children, but understanding of Trent’s bear-like mood.
Julien was the same man who, night after night, had dressed in black, a kerchief hiding his face, racing through the countryside on a mighty stallion, dispatching Klansmen and leading victims to safety. No one had been able to identify him, not even Jessica. He’d been known throughout the community solely as the spook .
Constance was still trying to hide her not-so-surreptitious glances when she noticed the hour and decided she’d better head home.
It took a while to get through the farewells, especially with the little ones. Daniel wanted to know if Jules could come to school, even though he wasn’t a regular student and didn’t live in Mount Joy. Apparently the idea had just come to them. Constance could only imagine the trouble the two would get into together. Even so, she couldn’t say no. Both boys stormed out whooping and hollering, announcing they were going to catch fireflies. Of course, Rebecca and Lauren wanted to catch fireflies too, and that meant Lucy, the young woman who looked after them, had to go along. But Lucy was nowhere to be found. Once Jessica took the children away to look for Lucy, Constance was finally able to slip out.
She was almost through the house, by the rear entrance, when Emily caught up to her.
“I’ll walk to the barn with you,” Emily said. “My legs will atrophy if I sit in that parlor one more minute. It seems like that’s all we’ve done for the last four days. And if I have to listen to Trent and Julien talking about the nasty Klan one more minute, I swear I’ll scream.”
Constance smiled. She was used to Emily’s exaggerations. “Your family is wonderful. I’m glad I finally got to meet them.”
“Julien is a handsome devil, isn’t he?” Emily’s eyes sparkled as she stuck her arm through Constance’s and drew her through the door and onto the white pebbled path—a quite long path—that led to the stable yard.
Constance prayed the setting sun hid her blush. To think that Emily had noticed her staring at Julien was embarrassing enough. She could only hope no one else had.
“Wait ’til you meet his brother, Etienne,” Emily went on. “He’s expected later tonight—that is, if the train arrives on schedule, which it never does. My goodness, but that man… he is something! And so tall.” She blew out a breath. “I can’t wait until you see him. Then you’ll understand why Jessie and I are both half in love with him.”
For a second Constance was taken aback, but of course Emily was teasing. Playing along, Constance scoffed, “Emily! What will Trent say?”
Emily giggled. “It’s too bad, you know. Etienne is such an influential man, so successful and distinguished. He’s the superintendent at the military academy in Arlington, Virginia. Not only that, but he’s so good with children. Jessie and Julien’s kids adore him. So do mine, even though they don’t see him as often. They all call him Uncle Eddy. It’s a shame he isn’t married and has none of his own. Jessie says it’s hopeless. As much as she would like to see him settle down, she doesn’t think he ever will.”
“What’s wrong with him?” Constance blurted.
Emily laughed. “Good question. But you’re right, there must be something.”
There was something wrong with all men, something they kept hidden, something that only asserted itself in private with their wives. That is, except for Trent Emerson, because Constance knew Emily liked being alone with him. On the surface Jessica appeared happy—her story certainly made it seem like she was—but what if it was a front? Lots of women put on an act in public. Constance’s own mother had been a prime example of that. While growing up, Constance hadn’t realized it. She’d figured it out once she’d been married herself. What if, behind closed doors, Julien Grace was just like…
“Do you know that years before she met Julien, Jessica had a crush on Harry
Julien was the same man who, night after night, had dressed in black, a kerchief hiding his face, racing through the countryside on a mighty stallion, dispatching Klansmen and leading victims to safety. No one had been able to identify him, not even Jessica. He’d been known throughout the community solely as the spook .
Constance was still trying to hide her not-so-surreptitious glances when she noticed the hour and decided she’d better head home.
It took a while to get through the farewells, especially with the little ones. Daniel wanted to know if Jules could come to school, even though he wasn’t a regular student and didn’t live in Mount Joy. Apparently the idea had just come to them. Constance could only imagine the trouble the two would get into together. Even so, she couldn’t say no. Both boys stormed out whooping and hollering, announcing they were going to catch fireflies. Of course, Rebecca and Lauren wanted to catch fireflies too, and that meant Lucy, the young woman who looked after them, had to go along. But Lucy was nowhere to be found. Once Jessica took the children away to look for Lucy, Constance was finally able to slip out.
She was almost through the house, by the rear entrance, when Emily caught up to her.
“I’ll walk to the barn with you,” Emily said. “My legs will atrophy if I sit in that parlor one more minute. It seems like that’s all we’ve done for the last four days. And if I have to listen to Trent and Julien talking about the nasty Klan one more minute, I swear I’ll scream.”
Constance smiled. She was used to Emily’s exaggerations. “Your family is wonderful. I’m glad I finally got to meet them.”
“Julien is a handsome devil, isn’t he?” Emily’s eyes sparkled as she stuck her arm through Constance’s and drew her through the door and onto the white pebbled path—a quite long path—that led to the stable yard.
Constance prayed the setting sun hid her blush. To think that Emily had noticed her staring at Julien was embarrassing enough. She could only hope no one else had.
“Wait ’til you meet his brother, Etienne,” Emily went on. “He’s expected later tonight—that is, if the train arrives on schedule, which it never does. My goodness, but that man… he is something! And so tall.” She blew out a breath. “I can’t wait until you see him. Then you’ll understand why Jessie and I are both half in love with him.”
For a second Constance was taken aback, but of course Emily was teasing. Playing along, Constance scoffed, “Emily! What will Trent say?”
Emily giggled. “It’s too bad, you know. Etienne is such an influential man, so successful and distinguished. He’s the superintendent at the military academy in Arlington, Virginia. Not only that, but he’s so good with children. Jessie and Julien’s kids adore him. So do mine, even though they don’t see him as often. They all call him Uncle Eddy. It’s a shame he isn’t married and has none of his own. Jessie says it’s hopeless. As much as she would like to see him settle down, she doesn’t think he ever will.”
“What’s wrong with him?” Constance blurted.
Emily laughed. “Good question. But you’re right, there must be something.”
There was something wrong with all men, something they kept hidden, something that only asserted itself in private with their wives. That is, except for Trent Emerson, because Constance knew Emily liked being alone with him. On the surface Jessica appeared happy—her story certainly made it seem like she was—but what if it was a front? Lots of women put on an act in public. Constance’s own mother had been a prime example of that. While growing up, Constance hadn’t realized it. She’d figured it out once she’d been married herself. What if, behind closed doors, Julien Grace was just like…
“Do you know that years before she met Julien, Jessica had a crush on Harry
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