Something Scandalous

She glanced down and watched as the children and William crowded into two carriages. As the coaches drove down the street, she raced to the boys’ room. She would check for any panels in the walls or by the fireplace, and if she had time, she would check for secret compartments in all the bureaus.

She would find that diary, and discover who she was.

Will breathed in deeply and tried to remember his stepmother’s words about patience being the friend of wisdom, or something to that effect. “Boys, stay still or we will return to the house immediately,” he barked.

So much for wisdom today, he thought.

Michael and Ethan gave each other one more slap to the thigh.

“Boys!”

Ethan’s blue eyes widened in trepidation. “I’m sorry, Will. Michael keeps pestering me today.”

“And what do you have to say for yourself, Michael?” Will asked, using his best father voice.

“I hate it here, Will. I want to go back home. I want to…”

“To what?”

Michael looked down at his legs. “I want to do chores, again. I want to go fishing and hunting with you.”

James shook his head. “I love it here. No chores, only learning.”

Will sighed. He should have realized it was boredom making the boys act out. While James, Lucy, and Ellie loved not having to do their chores, the work helped to tire the younger boys. He would have to find something for them to do that would keep them active.

“Look at the swans!”

Will glanced over at the other carriage where Sarah sat, pointing to the body of water with ducks and swans. He could feel her excitement even from this distance. A few riders passed them and nodded. He doubted any of them knew to whom they nodded and waved, but he reciprocated the gestures. He just had to play their games for a few months, and then he could return home.

And if he was lucky, Abigail would be waiting for him.

Abigail.

He hadn’t thought of her in days. Could he be forgetting about her? The thought was like a cold bucket of water over his head. Wasn’t the heart supposed to grow fonder with distance?

His heart wasn’t, and that terrified him.

She was supposed to be his wife. Forever. And yet the more time he spent away from her, the more he thought about her faults, and not all her good points.

“Will?”

Will looked over at Ellie and said, “Yes?”

“It’s getting rather dark. I think we should return before it decides to rain on us.”

He tilted back his head and realized his sister was correct. After ordering the carriage home, his thoughts returned to Abigail. Distance had to be the problem. Once he arrived in Virginia, he would call on her and court her until she agreed to marry him.

In fact, when he returned to the house, he would write her a long letter. While communicating would still be difficult with the distance, at least this would keep him in her heart.

Just as they arrived home, fat raindrops fell on their heads. The boys shouted and Sarah laughed, while Lucy and Ellie shrieked. They all raced to the door as the butler opened it for them.

A door slammed upstairs and Elizabeth raced to the stairway. “You are home already?”

Will chuckled as he glanced up to see Elizabeth’s red tresses falling out of her stylish chignon. Even from here, he could see she could not have called upon her friend. “What happened to you?”

“What do you mean?”

“I thought you were going to call on a friend while we were at the park?”