Nathaniel bumped his back against the wall next to the fire. “Well, seeing as how Eliza will be your wife, she may not ever care to leave.” His voice bled sarcasm.
Thomas fought the urge to smack him. “I better be going.” He walked down the darkened hall toward the back door. Nathaniel followed him through the narrow hallway, the glowing candle painting the walls with light.
“How will you get home? Samuel could very likely still be on the street.” Nathaniel asked.
“I’ll go the back way.”
Thomas reached the door and put his hand on the cold handle, but before he turned it Nathaniel touched his arm.
“Since you’ll be sequestered from now on, I’ll be by more often. You can tell me what you need. The supplies, food, etcetera. If it’s all right with you, I’ll be by tomorrow sometime to hear how the girls take the news.”
“What news?” Thomas spat.
Nathaniel’s jeering tone relaxed Thomas’s startled nerves. “The news about your marriage. What else?”
“You are allowing people to believe that you and I are married?” Eliza could not believe the words that poured from her mouth. More than that, she could not believe the flutter of pleasure that spun behind her heart at such a shocking proclamation.
Thomas leaned against the table and gripped the oak with his palms, drumming on the bottom of it with his fingers.
“Yes,” he answered. “Knowing that they are still looking for us makes this a useful cover.” His harsh tone grated against her fragile security.
Pulling a long piece of brown yarn from her shawl, Eliza twisted and untwisted it around her little finger. She didn’t know what to say. Thomas had left earlier in such a storm she’d feared she’d done something to offend him. And when it was several hours before his return, both she and Kitty feared something had happened.
r /> And apparently it had.
He’d rushed into the house ten minutes earlier in a burst of cold air and stomped up the stairs to tell them of his dreadful adventure at Nathaniel’s.
It was just as they had suspected. Soldiers were looking for the man who had killed the sailor. Now none of them could leave the house for fear of being apprehended. The news came as quite a blow and renewed her harbored fears.
“I’m sorry, Eliza,” Thomas said.” I should have asked you before, but this has two benefits. It will hopefully make us less likely targets for attention. And, it will be better for your reputation should things get around. I wouldn’t want to blemish your good name, or Kitty’s. We’ll have to stay here for much longer than expected, and none of us can leave the house. Once this is over, I promise to return you to Boston where you belong.”
Eliza looked up from her busy fingers. She tried to place an encouraging smile on her face but nothing came. He wanted to get rid of her. What had happened? Before this he’d been warm and caring, but now he was as cold as the ocean in winter.
She tried to press away the rattle of her distracting feelings and fight the marvelous tumbling in her middle. Even though it wasn’t a real proposal, her heart leapt as if it were. What was wrong with her? This was no time to be considering such things when their very lives were in danger. She kept her gaze down and shielded her expression. Foolish girl.
“I understand, Thomas,” Eliza said, after a minute of dreadful silence. She focused again on the string. “And I thank you for being so forthright.”
Thomas let out a loud exhale and pushed off the table with perceptible impatience. Eliza slumped against the pillows.
“I’ll leave you now. I know you need some rest,” he said over his shoulder as he walked out the door.
Kitty came up the stairs, her expression drawn and arms hugging her chest. She climbed onto the bed next to Eliza and lay on her back. “So, we’re to be here indefinitely it seems.”
“No, not indefinitely, but certainly longer than anticipated.”
“I overhead Thomas’s new plan.” Sighing, Kitty gripped Eliza’s hand. “At least this unfortunate arrangement has been made more enjoyable by your pseudo nuptials. I think it’s a marvelous idea and certainly gives me plenty to tease you about.” She winked as her lips quirked in a wry grin.
Eliza squeezed Kitty’s fingers before pulling her hand away. “I don’t find it funny.”
“I can’t see why not.” Kitty rolled off the bed, closed the door, and began changing into her nightgown. “And please don’t misunderstand me. I don’t mean to make light of something so serious. But this budding romance brings a much needed bit of brevity to an otherwise dreadful circumstance.” She giggled as she finished with the three small buttons on the front of her gown. “Thomas is very nice, and you have to admit, ridiculously handsome.”
Yes, Eliza could admit that. But she wouldn’t. She rested her head behind her on the sweet smelling pillows and gazed at the ceiling. Kitty needed to stop reading her beloved Shakespeare and getting such silly ideas in her head, then perhaps they could be done discussing this once and for all.
But still, Thomas’s honey-smooth voice, his broad shoulders, and a smile that reached into Eliza’s soul, flooded every thought. Samuel’s nearness had never made her heart react the way Thomas did.
The memory of Samuel’s three kisses floated around her mind. Nothing. No butterflies. No longing for more.
Her breath flickered. What would it be like to kiss Thomas? She placed a hand over her mouth and tried to shake away the enticing thoughts. How could she even entertain such a notion? Grabbing the yarn she once again started circling her finger. Thomas cared nothing for her. This temporary situation would last only a few more weeks. After that she and Kitty would be home and safe from the terrible wrong that hunted them. That was for the best. Thomas only did this out of the duty he felt he must fulfill on their behalf.