15. Ambrose #2
Leaving my room, I made my way downstairs, taking the steps one at a time as I tried to calm myself.
Outside, Father was talking with our driver.
That allowed me to stall and prepare to ride in the carriage with him.
When I looked at Emiline, she regarded me softly, seeming to forget how I went off on her.
“I’m sorry,” I told her, taking her hand. “You didn’t deserve my anger.”
She squeezed my fingers. “I understand, Amby. Just… think about it. About your own choices. Can you do that for your big sister?”
I moved to give her a tight hug before kissing her cheek. “Yes, just for you.”
“Have a good time.”
As I let her go and stepped away, my mind tumbled over the idea of choosing Zeth.
Despite what she said, it felt impossible.
I took in a deep breath as she left to go inside, and blew it out as I made my way to the carriage.
When I found my father waiting inside, I hesitated.
This was the first choice I had to make.
I could tell him I had other plans here.
I didn’t have to go to town with him at all.
“Get in, Ambrose.” Father gestured at the seat inside the carriage.
I tensed but obeyed, like the good son I was, and climbed into the carriage to sit opposite him.
Once our driver closed the door, we were off to the Winters estate.
And afterward? God only knew. I only hoped it wasn’t a trip to the bank.
That was the last place I wanted to be on my day off, and forcing Annabelle to sit through a tour of Father’s banking empire would be miserable.
For a long while, we sat in silence. Father and I never had anything to talk about unless it was business or upcoming events he expected me to attend. It had been a week since the argument at the breakfast table, but Father either ignored it or forgot about it. He always did.
I sat stiff, my hands clasped tightly together between my knees, and stared out the window at the green fields. Then Father sighed that heavy sigh he gave before lectures, and I sat straighter, preparing.
“Ambrose…” he started.
I looked up at him, waiting, but he hesitated as he smoothed his fingers against his curled mustache.
“Yes?” I asked.
He avoided my eyes and crossed his legs as he gazed out the window. “I heard you and Miss Winters went shopping the other day.”
Relieved that he chose not to lecture me, I nodded. “We did.”“It seems you’re doing well in spending time with her,” he finally said, smiling, and I desperately wished that smile didn’t make me feel as good as it did.
“Thank you,” I said, my lips twitching. Five minutes of approval from my father was better than none… until I realized it came with a wave of sickness, because I was lying to my father’s face.
“I have brief business at the bank today. Miss Winters makes it a habit to go into town every Sunday. We will stop by her house on the way and see if she would like a ride. And you…” He stopped short, and I blinked at him, waiting for instructions.
He cleared his throat, “I shouldn’t be there more than an hour. ”
“Sure,” I said, trying to sound chipper. If Annabelle even agreed to go with us, we’d only end up shopping as we did the other day. As friends.
Emiline’s words about locking my own cage whirled in my head. It was clear she wanted me to choose Zeth, but after enduring his talk about courting Annabelle at the pub, there was no doubt where my choice lay.
Swallowing the bile rising in my throat, I said, “I’m ready… to begin training tomorrow. With Mr. Dawsey, correct?”
Father’s brow raised high, and for a moment, he looked pleased. But then he frowned, as if I’d said something wrong, and nodded. “Yes. You will train in the mornings.”
Nothing else was said on our awkward ride to Annabelle’s house.
My body slumped into a dark hole along with my mind.
I wasn’t sure what I expected from my father.
Perhaps more recognition that I was back to being the obedient son again.
But he only adjusted his tie and peered out the carriage window.
The momentary joy of experiencing my father’s approval evaporated.
The stretch to Annabelle’s house was absolute torture, and when her big brick house finally came into view, my stomach knotted as it hit me. Annabelle might tell my father that we were only friends. She might excitedly tell us both of Zeth’s courtship.
My face grew hot, the bile returning. When the carriage stopped, I got out first and stood still on the gravel drive, swallowing hard to keep down my breakfast. The wind blew the pink blooms of cherry trees our way, and with it came a few sprinkles of rain.
Good. That was calming and helped tremendously as I closed my eyes to settle my stomach. I listened to the carriage rattle as Father joined me.
Then the door of Annabelle’s house opened, and she walked out in friendly greeting with one of her maids trailing behind.
“Mr. Somerset, Amby, what brings you out this way?”
“We were just on our way into town, Miss Winters,” Father answered, before turning to me expectantly.
I nodded. “We wanted to see if you’d like a ride with us for the day. Unless you’re busy, of course.”
“Oh, that sounds lovely! I have some social calls to make, and as they say, the more, the merrier. I’ll simply freshen up. Please, enjoy the porch chairs.”
She made for the door, and I was left standing alone with my father once again.
As I made my way up the steps to her porch, I realized how awful it would be for Annabelle if she honestly liked Zeth, only for it to be nothing more than a ruse.
A lie. A con. With Annabelle and me becoming friends, would I be able to keep a straight face if I saw her on Zeth’s arm in town? At Chapel? With kids?
A pang struck me so hard across my collarbone that I rubbed it. I leaned against the white column beneath the porch and frowned as I surveyed Annabelle’s land. When the rain finally let out from the heavy clouds, I let out a sigh, welcoming it.
***
The rain drenched our carriage as Annabelle and Father chatted the entire way to town.
There wasn’t a topic uncovered, from the bank to both of our lands, to the salon coming up, and finally the Founders Day Festival.
She would be helping tie the colorful ribbons to the Everdeen Oak, the centerpiece of the festival.
I was hardly part of the conversation. Every time I tried to chime in with my own thoughts, my father would speak over me instead.
Finally, I gave up and turned to look out the window.
Annabelle and my father got along so well.
Perhaps they should just marry instead. After all, he was still capable of producing more offspring.
She could give him another son who might actually be interested in the bank.
The corner of my mouth twitched imagining the ridiculous pairing.
As we came into town, the rain finally subsided and the sun peeked out from the clouds.
When I glimpsed the colorful chipped door of the laundry, my heart sped up.
I peered out the window to try and see if Zeth was around.
There was no movement in front of the shop, nor the window, but a flash of white on the roof caught my eye.
There Zeth was, standing with Todd on the flat roof of the laundry in rugged trousers, a sleeveless undershirt, and suspenders.
Instant memories of us in the barn flooded back to me. Of his hand tightening in my hair, of his lips on mine, of his warm embrace…
“Oh, this is right where I need to be!” Annabelle exclaimed, and Father quickly tapped the roof of the carriage to stop it.
“Is there a shop you want to visit on Main?” I asked.
“I came here to see Millie and Zeth. They’re my top priority today.”
Father inclined his head to Annabelle, but his eyes narrowed on me. I couldn’t help but wonder what he thought of Annabelle’s behavior. Perhaps he remembered that Zeth was pursuing her as well, but he didn’t comment as the carriage halted and our driver came around to open the door.
I followed Annabelle out and inspected the wet street, then tilted my head up at the roof.
When Todd moved to examine the sheeting, Zeth followed, standing precariously close to the edge.
My stomach flipped, and I took a nervous step forward.
It had to be slick up there after the rain.
Zeth could slip and fall easily. But the roof was flat, and he seemed confident.
I couldn’t help but admire him in a sodden white undershirt with suspenders.
The defined muscles in his bare arms shimmered with rain, and his hair was damp and messy.
I watched the hollow of his throat work as he spoke to Todd.
I groaned, low enough so my father couldn’t hear.
I couldn’t help myself. The man was absolutely alluring.
Even if I wanted to avoid him, I couldn’t.
And if I remained friends with Annabelle, it would make things much harder on me than I thought.
I couldn’t simply say goodbye to Zeth if he kept popping up in my life every other day.
Hopefully, whatever god was out there might grant me mercy as I stood on this damp street with my father while such a beautiful sight worked from above. As far as I was concerned, Zeth was the only god I could see.
“What are you all doing here?” I heard Millie call out.
Lowering my gaze, I found her holding the shop’s door open with a bright grin.
Her unkempt curls flew away from her face in the breeze, and her brown riding skirt was just her style.
Though grown and much prettier, Millie still reminded me of the girl who would stop what she was doing to chase frogs.
Annabelle appeared in good humor as she made her way up the walkway. “Amby and his father offered me a ride into town, and we thought we’d stop to say hello.”