"I remember you called him Chris. Was that for Christopher or Christian?" Melissa asked.
"Christian."
"Christian Scott would make a fine name," Melissa decided, after repeating it a few times. "If we have a son, I'll ask Ian if we might call him that."
"What a sweet idea," Rachel enthused. "I know we seldom speak of your family, Alanna, but they've not been forgotten."
That Melissa would even consider using her brother's name touched Alanna deeply. "Thank you," she murmured. "Do you have a name picked out for a girl?"
"No, we've really given no thought to names, but let's try and find some pretty ones now. I liked your sisters' names, Margaret and Mae, but perhaps you'd rather I didn't use those names, so that you could. After all, we don't want to give our children the same names, or they would never know who should answer when they are called."
"You should feel free to choose whatever names you please," Alanna assured her. "I've no plans to wed and have a family, so I'll have no need of names."
Rachel and her daughter exchanged an exasperated glance, for they had heard Alanna express the same sorry sentiment before, and had believed her then no more than they did now. "Let's just wait and see," Rachel mused thoughtfully. "We've seen a great deal of Lieutenant Tyler of late, and perhaps you'll grow fond of him."
Since the wedding in May, Graham had been far less talkative and much better company, but Alanna had never flirted with him, nor given him any reason to believe they were more than friends. She only saw him on Sundays when he came to the house for dinner after church, but it had always been with Melissa and Ian, and she considered him more Ian's friend than hers. She had seen sly glances pass between her cousin and aunt, and wondered if she had somehow given them the wrong impression, then Graham might misunderstand her views, too.
The following Sunday Graham was again invited to come for dinner, and Alanna felt uneasy throughout the meal. If Graham had mentioned that he would like to ask for permission to call on her the way Randolph O'Neil had, she would have had the perfect opportunity to explain she had no desire for beaus. He had not done so, however, and it struck her as absurd to announce to a man who had never expressed an interest in courting her, that she had no wish to become his wife.
She looked up to find him watching her and tried to smile. The night of the Governor's Ball he had commented upon her reluctance to be with him, but she had been so worried about Melissa disappearing, she had brushed his question aside. Such haste to avoid personal topics now seemed unforgivably rude, but she was grateful he had not expressed his feelings again. After dinner, when he asked if she would like to join Melissa and Ian for a walk down by the river, she felt relaxed enough around him to accept.
Melissa and Ian walked only as far as the river's edge, however, before they chose a spot to sit and rest, but at Graham's urging, Alanna led him toward a winding trial that bordered the river for miles. It was wide enough for two people to walk side by side comfortably, and they strolled for some distance before Graham spoke.
"I know compliments make you cringe, but that dress is one of my favorites. The violets almost appear real."
"Thank you. I don't mean to cringe, Lieutenant. I'm sorry if I've offended you in the past."
"If you'd offended me, I'd not be with you here now, would I?"
"I'm afraid I know so little about men that I'm not sure."
Thinking she was teasing him, Graham laughed. "I keep forgetting that you're a year younger than Melissa. You're so much more mature in your attitudes that I thought you were the eldest, until Ian explained otherwise."
"You've talked to Ian about me?"
"Of course. I can't believe that you and Melissa haven't once talked about me."
Now it was Alanna who couldn't suppress a smile. "Yes, I'll admit upon occasion we have."
"And what do you say?"
Alanna knew Graham was providing her with the perfect opportunity to confide her desire to remain unmarried, but at the same time, she feared expressing it would be as rude as many of the other thoughtless remarks she had made to him. "I'd really rather not say," she finally replied. "This has been an especially pretty summer, hasn't it?"
Graham stopped abruptly and, afraid Alanna would walk right on by him, he put out his arm to stop her. "Please, if you would only give me some slight hope that you like me, it would mean so much to me."
Graham's expression was painfully sincere, but Alanna could not begin to understand how desperate he felt. "I do like you, Lieutenant. You're a very nice man."
"If a bit too talkative?"
"I shouldn't have said that."
"No, I disagree. You must always tell me precisely what you think and feel, or I'll never learn how to please you."
"Is pleasing me so very important to you?"
"Oh, yes, you mean the world to me."
Graham was attractive, pleasant, and kind, but Alanna felt not the smallest stirrings of affection for him. Melissa and Ian were always touching, hugging, and kissing, if they thought no one was watching them. She understood how much pleasure each received from being with the other, because it was obvious in their expression and manner, but she felt no such joy with Graham.