve him well in the future when he attended dinner parties. A lot of those could grow wearisome, especially when ladies started discussing the latest fashion or gossip.
But Corin wasn’t here to take note of his brother’s ability to survive a boring dinner. He was here to study his wife.
“I think I’ll work on a new tablecloth,” his mother said. “It would be nice to have a new one, don’t you think?” She gestured to the tablecloth that was currently covering the table.
“I think the one you have now is already pretty,” Candace replied. “The flowers are intricately done. I can’t recall the last time I saw such detail in a tablecloth, or anything else now that I think about it.”
“Yes, but it’s old. I made this when I was expecting Reuben. It’s long since served its purpose. I hate old things. I like things that are new and fresh.” His mother sipped her wine then continued, “What kind of design do you like, Candace?”
Candace’s eyes grew wide. “Are you thinking of making a tablecloth that would please me?”
“Why not? You are my daughter-in-law. You’re part of this family. I think it would be nice to have something to remember you by when you and Corin return to London. It’ll be like a part of you is still here.”
Candace’s cheeks grew pink with pleasure. “I don’t know what to say. Besides a good friend I have, I can’t think of a single person who misses me when I’m not around.”
The confession caught Corin’s attention. He didn’t know whether it was true or not. He was sure more than one person in London must miss Candace when she wasn’t around. After all, most people had more than one friend. But by the wistful tone in Candace’s voice, Corin knew that Candace believed only one person missed her. Ever. And it made her sad when she thought about it.
Which was surprising. Up to now, she had struck him as a very confident lady. He got the impression that she didn’t need people. She seemed very independent and self-sufficient. For the first time, he was seeing her in a new light. He was seeing her through the eyes that Reuben did.
Deep down, she was lonely and sad, though she would rather die than admit it. He couldn’t blame her. No one wanted someone else to pick up on such things. They would want others to believe they were happy, that they had everything they wanted. Everything was about appearances, especially in London. Even if they didn’t feel like it, they managed to put on a mask and act as if everything was fine. To do otherwise would either make them seem pathetic or make them the object of gossip.
“What kind of designs do you like on tablecloths?” his mother asked Candace.
Shifting in her chair, Candace scanned the one already on the table. “These flowers are very pretty. I like them a lot. I suppose if I were to add anything, I would add trees.”
“Trees are nice,” his mother replied, looking pleased that Candace was offering her opinion. “What do you like about them?”
“I like the way the branches jut out from the tree. The way the branches bend and twist in places fascinates me. Most people say they like autumn leaves because of the colors. Some say they like the flowers or budding leaves in the spring. But I like the way trees look in the winter, especially when a fresh layer of snow is on them.”
“They do look lovely when it snows. Reuben likes that, too. I’ll get started on the tablecloth tonight when I finish your new gown.”
“Oh, you shouldn’t go through all that trouble. You’ve done so much for me already.”
“It’s no trouble at all. Out here in the country, there’s nothing much to do. A person has to find ways to occupy their time. Besides, I love all kinds of sewing. I love to make clothes, tablecloths, pillowcases, and blankets.”
“Mother’s right,” Reuben suddenly spoke up. “She’s always making something.”
Corin was surprised that Reuben had been following the conversation. He had assumed Reuben was thinking of other things, like fishing or riding horses. He hadn’t expected the lad to follow what the ladies were talking about. Maybe this was one of the reasons why Reuben was able to learn things about Candace that Corin had missed. Reuben paid more attention to what was going on around him than anyone realized. It was a trait that was mature for an eight-year-old. Corin supposed that what Reuben lacked in good health, he made up for in wisdom.
Candace smiled at Reuben. “In that case, I should help keep your mother occupied.” She glanced over at Corin’s mother. “I’d be happy to make the tablecloth with you. I’ve tried my hand at embroidery, and though I’m not as good as you are, I handle a needle and thread pretty well.”
Corin’s mother’s eyes lit up. “That would be wonderful! The tablecloth would have a special meaning if we did it together. We’ll start on it this evening about an hour after dinner. That will give me enough time to finish your gown.”
Candace nodded then turned her attention to the food on her plate.
From what Corin had noticed over the past week, Candace got along very well with his mother, just as she did with Reuben. The three, it seemed, had found a perfect sort of harmony together. It made the place a lot more cheerful.
The only missing piece, he realized, was him, and to be honest, he didn’t know what to do about it.