The Proposal (30 page)

“Looks like quite a party,” Mrs Walker commented.

“I think only the Hursts.” Walker studied the other conveyances. “The other carriage is Jennings’.”

“Imagine,” Mrs Walker continued, still amazed. “All three of them born on the same day.”

The Walkers joined the party that was just getting underway. Penny was delighted to see Marianne and hugged her as soon as she entered the large salon. Happy chaos was in high order for the next few hours. The children, Palmers, Hursts, and Jenningses alike, along with the adults in the group, played games on the lawn and enjoyed two different cakes.

When it was time for the gift opening, the children received a variety of gifts and were pleased with each one. Jennings ended up next to Marianne’s chair and bent close to speak to her.

“Where did you find that small tea set?”

“I ordered it in Collingbourne, but I’m sure Benwick got it from London. Had you looked for one for her?”

Jennings smiled. “No, you’ll have to come over after the party and see what I plan to give them.”

“They don’t have your gifts yet?”

Jennings shook his head no, showing his pleasure without the obvious smile. Marianne was dying to ask him what he’d bought but didn’t feel free to do so. She thought she might take him up on his offer, however, and go see for herself.

The gift opening over, Marianne happened to look up and gain a good glimpse of Lydia’s face. She looked pale and weary.

“How are you holding up?” Marianne asked when everyone had begun to move and she could get to her without overdue notice.

“I’m tired.”

“I think this should have been scheduled at Thornton Hall.”

“Now that I’m weary I would agree with you, but at the time it sounded like such a good idea.”

Thankfully the party did not last overlong. Pastor Hurst, Mrs Hurst, and their four children were the first to leave, and not long after them, Marianne’s parents went on their way. Palmer assured Marianne he would see that she got home when she told him she wanted to stay on a bit.

“Here, Liddy, sit down,” Marianne ordered when the salon was quiet. The children had run off in various pursuits. Only the two women remained until Jennings returned. From just a few steps inside the door, he watched Marianne fuss over his sister. Something was wrong—he was sure of it—and he intended to find out what it was. He walked to the settee where Lydia was now comfortable and looked down at her.

“Lydia?”

“It was a nice party, wasn’t it, Jennings?”

Jennings’ look was telling. He sternly held his sister’s eyes before turning to Marianne.

“Since my sister isn’t going to tell me why she looks exhausted, Miss Walker, I hope you will do me the favor.”

Marianne had all she could do not to tell him. William Jennings could be practicing law! She opened her mouth but looked to Lydia in time. That woman was laughing.

“He can be frightening, can’t he, Mari?”

Marianne dropped into a chair, her face a bit pink. She still hadn’t said a word.

Palmer entered the room, Judith behind him with glasses and a pitcher of cool water. Jennings held his tongue until the servant left, but only until the door was closed behind her.

“Palmer, I want to know what Lydia’s hiding from me. Now be a good man and tell me.”

Palmer didn’t even hesitate. It was a delicate subject for mixed company, but these were the dearest people in the world to him.

“Lydia was expecting a year ago and lost the baby in a rather difficult way. She’s now expecting again, and though she feels better this time, she’s going to be taking it easy.”

Jennings speared Lydia with his eyes. “So that’s why you just had a birthday party for three children? That’s your idea of taking it easy?”

“I didn’t do that much, Jennings,” she began.

“You led the games, Lydia, and played the hostess. Had I realized—”

“I wanted to,” she cut him off. “It was my way of showing the children, and you, how much I care.”

Jennings could say nothing to that. He realized he was much too upset, took a seat, and willed himself to calm down.

“It was the first birthday without their father,” Lydia went on. “I wanted it to be special. Who knows how he would have handled it. Maybe they never had parties, but I wanted them to enjoy the day.”

“Thank you, Liddy,” Jennings said sincerely. “I know the day was special for them, but neither the children nor I would want you ill, not for any reason.”

“I do feel better this time, Jennings; honestly I do. Things seemed to be askew from the very start last year, but I shall be taking it very slowly.”

“Don’t forget, Jennings,” Palmer added, “school starts again soon. Lydia will have even more time to rest then.”

Jennings nodded. He realized his reaction stemmed from a certain amount of fear. He had been absent from his sister’s world for many years—his own choice, certainly—but the thought of not having her when he was only just seeing how precious she was had frightened him very much.

Amid this turmoil of thoughts, he realized Marianne hadn’t said a word. Actively listening, she was sitting among them looking from one to the other. Jennings began to watch her and found he couldn’t take his eyes away. There was something altogether soothing about this woman. She was lovely to look at, but more than that, she didn’t demand attention from anyone.

“I think a cup of tea sounds good, don’t you, Lydia?” Marianne suddenly asked her friend.

“Oh, yes, Mari. Ask Judith, would you?”

“Certainly.”

“I think maybe some small sandwiches too, Mari. I don’t believe Liddy ate much during the party.”

“And what are the children doing?” Lydia asked a few moments later.

“I’ll check,” Jennings volunteered, not wanting her to move.

And there it was happening again, Jennings realized as he strode from the room. All of them were carrying on in a normal way, but with God living in their hearts. It was such a phenomenal truth to Jennings that he pondered it often.

Jennings’ mind was on his new discoveries and not on where he was going when he left the salon. Thinking he’d left Palmer, Lydia, and Marianne behind, he was especially surprised when he walked along the hall and ran directly into Marianne.

“Are you all right?” he asked after nearly plowing her over.

“Yes, thank you. I’m sorry, I was not attending.”

“Neither was I.”

For a moment they stood in awkward silence.

“Are you leaving?” Marianne asked at last.

“No, I was going to check on the children, but I’ve just remembered that I mentioned the children’s gifts to you. I’m going to have them brought here so my nieces and nephews can enjoy them also. If you stay you’ll see them.”

“Oh, thank you. I’ll plan on that.”

For a moment silence reigned again. Jennings’ eyes were intent on Marianne’s face, and Marianne was looking up at him from time to time, her eyes uncertain.

“I’d best get back to the salon,” Marianne said.

“And I to the children.”

Jennings stepped to one side so Marianne could pass, but he didn’t move on his way. He stood watching until she was out of sight.

“You have birthday gifts for us here?” Thomas questioned Jennings an hour later, following him down the hall, the other six children in his wake.

“Yes. Come along to the parlor and sit a moment. I’ll come for you soon.”

Frank, Walt, Emma, and Lizzy all trailed after the Jennings children, not wishing to miss a thing. As soon as they were in the room, Jennings went to his sister.

“Are you sure you’re up to this?” he asked softly. “It’s not too late to send everything back to Thornton Hall. The children will understand.”

“I’ve been sitting here for more than an hour, Jennings. I wouldn’t miss it if you begged me.”

Jennings nodded and turned to the children.

“Walt, do you have your pocket watch?”

“Right here,” the little boy answered as he pulled it from his small vest pocket.

“Very good. The seven of you sit tight. We’re headed out of doors. You follow us in three minutes. Can you do that?”

The children squirmed with excitement as they agreed to this, and questions followed the adults as they exited, questions that were not answered.

“I’m excited, and it’s not even my gift,” Marianne commented as they neared the front door.

“We’ll want to position ourselves so we can see their faces,” Jennings said as he brought up the rear. What he didn’t realize is that he missed his sister’s and Marianne’s faces. When they stepped out and saw the two horses, pony cart, and pony, their mouths dropped wide open.

“Oh, my,” was all the ladies could say. Palmer had been in on the surprise for some weeks.

“Do you think they’ll be pleased?” Jennings asked, his face showing how much he was.

“I think they’ll be ecstatic,” his sister proclaimed. “There’s just one problem.”

“What’s that?”

“How will you ever top it?”

The adults were chuckling over this when the children joined them, their reaction all that Jennings could have hoped for.

Within minutes the girls were begging for a ride, and Frank and Walt were talking of getting their own mounts so the four of them could be off.

“Thank you,” James said for the fifth time, his eyes telling of his wonder and pleasure.

“You’re welcome,” Jennings told him, but he could have thanked the child right back. He was learning that giving presents to these children was like giving a gift to himself. But it was more than that: He felt a little more like a father every day.

Chapter Seventeen

There had been a change in plans. The first idea had been to go directly to Morehouse and then on to an outing that included sea bathing. But the weather had turned very warm, so when Marianne left with the Jennings family two weeks later, their first destination was the sea.

“I should have spoken to you about this before we left,” Jennings said to Marianne from across the carriage some thirty minutes into their ride, “but I thought the boys and I would share a room, and if you don’t mind, Penny can be in with you. Megan is along if you’d rather not.”

Marianne could feel Penny’s eyes on her as she answered.

“Share a room with Penny?” she sounded doubtful. “Does she snore very loudly?” Marianne looked down at the little girl beside her as soon as this was said and smiled. Penny laid her head against Marianne’s arm and stared up at her with all the adoration she felt.

“I think we’ll do fine together.”

“Penny would fit on our bed,” Thomas added, doing a little teasing of his own.

“I’ll be smashed,” Penny said, her face comical as her head came up.

“It might be cozy.”

Penny frowned at him. “I want to be in with Marianne.”

“And so you shall,” Jennings said. “Thomas is only teasing.”

Penny still frowned at her brother.

“You’ve no reason to be so sensitive, Penny,” Jennings went on mildly. “It’s all right.”

Penny took the rebuke well, her face relaxing. Marianne, not wanting to be a part of family discipline, had turned to the window. It had been years since she’d been to Bristol and beyond, and she found she was looking forward to it. The scenery varied from that at home, which made it interesting.

If she felt a bit odd about being with Mr Jennings and his children, she did her best to hide it. The children were so excited, and she was finding Mr Jennings most solicitous. What the days at the sea would bring, as well as those at Morehouse, was impossible to predict, but Marianne was determined to give the others a good time.

For a moment Marianne thought about the past week. One evening she had ended up at Tipton when Jennings and the children had been there. After supper the four adults had sat talking over coffee. It was at that time that Jennings shared some of what his thoughts had been prior to his visit to Palmer the morning he was saved.

“I felt almost a fearful peace. It makes no sense when I say it, but that’s the best way to describe my mind that night. I knew that something had to change between God and me, and that made me afraid, but I was confident and peaceful that Palmer would have answers.