“She cares about you, as do I.” Nathaniel bit his tongue. “We... we are all concerned about you. It is apparent you have lost weight, Kitty.”
Kitty stopped walking. She thumped her hands on her dainty hips and offered a teasing smile that hinted at deception. “Is this an examination? I thought you were going to be on good behavior, but so far I’m not impressed.” Nathaniel heard her talking, but he couldn’t listen. The way her mouth pinched together. The way her eyes shone like the glistening water behind them...
Inhaling to make himself return to the moment, he took her arm and started walking again. Gads. He’d better keep his head or this walk could be more devastating than a shipwreck. To both of them. “I’m a doctor, Kitty. You can’t expect me not to notice such things.”
Shaking her head, Kitty looked away. “I am well.”
Nathaniel locked his jaw to keep from glowering. Terrible liar she was. A wriggle of concern inched deeper into his chest. He wanted to help, wanted to ease the burden she carried. Why wouldn’t she disclose what had happened that night? Had it really been as innocuous as she claimed? Surely her hidden pains pointed back to that horrid evening. What was it she wouldn’t tell?
“Doctor Smith!”
He stopped and spun at the feminine sound. Kitty did the same.
Up the road floated Miss Caroline Whitney, her statuesque frame looking unusually tall underneath such a loud hat. Beside her, little Charlotte cradled precious “baby Emmiline” in her arms. A smile burst to life on Nathaniel’s face when his gaze landed on the four-year-old. The blonde curls crowning her head bounced as she walked, her round face dusted with pink as she gave Nathaniel a shy smile in return.
Kitty flung him a desperate look. “Perhaps I should go—”
“Nonsense.” Nathaniel kept a firm grip on her elbow.
Caroline approached and offered a generous curtsy. “Good afternoon, Doctor Smith.” A gracious smile lit her face as she glanced down at Charlotte. “You remember my cousin Charlotte, do you not?”
“Why of course.” Nathaniel removed his hat and swung it around in a large arc as he bowed low. “What a pleasure it is to see you again, Lady Charlotte.” He winked.
The young girl put a hand to her face as a sprightly giggle chirped from her lips.
Replacing his hat, Nathaniel took a step back. “Miss Whitney, Lady Charlotte, allow me to introduce Miss Campbell.”
“’Tis a pleasure to meet you, Miss Campbell.” Caroline’s eyes softened. “I know your sister well and she mentioned you’d recently returned from Boston. I’d wanted desperately to meet you at the Cooper’s several weeks past, but I understand you had to leave early. ‘Tis a pleasure to at last make your acquaintance.”
“A great pleasure indeed.” Kitty curtsied.
Charlotte lightly tugged on Nathaniel’s coat and he peered down just as she began to relieve her precious wooden doll of its swaddling clothes.
He crouched to the ground and rested an arm over his knee, gesturing to the well-loved toy with his brow raised in question. “Little Emmiline seems to be well recovered, is she not?”
Charlotte nodded and a cherub-like grin revealed two perfect dimples in her round cheeks.
Nathaniel reached out. He tilted his head slightly and kept his voice laden with sincerity. “May I see how her arm has heeled? I should like to remove the bandages if all is back to normal.”
Charlotte continued to grin as she slowly handed over the love-worn toy. Cradling the doll as if it were a real child, Nathaniel carefully removed the tiny bandage he’d placed on the doll’s arm several weeks past. Prodding gently, he made his expression grow serious as he checked the arm that had “broken”. With a quick look to Kitty, he winked and the warm smile she offered in return coated his heart. He stilled, lost in her fathomless eyes until she raised her brows and with a slight gesture glanced toward Charlotte, reminding him of what he’d been doing. Quickly regaining his mental clarity, he lowered his chin and donned the stern turn of his mouth. The young girl’s dimples retreated, her gleeful expression replaced with such concern Nathaniel almost regretted the charade.
With a nod, he returned the doll to Charlotte’s outstretched arms. “She is well and fully recovered.” He dotted Charlotte’s nose as a grin rose from the depths of him. “She is very lucky to have a mother as caring as you.”
The young girl beamed, her innocence and trust pulling at something untried in the farthest passages of his soul. Would he ever have a child of his own?
Flinging away the thoughts, he stood. Caroline bowed her head toward Charlotte and offered a knowing giggle before looking back at Nathaniel with unspoken gratitude in her face that tugged a grin from his lips. But it was Kitty’s gentle eyes, her slightly open smile and the cant of her head that made Nathaniel’s heart prance within his chest.
“If I may, Miss Campbell...” Caroline stepped forward and motioned to Kitty as she moved right along in the conversation. “I must say, I have found such enjoyment in your sister’s company and in our conversations about these turbulent times. Isn’t it wonderful that we are all part of the same patriot group? Such an important cause in which to unite—especially when so much rests upon our courage.”
Kitty’s face flushed, a tight smile her only response.
Caroline looked back at Nathaniel then to Kitty once more. “And now we have you to join us. We patriots must rally together, do you not agree?”
Kitty stuttered. “I’m... I’m not actually—”
“She’s undecided at the moment, where her homage lies.” Nathaniel didn’t look, but he could hear a quiet breath escape Kitty’s mouth. He wanted to take her hand and caress her delicate fingers. She needn’t be so hesitant to share her beliefs. Though after the way he’d snapped at her, her reaction was justified. He swallowed a self-directed reprimand. Would he ever learn?
Always genuine, Caroline nodded as if she understood the implied struggle. “There’s much to be considered. ‘Tis understandable.” She stepped back and pinned her gaze on Nathaniel. “I failed to thank you for joining us for supper Sunday last.”