Chapter Nine will post Monday.
Chapter Eight
Elizabeth woke in the study to the laughter of Sophie and May. They were watching her with their long eyelashes and hazel eyes.
They were such beautiful children, a marvelous combination of Nick and Katarina. As soon as Tab and the twins learned to walk, they were unstoppable, according to Victoria. They were the sweetest children but took a watchful eye at all times. Nick's activity level... She was glad that Camellia was able to entertain them some. Rosa seemed overwhelmed; she had heard Nick and Katarina mentioning hiring more help with the twins and Tab.
"Good morning, my beauties. Does Rosa know where you are? " as if on cue, she rushed in.
"I am so sorry, Mrs. Elizabeth. They are so quick."
"It's perfectly fine and a wonderful way to start the day." She noticed the sunlight streaming through the eastern window and that she had been covered up with an afghan."
She smiled, "Such a gentleman, your Uncle Jarrod," remarking to the twins conspiratorially.
She got up and headed upstairs to find everyone awake. "Of course, I am meeting everyone in the whole household as I go to my room in my nightclothes only. Sleeping in their study. What must they think of me?"
Nick eased the situation in his signature style, "Well Elizabeth, here is another reason I like you! You had the good sense to fall asleep during one of my brother's legal tirades. Most of us want to, but you have the courage."
Everyone broke into a burst of hearty laughter.
"Touché brother, touché!" grinned Jarrod with a slap on the back.
"I am heading up there myself." and he took her arm. "I will escort you upstairs, so Nick doesn't divulge any more family secrets."
"Thank you, Mr. Barkley."
It was late afternoon before the family ended up together again. Jarrod had slept a few hours and had dressed in his charcoal gray/slate blue ranch shirt. He loved that shirt and kept it in his closet for his return. It's funny how memories get tied up in what you wear.
Another telegram arrived for Elizabeth. She was pruning roses with Victoria while the children played with Camellia and Isabella. Jarrod found himself watching wistfully out of the window, an idyllic tableau from one of those new French Salon paintings.
He kept looking at the sealed telegram on the table but didn't want to interrupt the scene playing out outside the window. Bad news can wait a few more minutes until they come in. Good news is welcome any time.
He decided to go outside and join them. The twins had been pretty shy this morning before he retired, but Tab had picked up just where they left off. Wrestling seemed to be the activity of choice with his uncles, and Jarrod was glad to oblige.
"Pappy!" Tab ran over first and grabbed his leg with his chubby arms. He picked him up and tossed him into the air. "Higher," he yelled. He was Nick's child. Jarrod smiled to himself. The girls soon had to join in, and before long, Pappy was in the grass with three toddlers clamoring on him.
Victoria couldn't help but look on with a full heart. If he would only come back home? If he hadn't lost Beth? If the Randalls had waited before they made him the target of their grief? Jarrod had never told her what they said. She heard that several months later from ladies at church. If only she had known but by then he was in New York. They had never discussed it.
Isabella and Elizabeth were enjoying the escapade themselves. Nick and Heath rode up and promptly joined the fray. Katarina came out to see the fuss and sat down on the bench to watch.
There had not been this kind of laughter in the sisters' lives in a long time.
Jarrod excused himself from the toddlers and went to meet Camellia. He had observed her watching with her mother's green eyes.
He mock-bowed, "And you might be Cammie or shall I call you Camellia? Tab is pretty impressed with you."
The little girl beamed. "Yes sir. You can call me either, Mr. Barkley."
"Well, Mr. Barkley is pretty formal so would you mind calling me Pappy? My brother Nick named me that years ago and my family still uses it. I think I will go with Tab's idea and call you Cammie. Do you know where your lovely name came from?"
"Yes sir. My grandmother used to grow camellias in Bermuda and my mother loves all kinds of flowers. She says she would rather grow roses than run a shipping company. I am named after her too. Camellia Marie Elizabeth Beaufort. Mamere is Elizabeth Marie. "
He sat down beside her on the quilt and soon found out "she loved to read, draw and sing. She didn't like arithmetic but could speak French and Italian. And that she missed her kittens in Bermuda the most."
Elizabeth was awed by his way with children. Victoria was too.
Silas came outside and let everyone know that the buffet was ready for supper, "come and go". Nick and Heath had to clean up still as well as the children.
Jarrod took Elizabeth aside. "You have a telegram". She kept the smile on her face for her family but he could sense a slight tension return in her shoulders.
He watched her as she read it. She looked up, "Well, this isn't terribly surprising. The safe at the Shipping Company was breached and cleaned out. The police are talking about a robbery. The offices were ransacked too. Eight thousand dollars is missing. I assume this is Coastal&Western again. It's a good cover for searching for the deed."
"Beautiful and wise," he said before he thought. He looked at her to see her reaction. Was he too forward?
They were interrupted by Victoria. "Elizabeth, Jarrod I have something else. I couldn't bear to give you any more bad news yesterday but this was attached to Camellia's doll in the trunk. I didn't want to upset you anymore and now that Jarrod is here, it seems like the time to give it to you. Please forgive me but you were already asleep when I came back up."
"Thank you, Mrs. Barkley. I don't mind you looking out for us. In fact, I am rather dependent on your safe haven."
She took the note and read it, "Have you read this?" tersely.
Victoria nodded affirmatively.
"I assume you will keep this to yourself, please." her voice quivered in frustration.
"Yes of course. I apologize again if I offended you. Let me leave you with Jarrod."
"Thank you and I do understand why you didn't give it to me last night. I am not angry at you at all. I just need time to gather my thoughts."
Jarrod searched her face for any indication of what she was feeling. Ten minutes ticked by and she broke the silence, "You are my attorney, correct? So whatever I tell you is privileged?"