Chapter Twenty-Six
A CRASH CAME FROM THE parlor, and Father shot to his feet from the supper table. Had he his gun on him, no doubt he would have pulled it. “Did you reset your trap after we came in?”
Nora couldn’t blame him for his twitchiness.
He’d always been quick to fear the worst, and now he’d found his daughter at a piano with a strange man.
Such blatant disregard for the rules must mean danger would knock on their door any second.
It was probably best if Nora kept to herself the sensations of being watched, her multiple Winston sightings, and the nightmare attack.
They would only provide Father more support for the eventual argument against her involvement with Ezekiel.
Or they’d encourage him to whisk them away to a new life in a new town again.
She poured a mug of coffee for herself and for Father. “It sounds like Tristan knocked over the begonia again. He’s decided he likes the table in front of the window best and doesn’t like sharing space with the plant.”
Father eased back into his chair. “How did we end up with that cat? You don’t even like pets.”
Technically she’d never had a pet to like or dislike. Her only experience had been with Flossie’s dog until Tristan, and she was most definitely not a dog person.
“The cat is Ez—Mr. Beaumont’s, and you ran him off so quickly he forgot Tristan.”
“Or left him behind so we have no choice but to return that devil’s spawn.”
Nora chuckled. Beast. Demon-cat. Devil’s spawn.
Tristan certainly was not in the habit of making good impressions.
As far as Ezekiel went, his return to ensure her safety and then request she keep Tristan for protection only proved the lack of a premeditated scheme.
Poor Ezekiel. He’d truly been worried. She’d grown up familiar with Father’s quick temper that flared when anything threatened his perception of her safety.
Experience had taught her to let it burn out, then attempt a reasonable conversation.
“You did breathe fire at him. I thought he handled the situation fairly well, considering I hadn’t warned him what a dragon you can be when afraid for me.”
“I am not a dragon. I am a father who almost lost his daughter once and does not ever want to endure that again.”
Nora laid her hand atop his. “I know, and you’ve done a marvelous job of keeping me safe all these years, but sometimes you are overbearing.
” She returned the coffeepot to the stove.
“I’m twenty-three, and you’ve trained me well.
Don’t you trust me to judge and test a man’s character before allowing him even to speak of courtship? ”
A low growl rumbled in his throat before he took a drink.
“You and Tristan sound just alike with all that grumbling and growling. If you start hissing, I’ll have to set you to work catching mice.”
Even as he glared at her, she could see his temper cooling.
“Who is he, how did you meet, and how long have you known him?”
Nora sat and wrapped her hands around the mug to give them something to do other than reveal her nervousness.
“His name is Ezekiel Beaumont, and I met him at Longview four months ago while visiting Mum.” Granted, she’d only allowed his friendship for the last week, but it looked better for her and Ezekiel if she included the months of her avoiding his acquaintance.
“Longview? You met the man at the asylum?”
“He’s not a patient. His mum is. She suffers from low spirits.”
“Nora, the man could inherit his mother’s problems.”
“Just as I can inherit mine.” She dropped her gaze to the black liquid.
He didn’t need to see that the madness was already starting—that no matter how he tried, he was losing his daughter like he’d lost his wife.
“He’s a good man with the unique ability to understand the hurts and loneliness of having a parent in Longview.
With him, I don’t have to pretend she doesn’t exist.”
“The men I’ve chosen have been good men too. You just haven’t given them a chance.”
She met his eyes. “You only choose your colleagues, who have no love of music, abhor the opera, and look down their noses at those who even dare to make their livelihood from either. If they knew the truth about us, it would be us they disliked. I know you are trying to keep me safe, but I cannot force myself to be someone I’m not.
My soul needs to sing. Music is as much a part of me as it is Mum.
I can’t live my entire life in this forced silence.
Marriage is forever, and I don’t want to be in a prison of hiding who I am, who I love, and what I love. ”
“Is that what you think? That I’m forcing you into a prison?”
“No, but if you keep a songbird hidden in a covered cage forever, eventually their music dies . . . and so do they.”
He pushed his mug away and held his head in his hands. He groaned her name. “What do you want me to say?
“I want you to agree to lunch with Ezekiel.”
His gaze narrowed. “Ezekiel?”
“Yes, Ezekiel. He earned that right this week when he stood by my side and supported me through the worst day of my life.” Her throat clogged, and those dratted tears were back.
“I’m no longer allowed to visit Mum. She’s gotten worse and is claiming to be Katherine Yates.
They blame me for it.” The sobs erupted without her leave, and they were impossible to stop.
Father came around and cradled her like he had when she was a child. She might be an adult, but oh, how she still needed the comfort only her father could provide. Her tears depleted quickly, and soon they were both back to cupping their cooled mugs.
“Who is she, Father? Who is Katherine Yates?”
“A woman from your mother’s past who needs to stay there. Now tell the truth. This young man—do you really want to court him?”
Was that a tactical redirection to avoid telling her more about Katherine Yates?
Should she push for an answer and possibly miss her one chance to convince Father to allow her to choose her own suitor?
If necessary, she could go her whole life without knowing who Katherine was, but she couldn’t go the rest of her life without Ezekiel in it.
“I do, but part of me is afraid I’ll turn into Mum, and—” She stopped herself from saying he’ll abandon me like you did Mum. “I don’t want him to go through what we have.”
“I don’t think that will happen, but if he’s a man worthy of you, he’ll stand by your side regardless.
” His eyes grew distant. Was he feeling guilty for having never visited Mum?
He shook his head and gave a resigned sigh.
“Send a note to your Ezekiel. We will join him at church and lunch following.”
Nora bounced from her chair and bussed him on the cheek. “Thank you, Father.”
“Don’t thank me yet. I have every intention of spouting fire until he’s either charred to bits or proven himself capable of withstanding the heat. I’m going to lie down. Do try to keep that cat from creating any more messes or attacking me while I sleep.”
“I’ll do my best, but I make no promises.”
“Maybe we ought to keep him. If Winston were ever to come around, that devil’s spawn would do a fine job of defending you.”
Now there was a thought. What would Ezekiel think if she claimed Tristan for her own? At least until Mrs. Beaumont returned home. It certainly would be a comfort to have a cat around to confirm what was real and what was her imagination.