"I fear Cameron must see to that now."
"Oh brother, my heart breaks for you. You would make the best father in the world."
"Thank you for that. Whatever would I do without you here to comfort me? My heart is broken too, but I am determined to recover. I have no high opinion of Olivia now, and I must learn not to love the memory of what I thought her to be." Hannish sighed. "I had such plans for our life here. Now I know not what to do with it all."
"Well, I still need a home as do you. Therefore, you must continue on as before and I will help. The servants need positions and this place needs hundreds of guests to entertain."
"True and perhaps you might fill the place with children someday. I can love your children just as well as my own." He stood up and pulled her to her feet. "Are you not hungry? I am starved."
*
"Telephone for you, Miss McKenna," Prescot said.
"For me?"
"Mrs. Whitfield, Miss."
"Thank you." She got up, walked to the wall phone in the upstairs sitting room and lifted the receiver. "Abigail… I am much improved, thank you…oh, he has? Paris is beautiful this time of year…quilting, oh yes I would love to…may I bring a guest?…thank you, I shall see you tomorrow then." Excited, she hurried down the stairs, knocked on the door and walked into the study. "Good news!"
"What?" Hannish asked, setting his fountain pen down.
"Charles Whitfield leaves tomorrow for Paris?"
"That is good news. I shall tell the lads they no longer have to watch the trees."
"Abigail has invited me to a quilting party tomorrow afternoon."
"Would you like me to go with you?"
"Nay, but I would like to take Charlotte. She loves to sew and can teach me if quilting is beyond my understanding."
"Charlotte will likely enjoy that. I have seen the quilts Abigail and her friends make, and they are quite nice. Next, you will want me to take you to town so you can buy up all the cloth you see."
"Would you? I've been longing to go and now that Charles will not be a bother…come to think of it, you need not go with me now, unless you want to."
He looked surprised. "Of course I want to, I have neglected you long enough. Will Saturday be soon enough? I must see about our dear Mr. Graham on Saturday anyway."
"You are not going to kill him, are you?"
Hannish chuckled. "Not unless he shoots first."
"Saturday is fine then." She kissed his cheek and went to find Charlotte.