Henshaw . Paul’s a big help to Joe in the garden, aren’t you? ” Will said in the pat ient tone one used with the dull -witted.
Taking the hint, Julia bestowed a smile on Paul . She wouldn’t ha ve noticed the nondescript figure if he hadn’t summoned her. Scarcely any taller than she , his thin face dripped with sweat, and he badly needed a haircut. Scraggly brown locks stuck to his forehead and his neck. The bilious green shirt and pants he wore li ke a uniform hung on him . The only feature that caught her atte ntion was his tawny tiger-eyes , like finding an exotic orchid in a patch of dandelions.
Her innate sympathy w ent out to him and she extended her hand. “I’m glad to meet you Paul. Please call me Julia.”
He grasped her fingers in his grubby paw . “YYY –– Y ou’re like the lady in the picture .”
S he cocked her head at him . “What picture is that? ”
Will shrugged his lack of knowledge.
“YYY –– Y ou’ll see.” A feline intensity entered Paul’s yellowish-brown eyes. “TTT –– T hat Lyle man said something bad about yyy –– you .”
“It’s OK, Paul. I’m sure Mr. McChesney didn’t mean to hurt my feelings.”
“HHH –– H e wants you for hhh –– himself,” Paul insisted.
Julia had no idea what to say .
Giving the awkward youth a pat on his non existent shoulders, Will interjected, “Don’t worry, Paul. W e’ll take good care of Miss Morrow, won’t we? ”
Paul nodded. His rapt gaze never left Julia and made her squirm.
“Why don’t you take your break now, Paul? Go get one of those orange sodas you like from the rest station. ” Will nudged Julia toward the steps.
“Bye, Paul . ” She moun ted the three brick tiers beside Will. “Poor fellow. You’re kind to employ him. He seems terribly slow.”
“ He is , a nd he isn’t. Paul learns quickly, has a memory like an elephant.”
“Where does he live?”
“In a run do wn trailer with his grandmother . Paul’s father took off after his conception, his mother soon after his birth . Grandma feeds him junk and lets him roam the countryside . He frightened the life out of some pe ople appearing in their yards. After a stint in Juvie , S ocial services approached me this spring about offering him part time work . Joe gives him a ride and welcome s his help in the garden. Dave tolerates him. ”
“So you h ave three grounds men counting Paul , Lyle laying brick, Charlotte and her husband giving tou rs of the house . Any other employees I should be aware of ?”
“Another brick mason, Ron Brown , also does carpentry . His s isters, Ruth and Evelyn , sell tickets for th e house and run the gift shop. Both can do tours in a pinch . T hat’s the staff, counting yo u. I cut back in the off season .”
Julia squinted up at Will in the bright sunshine . H ow blindingly handsome he was . “Will you cut me?”
“Do you want to stay on?”
“More than anything, b ut my parents would have fits.”
“We’ll worry about that when the time comes.”
“You’re so sensible. I wish I were . ” Julia was more like the wind and he the sturdy rock she blew around.
“Life has a way of working out.” Will step ped through the impressive carved door way into the house. He swept her up the passage way and into the great hall. Giving a wave to Charlotte and the next tour, he passed through the assembly and escorted Julia up the superb c urved staircase .
A sea of eyes followed their progress ion . She envied Will’s elegance . There was a natural grace to his movements that seemed to elude her. At least she didn’t trip.
He strode with her down the upstairs hall, past his bedroom, the bathroom, kitchen, living room and stopped at the end of the m ain passage. “Here we are.” The steps leading to the third level were steep and dimly lit .
Gesturing her ahead of him , he said, “Watch yourself .”
S he mounted carefully with Will climbing just behind to catch her if she
Taking the hint, Julia bestowed a smile on Paul . She wouldn’t ha ve noticed the nondescript figure if he hadn’t summoned her. Scarcely any taller than she , his thin face dripped with sweat, and he badly needed a haircut. Scraggly brown locks stuck to his forehead and his neck. The bilious green shirt and pants he wore li ke a uniform hung on him . The only feature that caught her atte ntion was his tawny tiger-eyes , like finding an exotic orchid in a patch of dandelions.
Her innate sympathy w ent out to him and she extended her hand. “I’m glad to meet you Paul. Please call me Julia.”
He grasped her fingers in his grubby paw . “YYY –– Y ou’re like the lady in the picture .”
S he cocked her head at him . “What picture is that? ”
Will shrugged his lack of knowledge.
“YYY –– Y ou’ll see.” A feline intensity entered Paul’s yellowish-brown eyes. “TTT –– T hat Lyle man said something bad about yyy –– you .”
“It’s OK, Paul. I’m sure Mr. McChesney didn’t mean to hurt my feelings.”
“HHH –– H e wants you for hhh –– himself,” Paul insisted.
Julia had no idea what to say .
Giving the awkward youth a pat on his non existent shoulders, Will interjected, “Don’t worry, Paul. W e’ll take good care of Miss Morrow, won’t we? ”
Paul nodded. His rapt gaze never left Julia and made her squirm.
“Why don’t you take your break now, Paul? Go get one of those orange sodas you like from the rest station. ” Will nudged Julia toward the steps.
“Bye, Paul . ” She moun ted the three brick tiers beside Will. “Poor fellow. You’re kind to employ him. He seems terribly slow.”
“ He is , a nd he isn’t. Paul learns quickly, has a memory like an elephant.”
“Where does he live?”
“In a run do wn trailer with his grandmother . Paul’s father took off after his conception, his mother soon after his birth . Grandma feeds him junk and lets him roam the countryside . He frightened the life out of some pe ople appearing in their yards. After a stint in Juvie , S ocial services approached me this spring about offering him part time work . Joe gives him a ride and welcome s his help in the garden. Dave tolerates him. ”
“So you h ave three grounds men counting Paul , Lyle laying brick, Charlotte and her husband giving tou rs of the house . Any other employees I should be aware of ?”
“Another brick mason, Ron Brown , also does carpentry . His s isters, Ruth and Evelyn , sell tickets for th e house and run the gift shop. Both can do tours in a pinch . T hat’s the staff, counting yo u. I cut back in the off season .”
Julia squinted up at Will in the bright sunshine . H ow blindingly handsome he was . “Will you cut me?”
“Do you want to stay on?”
“More than anything, b ut my parents would have fits.”
“We’ll worry about that when the time comes.”
“You’re so sensible. I wish I were . ” Julia was more like the wind and he the sturdy rock she blew around.
“Life has a way of working out.” Will step ped through the impressive carved door way into the house. He swept her up the passage way and into the great hall. Giving a wave to Charlotte and the next tour, he passed through the assembly and escorted Julia up the superb c urved staircase .
A sea of eyes followed their progress ion . She envied Will’s elegance . There was a natural grace to his movements that seemed to elude her. At least she didn’t trip.
He strode with her down the upstairs hall, past his bedroom, the bathroom, kitchen, living room and stopped at the end of the m ain passage. “Here we are.” The steps leading to the third level were steep and dimly lit .
Gesturing her ahead of him , he said, “Watch yourself .”
S he mounted carefully with Will climbing just behind to catch her if she
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