“Can I ask you something? Something personal?” he asked, his green eyes seeming to peer right through her.
“You can ask me anything.” Her voice was a whisper fluttering on the wind.
His lips didn’t move for a long while, as if he still wasn’t sure whether or not he should ask. Eventually, he said, “When I kiss you, when I touch you… is it… difficult?”
Her answer came quickly. “Not at all,” she replied, and she could see surprise in his eyes at first but then acceptance that she was being honest. She broke the trance and looked away. “I thought at first it would be. That is… for all of those years, I thought I would never be able to be intimate with anyone. But then, as you know, there was Ezra. And that was not at all what I was expecting either. But it wasn’t the same as… before.” The box was attempting to open, and she needed to find a way to slam it shut
Meg had hoped Charlie might feel up to driving, but he had declined stating he still didn’t feel as coordinated as he would like in order to captain a motor coach. It ended up working in her favor anyway, however, since she was able to sit in the back with him, holding his hand, as the driver he introduced as Bix steered them along the streets of New York.She had gone out once a few days earlier with Mrs. Ashton to a dress shop and lunch, though Grace had declined, so some of these buildings looked familiar. However, she truly had no idea if this was the same way they had come or not. She’d been so concerned with leaving a good impression on her soon-to-be mother-in-law, she’d not been paying as much attention as she’d have liked. Now, the top was down on the automobile, and she was able to peer up at buildings that seemed to touch the sky, wondering in awe, and thankful for a multitude of hatpins.“The toy store is just up this way,&rdqu
Once they had their packages, they headed for the door, and Bix immediately took everything but the bear and slid it into the trunk, as Charlie and Meg returned to their seats in the back, the bear sitting on Meg’s knees.“You’re quite fond of that fellow, aren’t you?” Charlie asked regarding the bear as Bix started the automobile.“He’s adorable,” Meg replied with a shrug. “Look at his cute little nose.”Charlie studied him for a moment. “He doesn’t look much like a Teddy to me, but then I was never good with names.”“Teddy?” Meg asked, looking at him with wide eyes. “What do you mean?”“All stuffed bears in America are named Teddy, don’t you know?”“What’s that now?”“Yes, they’re named after President Roosevelt.”Meg could scarcely believe her ears. “You name stuffe
“How are you?” Kelly asked, ushering them in.Before Meg had a chance to answer, Ruth, who had been playing on the floor nearby, crashed into her knees, nearly knocking her backward. “Aunt Meg!” the little girl shouted, her red curls bobbing about. “You’ve come to visit at last!”“Hello, Ruthie,” Meg said, scooping the child into her arms. “It’s so nice to see you.” She squeezed her as tightly as she dared. “How have you been?”“Good,” Ruth answered, but soon she was wiggling away, her arms outstretched, shouting, “Uncle Charlie!” and Charlie took her out of Meg’s arms, laughing at her excitement.“If it isn’t my little friend, Ruth. Have you seen any dolphins out your apartment window?” he asked, teasing her.“No, silly,” Ruth said, wrapping her chubby arms around his neck. “There’s no water ou
“Have you seen the papers?” Kelly asked, her face quite serious again, and Meg felt her stomach tighten as her friend stared into her eyes.“What papers?” Meg asked. “The ones about Titanic?’“No, the ones about you,” she replied, her eyes flittering to Charlie.“She hasn’t seen them,” he muttered, and Meg realized he must have read the newspapers himself.“What do they say?” Meg asked, feeling a bit of panic rising in her throat, wondering if someone had discovered where she was or had decided she’d committed some sort of violent crime or other atrocity.Kelly cleared her throat. “I have one. It’s weeks old, since it had to come across the Atlantic, and we all know how hazardous that can be.”“May I see it?”Kelly glanced at Charlie, who nodded at her, and then she crossed to her kitchen and returned in a moment
“Are you all right, Meg? You look a bit… green.”It was only slightly amusing to her that Charlie was so concerned about her coloring considering how many times recently she’d been worried that he had no color at all. “I’m fine, darling,” she said, quietly.“I’m sorry what was supposed to be a happy reunion has become so morbid and disconcerting,” Kelly offered. “Let me get you some water.”Before Meg could even respond whether or not she wanted any, a glass was thrust into her hand. She took a slow sip, and she vaguely heard Kelly going on about how lovely it was to have both cold and hot water from a tap in her very own kitchen, though she supposed it wasn’t really her kitchen since they were only living there on Charlie’s good graces, but it was still nice, as was the radiant heat and the bathroom facilities. They’d also met some lovely neighbors with a daughte
Charlie’s bed was large and plush, the sort of mattress you could sink into and never be found again if you tried hard enough. The furniture was opulent—much like the dining room table—and Meg wondered at how such a humble person could sleep surrounded by such finery. Surely, he hadn’t picked this décor out himself either.They were both fully dressed, the only parts currently touching were her hand and his forearm, though she would admit there had been some other contact earlier before he fell asleep. Carrie was seated on a settee just outside of the door, which was open, and she stood every once in a while and poked her head in, though Meg was well aware by her crooked grin they’d picked a chaperone more partial to their side than Mrs. Ashton’s. Nevertheless, when Jonathan arrived home from work, if he knew what they were up to, they’d both be scolded unmercifully if they had no chaperone whatsoever.Charlie had been a
Carrie stepped out of the way so that Charlie and Meg could follow Jonathan down the hallway toward the stairwell, and then the lady-in-waiting trailed until they reached the bottom of the stairs.“Are you certain you’re ready for this?” Charlie asked, pausing in the foyer to turn and face her.Meg nodded. “I assume it’s not the most difficult task I’ll be called upon to complete in the near future.” Thoughts of what it would be like if she had to testify against her uncle in court made her stomach lurch again.“True,” Charlie replied with a shrug. “You are planning on marrying me.”That was enough to make her giggle, and she playfully nudged him in the arm. “That wasn’t quite what I was referring to.”“Nevertheless….”“I’ll just wait for you here, miss,” Carrie said as she stepped out of the way.“You can hav
“What sort of trouble?” Mr. Halsey asked Charlie.Rather than answer, he deferred to Meg, glancing in her direction to let her know he assumed she could respond for herself. “The papers are reporting he is being investigated for money laundering amongst other things.”The lawyers looked at one another for a few moments before Mr. Halsey cleared his throat and said, “Generally speaking, under such circumstances, a convicted criminal appoints someone to handle his finances. I would assume your uncle would choose your mother, in which case she would essentially receive all of the contracted amount.”Meg thought that would likely be the case, and she wasn’t sure how she felt about it. She knew she could simply wait a bit longer before marrying Charlie so that neither of them got any of the money, but that was becoming less and less of an option with every moment she spent with Charlie.“What other questions did