Chapter 15

"I have to tell you Mary that I am in a conundrum as to what to do about this revelation of yours."

"I should think that it is pretty simple. If you do not return my feelings then we just go on as before, as if I hadn't said anything at all."

He sat quietly for a moment and then said, "You know that never really works. Once the cat is out of the bag, so to speak, you can never really go back to the way things were before. But you have given me so much to think about. I guess that I had never taken the time to think of my feelings, I was always so busy getting the community going, and dealing with Vincent. You and I are so comfortable together, we fit so well with each other, like an old…ummm. What I mean to say is that I can't picture my life without you in it. I look forward to seeing you each morning and am happy if yours is the last face that I see before bed each night. When I think of you there is a warm glow around my heart. I know that isn't a declaration of grand passion, but I do know that I feel closer to you than I do to anyone else in this world other than Vincent. I am not sure that is what you wanted to hear me say, but it is the truth."

"Jacob, I do not need for you to invent feelings for me that are not real. I did not mean to put you on the spot by telling you of my love for you. I guess I just thought it was time I was honest with you."

"I am glad that you were Mary, and I promise you that I was not inventing feelings that were not there before. I believe that it wasn't until your revelation that I was finally able to see what should have been right in front of my face all along. My very dear Mary, would you allow me to begin to court you?"

"Oh Jacob, there is no need for that! You already know how I feel about you. What would be the point?"

"The point, my dear, would be to stop taking you for granted and for me to show you that I find you an incredibly sweet woman. So, will you allow me to do that?"

As they had been talking, she had been putting the tea items away and cleaning up. She rose to her feet and said, "Tomorrow is a fresh new day, and if you still wish to pursue this after a good nights sleep, then my answer will be yes."

"I can assure you that I will feel the same way in the morning," he promised, also getting to his feet.

Mary climbed the stairs that led from his study, but before disappearing down the passageway she turned back for a moment and asked, "You never did say what had you so flustered earlier. What happened Jacob?"

"Ummm…" he responded, once again looking off as kilter as before. "I walked in on Vincent and Catherine in the bathing chamber," he told her.

"Oh," she uttered softly with an almost wistful little smile, she turned and left the study.

The next morning, in the spirit of not taking her for granted any longer, Father took a good long look at Mary when she entered the study. She was wearing a dress that he had seen her wear only a few times before. Her hair was up as usual, but it had a pretty shine to it as if it was newly washed, and there was just a touch of color on her lips and cheeks, that wasn't usually there. "Good morning Mary. You look very lovely today," he told her as he held out a chair for her at the table.

She had already given him a once over glance when she came into the room and saw that he had made a special effort that morning as well. He was wearing his dressy blue shirt that always reminded her of Vincent's eyes. He had combed his hair, something he forgot to do as often as not, and this morning it looked like he might have even used something to keep any fly away hair in place. "Thank you Jacob, you look very dapper yourself. I have always liked that shirt on you."

To be continued…..