hat. “I’m Patrick Stuart, Nathan’s brother. He has sent me to bring you to Pinecrest.”
The solemn lines on his face prompted her to ask, “Is his grandfather well?”
“With my brother tending him, he will be. But Nathan cannot leave his side right now and he didn’t want you to stay alone here overnight. I have brought the carriage.” He waved his hand toward it on the road down the incline. “He told me you have a baby and a maid accompanying you.”
“Yes, but we are perfectly fine here by ourselves.” As she spoke, she took in the forest nearby with the dark shadows of evening beginning to lengthen over the terrain. A bird flew overhead, screeching, declaring her foolishness in remaining in a strange place with night approaching.
“I cannot leave you alone. Nathan would never forgive me if I did. Please. I’m worried about my grandfather and need to be at Pinecrest, but I will stay if you do.”
The gentle threat made up Rachel’s mind. “Very well. We shall go with you. Let me get Faith and Maddy.”
“Thank you for understanding, Mrs. Gordon.”
Thirty minutes later, Rachel sat beside Nathan’s brother while in back Maddy held Faith, who had fed before they left and returned to sleep. “How far is Pinecrest?”
“An hour and a half by carriage.”
While night settled over the landscape, lanterns on the sides of the chaise afforded some light. Apprehension blanketed Rachel as the dark did the forest. Nathan and his grandfather were estranged. She didn’t feel comfortable going to his plantation, uninvited by the older man.
As Patrick handled the team of two horses pulling the carriage, he glanced her way. “Nathan explained your situation.”
“I am indebted to your brother for helping me. I don’t know what I would have done if he hadn’t come along when he did.”
“The Lord provides.”
“Yes, He does.” That was the only thing she had to count on at the moment. If she stopped to think about her future, fear took over. She could not afford that. Fear would weaken her, and she needed all her strength in the days to come.
By the time Patrick Stuart pulled up in front of a massive house, Rachel’s shoulders slumped from the trip over a road rutted from the recent rains. Nathan’s brother had apologized for the rough ride. Maddy had managed to keep Faith calm in the back, although once a large bump had aroused her daughter from sleep for a moment.
Mr. Stuart jumped down from the seat and assisted Rachel to the ground. Then, she took Faith from Maddy while he offered her maid his hand. Soft light streamed from the large house. The front door swung open, and Nathan came out, carrying a lantern, followed by a servant who took care of the horses and carriage.
“I was worried something might have happened to you all on the road.” Nathan’s gaze swept from Rachel to his brother. “No sign of trouble?”
“No. It took longer than I anticipated.”
“Faith was hungry. I fed her before we started the journey.” In the glow of the oil lamp, the sober lines on Nathan’s countenance concerned Rachel. Was it his grandfather’s health or something else that put that expression on his face?
“How is Grandfather?” Mr. Stuart carried in the bag of clothing Maddy had packed.
“He’s sleeping more comfortably now. His breathing sounds better.”
“Good.” Nathan’s brother paused on the threshold and shifted toward Rachel. “I will show you to your room.”
She transferred Faith to Maddy. “I need to speak with Dr. Stuart. I will be there shortly.”
As Maddy entered the house with Faith, Mr. Stuart peered back and said, “I am putting them in the Rose Suite.”
Nathan nodded to his brother. When they were alone, he turned to Rachel. “Is there something wrong?”
“I was going to ask you that very question.”
“I am perfectly fine and will be even better when I can get back to my home.” As he said the last word, his gaze swept the façade of the
The solemn lines on his face prompted her to ask, “Is his grandfather well?”
“With my brother tending him, he will be. But Nathan cannot leave his side right now and he didn’t want you to stay alone here overnight. I have brought the carriage.” He waved his hand toward it on the road down the incline. “He told me you have a baby and a maid accompanying you.”
“Yes, but we are perfectly fine here by ourselves.” As she spoke, she took in the forest nearby with the dark shadows of evening beginning to lengthen over the terrain. A bird flew overhead, screeching, declaring her foolishness in remaining in a strange place with night approaching.
“I cannot leave you alone. Nathan would never forgive me if I did. Please. I’m worried about my grandfather and need to be at Pinecrest, but I will stay if you do.”
The gentle threat made up Rachel’s mind. “Very well. We shall go with you. Let me get Faith and Maddy.”
“Thank you for understanding, Mrs. Gordon.”
Thirty minutes later, Rachel sat beside Nathan’s brother while in back Maddy held Faith, who had fed before they left and returned to sleep. “How far is Pinecrest?”
“An hour and a half by carriage.”
While night settled over the landscape, lanterns on the sides of the chaise afforded some light. Apprehension blanketed Rachel as the dark did the forest. Nathan and his grandfather were estranged. She didn’t feel comfortable going to his plantation, uninvited by the older man.
As Patrick handled the team of two horses pulling the carriage, he glanced her way. “Nathan explained your situation.”
“I am indebted to your brother for helping me. I don’t know what I would have done if he hadn’t come along when he did.”
“The Lord provides.”
“Yes, He does.” That was the only thing she had to count on at the moment. If she stopped to think about her future, fear took over. She could not afford that. Fear would weaken her, and she needed all her strength in the days to come.
By the time Patrick Stuart pulled up in front of a massive house, Rachel’s shoulders slumped from the trip over a road rutted from the recent rains. Nathan’s brother had apologized for the rough ride. Maddy had managed to keep Faith calm in the back, although once a large bump had aroused her daughter from sleep for a moment.
Mr. Stuart jumped down from the seat and assisted Rachel to the ground. Then, she took Faith from Maddy while he offered her maid his hand. Soft light streamed from the large house. The front door swung open, and Nathan came out, carrying a lantern, followed by a servant who took care of the horses and carriage.
“I was worried something might have happened to you all on the road.” Nathan’s gaze swept from Rachel to his brother. “No sign of trouble?”
“No. It took longer than I anticipated.”
“Faith was hungry. I fed her before we started the journey.” In the glow of the oil lamp, the sober lines on Nathan’s countenance concerned Rachel. Was it his grandfather’s health or something else that put that expression on his face?
“How is Grandfather?” Mr. Stuart carried in the bag of clothing Maddy had packed.
“He’s sleeping more comfortably now. His breathing sounds better.”
“Good.” Nathan’s brother paused on the threshold and shifted toward Rachel. “I will show you to your room.”
She transferred Faith to Maddy. “I need to speak with Dr. Stuart. I will be there shortly.”
As Maddy entered the house with Faith, Mr. Stuart peered back and said, “I am putting them in the Rose Suite.”
Nathan nodded to his brother. When they were alone, he turned to Rachel. “Is there something wrong?”
“I was going to ask you that very question.”
“I am perfectly fine and will be even better when I can get back to my home.” As he said the last word, his gaze swept the façade of the
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