Chapter 2
The long drive that led up to the main house was lined on either side with trees. From the distinctive twist of the limbs, the lower ones almost scraping the ground, Catherine recognized them as apple trees. She imagined they must be a glorious sight to see in the spring with pink and white blossoms, and then later as the branches groaned under the weight of rosy fruit. Would she be here long enough, she wondered, to witness the season’s growth?
No matter, the barren trees welcomed her as they stood silently beneath a snow laden grey sky. Seated next to Catherine, her maid Tilly shivered and snuggled deeper inside the heavy blanket she had wrapped herself in. They had all noticed the drop in temperature, forecasting a possible storm.
“Does it seem much changed to you?” Catherine asked Rian shyly, knowing from her conversation with Mrs. Hatch, it had been many years since he had last seen his home.
“No,” he said with a rueful smile, “although I must admit the house does seem a little smaller.”
“Perhaps that is only because you are a little bigger.” Looking back out the carriage window, she asked, “Why apple trees?”
He shrugged. “A whimsy. They were planted as a wedding gift by one of my forebears as a way to welcome his new bride. Supposedly she had expressed a fondness for apples. Something to do with fertility, I believe, but I doubt she was expecting more than one or two trees.”
“What do you do with so much fruit?”
“The bounty has always been shared with our tenants, and Mrs. Hatch makes a positively sinful cider,” he added with a roguish grin.
As the carriage neared the house Catherine was astounded by the number of people who spilled out from behind the massive carved doors. Despite the cold, they were all smiling and laughing, and seemed genuinely happy to welcome them. Rian insisted on carrying Catherine into the house, and was still holding her in his arms when a voice made him turn around.
“Well, you certainly made good time. I only received your note yesterday.”
“Hello, Liam, good to see you again.” Rian greeted his brother with a smile. “I wanted to get Catherine settled as soon as possible, and there seemed no reason to delay.”
The slight hesitation in his voice produced a thoughtful look on the younger Conner’s face, but he did not comment on it.
Catherine stared at the other man, bewildered by the lack of physical resemblance he bore to Rian. Was it possible he had had a different mother? Or one of them a different father even?
“Hello, Catherine. It’s a pleasure to welcome you to Oakhaven,” Liam said, and the smile he gave her said he was genuinely pleased to see her.
“Thank you for allowing me to be here.”
Though she was pale, and no doubt fatigued from the journey, Liam was pleased to see that Catherine was much improved from the last time he had seen her. And he was not fooled by his brother’s hasty arrival. Bringing Catherine to Oakhaven might have been his suggestion originally, but the suddenness of Rian’s departure, along with a lack of explanation in his communication, told him something unexpected had pushed his brother to act. He was not unduly worried. Rian would tell him once they were alone.
“So you are Liam,” Catherine said. “Mrs. Hatch told me about you,” she added, sounding apologetic.
“Only the good parts I hope,” he countered. A smile twitched the corner of his mouth as Catherine continued to stare at him. Ordinarily her behavior would be considered quite rude, especially when she turned her head and gazed at Rian, a frown furrowing her brow. She was as surprised as many others on seeing them together for the first time, especially since the blood connection was known. “As you can see,” Liam explained with a boyish grin, “I inherited all the good looks in the family.”
Deciding it was best not to comment, Catherine shifted slightly in Rian’s arms. “You can put me down now,” she told him. “I assure you I can stand perfectly well, and I promise not to run off.”
“At least not until after you’ve got to know us better!”
The feminine voice made all three heads turn in the same direction as a petite brunette emerged from an arch and crossed the room to join them. Liam obligingly kissed the cheek he was offered before the young woman turned her attention to Rian. Her smile was warm and welcoming, though she appeared to be secretly amused by something.
“Hello, Rian, it’s good to see you managed to grow up relatively unscathed.”
It took a few moments before Rian was able to find his voice, but when he did Catherine understood the reason for the woman’s private mirth. His voice sounded incredulous as he stammered, “F-f-felicity?”
Apparently being at a loss for words was a rare occurrence for the elder Connor, but it had his brother grinning from ear to ear as he introduced his fiancée to Catherine. No comment was made, or surprise shown, at the introduction being made using her first name only. Felicity stepped forward, and, taking Catherine’s free hand, she greeted her as if they had known each other all their lives.
“Come, you must be exhausted,” Felicity said. “There will be time enough to talk later.” She turned and gave her husband-to-be a quizzical look.
He hesitated only a moment. “If you have no objection,” Liam said, addressing Rian, “we thought Catherine might be more comfortable in Mama’s room.”
“Of course. It would have been my choice,” Rian assured him, his long easy stride headed for the staircase.
Catherine pursed her lips in frustration. She could only hope the room was not situated at the other end of the house as it appeared Rian had no intention of putting her down. Thankfully it was closer than expected, and, as Rian waited for Felicity to open the door, Catherine felt the slight quiver in his arms. Her first thought was that perhaps he had been holding her for too long, and his arms were growing weary, but then she realized the tremor had nothing to do with her. A muscle jumped as Rian clenched his jaw and his thick, dark lashes made a shadow on his cheek as he closed his eyes. With no other thought than to offer some small token of comfort, Catherine placed her hand against his chest. Her palm over his heart. She did not need to feel the tension in his body to empathize with him, and she wondered if perhaps giving her his mother’s room was a mistake. The request for a different accommodation was on her lips when she felt the press of Rian’s fingers as he pulled her a little more tightly against him. He looked down, his expression thankful for her understanding and telling her he wanted her here. She did not move her hand as Felicity opened the door and Rian carried her over the threshold.
* * * *
He steeled himself for a rush of emotion once he was inside the room. Rian had loved his mother dearly, and the helpless feeling that consumed him as he watched illness steal her vitality had never quite left him. Taking a deep breath, he moved farther into the room.
Oakhaven had been built to withstand the passage of time. A stout edifice, it adapted itself well to the seasons. Warm summers would send its inhabitants seeking relief in those rooms that were cooler, while a bitter winter had them gathering together around a large fire and hot bricks warming every bed. Rian was pleased to see a fire blazing in the hearth. He reasoned Liam must have ordered one lit every day since making the decision to have Catherine occupy this room. It took time to chase away the pockets of chilled air that always seemed to stubbornly linger.
Carefully, he carried Catherine toward the hearth, and set her down on the chaise. After satisfying himself she was comfortable, Rian turned his attention to the room. His mother’s presence was a lingering bittersweet memory here, but there were other subtle changes he noticed. Whoever had taken pains to prepare the chamber had harmonized her own personality with that of the previous occupant. The chaise he had placed Catherine on, along with the delicately painted table next to it, were both new additions, but the bed, washstand, and dresser were all familiar. He was surprised to find he remembered the delicate floral pattern that decorated the washstand ewer and basin. The curtains and counterpane on the bed, though vaguely reminiscent, were too bright, too fresh, to have been the same ones used by his mother.
“Felicity found the exact material and had replacements made,” Liam said, seeing the slightly puzzled look on his brother’s face.
Two heads turned to stare briefly at the next mistress of Oakhaven, who sat talking to Catherine in a low voice.
“What a kind gesture,” Rian said. Going to the dresser, he noted that the hand mirror and hairbrushes were new as were the array of small, colorful sachets he was certain never belonged to his mother. “What are these?” he asked.
“Dried herbs and flowers. Dr. MacGregor mentioned something about the underestimated power of the sense of smell, and how certain perfumes can stir a memory. I told Felicity about it,” Liam continued, “and she made these up for Catherine. Each one contains something different.”
He looked slightly abashed, making Rian wonder if his sibling’s dismay was because he’d been discussing Catherine, or that his fiancée had decided to act on her own initiative. “I remember the same conversation, but doing something like this would never have occurred to me,” he said, picking up a small silk packet and detecting the unmistakable scent of lavender.
“Me either,” Liam admitted.
As if knowing she was being talked about, Felicity rose from her seat next to Catherine just as Tilly entered with a tea tray, followed by a burly footman carrying a trunk. “I think we should all give Catherine some time to herself,” Felicity suggested, joining the Conner men and ushering both of them toward the door.
Feeling Catherine’s eyes on him, Rian paused at the threshold and looked back over his shoulder. He was pleased to see a smile momentarily lift the fatigue from her face, but obviously she still had misgivings. He couldn’t say if they were for herself or for him. He raised his hand and placed it on his chest where hers had been. Her gesture meant more than he could express. Clearly she had understood his hesitation as he entered the room, and he suspected her intuition told her unresolved issues lingered, affecting his return to the family home.
Rian watched as Catherine’s expression suddenly changed, displaying a warmth and supportive reassurance in her bright blue eyes. His mouth felt dry and he was forced to swallow a couple of times. An all too familiar need was beginning to stir, but he knew if he allowed the feeling to continue unchecked, he would be forced to confront things he wasn’t sure he was ready to acknowledge.
Things that had nothing to do with his feelings for Catherine.
Things that had everything to do with his feelings for Catherine.