20. Chapter 20 #2
"I knew I'd like you." Grandpa Clem, his wiry physique looking like a twig next to the massive oak of her da, shuffled around Zane to smack Patrick Quinn on the shoulder as if they were old friends.
Then he stuck out his hand. "Clem Erickson.
" He nodded toward Zane. "My grandson, Zane.
He'll recover in a minute. He's not as used to blusterin' threats as I am. "
"Ye hurt me girl, and it won't be bluster fer long." Da took the man's hand and gave it the vise treatment.
Grandpa Clem didn't so much as wince. He winked instead. "Good thing we're on the same side then, ain't it?"
Da chuckled as he released Grandpa Clem's hand, but his gaze narrowed when he turned his attention to Zane. He crossed his arms over his muscled chest. "I got a grandson of me own, and he tells me ye think to court my Muriel. That true?"
Zane stood straight and tall and closed the distance between them. "Yes, sir. If she'll have me."
Muriel's pulse throbbed as she held her breath. Please, Da. Ye know how much he means to me.
"If she'll have ye? Son, she left her family and completely changed who she was in order to have ye. I thought architects were supposed to be smarter than that."
Grandpa Clem hooted. "Well, the boy's still an apprentice. Quick learner, though." He aimed a warm smile at Zane then shot a challenging glance at her da. "Smart enough to care more about a gal's heart than her penchant for playactin'."
Da's nostrils flared at the less-than-favorable, yet accurate, description. After a heartbeat, he released his breath and grinned. "Well, then." He extended his hand to Zane. "I'm pleased to know ye, Zane. Ye're comin' to the house fer supper, aren't ye?"
Zane clasped Da's hand and pumped his arm, a broad smile stretching across his face. "Yes, sir. Wouldn't miss it."
"Good. I've a heap o' questions I been savin' up to ask ye."
Zane's Adam's apple bobbed, but he held her da's gaze, something many men failed to do. "I'll be happy to answer them."
How she loved being home again, squished between family around the table.
Zane and Grandpa Clem joined right in, holding hands with the others as Da blessed the meal, passing around food bowls, and laughing with the same vigor as the rest of the clan.
More than once, Zane met her gaze from across the table, his eyes alight with an emotion far too deep to be politeness.
The words he'd said to Fletcher on the beach yesterday rang again in her ears. How he wanted a family like the Quinns. Close. Supportive. Full of love. One that valued relationship over social status and whose riches came from time spent together instead of money earned through investments.
Perhaps she had more to offer him than she'd thought. More than just her heart.
After supper, Da challenged the menfolk to a game of pitching horseshoes in the front yard while Muriel and Alana cleared the table and cleaned the kitchen. Fletcher joined the outdoor fun, and Liam even took the wee girlies out with him to give Alana a break.
"Your Liam's a good man," Muriel said with a smile as the laughter escalated.
Alana nodded, a fond look in her eyes as she rummaged in the dishwater for the next plate to scrub. "That he is." She cast a sideways look at Muriel. "Your Zane seems mighty taken with ye. But will his family approve?"
Muriel's smile dimmed. "His da doesn't. That much we know already. His ma is kinder. She's throwin' me a party on Tuesday. Plannin' to win her friends over by showin' off me singin' voice."
Alana didn't look impressed. Her hands slowed in their washing, and she leveled a serious look at Muriel. "Ye're more than just yer voice. Ye know that, don't ye?"
Touched by her sister's thoughtfulness, Muriel nodded. "Aye. But if me voice can make things easier for Zane, I'll gladly put it to use. Bein' with me's gonna cost him a great deal, Alana. It's already cost him his da's good opinion. Could cost him his inheritance, his connections, his friends."
Though some of his friends might not be missed as much as others. Muriel wouldn't shed any tears over havin' to disassociate with the clingy Miss Constance.
"True friends will stand by him," Alana said, "no matter who he marries."
Marries. A delicious shiver ran along Muriel's nape.
She'd been careful not to let her dreams jump too far ahead, but Alana's simple statement opened a floodgate of desires.
Zane coming home to her every night, her making their supper, the two of them playing duets on recorders in the evening.
Goodnight kisses. Good morning kisses. Good-to-see-you-any-time-of-day kisses.
Muriel fell silent, too full of daydreams to chatter while they finished the dishes. Yet, as the last plate settled atop the stack in the cupboard, the bubble of her daydreams popped. She'd postponed the unpleasant task as long as possible, but she couldn't put it off any longer.
She folded her drying towel then placed a hand on Alana's arm. "Before ye head home, I need to have a word with ye and Da. In private."
Alana searched Muriel's face for answers she'd not find until they spoke, but she nodded. "All right."
"I'll fetch Da. We can talk in his room."
Zane spotted her when she exited the house and made his way over to her. "Grandpa Clem and Fletcher are in a showdown." His eyes glowed with such joy, her heart leapt in response. He must have seen something in her gaze, though, for his expression grew serious. "What is it?"
"I need to tell them 'bout Mrs. Underhill's threats. Put them on their guard. Just in case we don't get the journal back."
Zane nodded in understanding. "Want me to come with you?"
A part of her did. Having him at her side, infusing his strength into her, would be a boon. But she shook her head. "Not this time. They don't know ye well yet, and havin' ye there might keep them from sharin' their true thoughts." Like how disappointed they were in her.
"I understand. I'll keep things lively out here. We can talk more on the way back to the academy."
He'd volunteered his family buggy to help move her things home from the academy after lunch. Not that she had more than a single bag of belongings. But any chance to spend more time with him was welcome.
"Thank ye."
"Of course." He reached for her hand and rubbed his thumb over the back of it.
Tingles danced through her belly, and her chest warmed. Da sauntered over to them, eyebrow raised. Zane dropped her hand, and Muriel would have taken her da to task for his high-handed manner had she not needed him for other purposes.
"Da? Can I talk to ye fer a minute inside?"
He shot her a penetrating look and immediately nodded. "Lead the way, love."
Da and Alana already knew about her agreement to retrieve Mrs. Underhill's stolen journal, so Muriel skipped the background and got right to the point.
"Zane's da figured out who I was, who Da was, and called me bluff at dinner a few nights ago. He demanded that Zane have nothin' to do with me, called me a gold-digging Jezebel with nothin' to offer their family but a bucketful of lies."
Da's face turned an alarming shade of red, but he held his tongue, waiting for the rest of the tale.
"Zane defended me and stayed by me side through it all, but Mrs. Underhill .
. . when she found out, she threatened to ruin not only me, but the two of ye as well if I didn't find a way to get her journal.
She told me of her powerful friends and how she could arrange for rumors and planted evidence to discredit both ye, Da .
. ." She turned her attention to Alana. ". . . and Liam."
Muriel hung her head, shame hurting her heart.
"Ye were right, Da. I never should've gotten involved with Mrs. Underhill.
She's vile and vicious and doesn't care who she hurts to get what she wants.
I don't care 'bout her blackenin' me name, but the thought of her harmin' either of ye .
. . it tears me up inside. Zane is gonna help me find the journal, but there's a chance his da's hidden it where we won't find it.
I needed to warn ye of the storm brewin'. Give ye time to batten the hatches."
"Muriel. Look at me." Her da's voice brooked no argument.
She tipped up her chin.
"I can fight me own battles, love. Ye don't need to fight 'em fer me. I can handle a few rumors. Even if this Underhill woman succeeds in ruinin' me reputation, I'll find me way. Maybe not here, but here's not the only place a man with my skills can work. I trust the Lord to provide."
"As do I," Alana said, her tone fierce. "This matchmaker wouldn't be the first snooty woman to try to blame Liam for something going missing at the hotel.
" She pushed up from the edge of the bed where she'd been sitting and stood like a soldier awaiting inspection.
"Quinns don't cower. Nor do we throw our little sisters to the wolves to save our own skins.
We stand together. Faith and family. Forever. "
Da rose to his feet as well. "Aye. Faith and family." He held out his hand to Muriel. "'The Lord is on my side,'" he quoted, "'I will not fear: what can man do unto me?'"
Muriel blinked back tears as she stood and clasped first her da's hand and then her sister's.
What could man—or woman—do to them? She prayed the answer would be nothing, but deep down she couldn't shake the fear that they were about to find out just how terrible the answer to that question could be.