True Love (Nantucket Brides 1)

“Lexie and Toby—?”

“Will be your bridesmaids—if you approve, that is.”

“Very much so.” She ate another cracker. “We’re talking about this Saturday, right?”

“Yes,” he said and reached across the table to take her hand.

Alix grinned so wide her face almost split. “Tell me more.”

“I would love to,” he said.

Chapter Thirty-two

It was early morning, just three days before he was to get married, and Jared couldn’t sleep. Toby had sent him an email with details, such as getting the marriage license, the rehearsal times, and that she and Lexie were flying to New York for the day to buy new dresses. She said she’d sent Alix emails of more information.

Jared lay in the bed with his hands clasped behind his head, looking at the ceiling. Last night he and Alix had stayed in the chapel and talked until midnight. It hadn’t been easy to keep their clothes on but they’d done it. But then they’d been feeling the solemnity of what they were planning, their lifetime together.

Neither of them liked the secrecy of their plans, but they did like getting it done. They’d made up their minds and were now determined to go forward into their lives together. In other words, they wanted to continue in the way they had been, living and working with each other, with no further interference.

Last night as Jared was getting into bed, he sent an email to Tim to come to Nantucket on Friday and bring his tux. Jared would only tell him in person that he wanted him to be his best man. In other circumstances, it would have been Ken, but he would be escorting Alix down the aisle.

It wasn’t yet dawn but Jared got up, pulled on jeans, a T-shirt, and sandals, then quietly went up the stairs to the attic. As he stretched up to reach the light chain, he remembered why he’d been so angry that he’d torn off the pull string.

For a moment he stood still, looking out the window. His anger about his grandfather and Victoria was gone now, replaced with a sense of What will be, will be. Somewhere in the last few days he’d come to terms with a feeling of destiny, that no matter how angry he became, he couldn’t change the future. He couldn’t stop what might happen—and he doubted if his grandfather could either.

When he heard a sound behind him, he didn’t turn, but he knew he was no longer alone. “Do you know what I did?”

“Came to your senses and asked dear Alix to marry you?”

“Yes,” Jared said as he turned around—then drew in his breath. His grandfather was sitting in the big wing chair and he was as solid looking as any human.

Walking toward him, Jared reached out to touch his grandfather’s hand. It was real, almost solid and almost warm—and it was the first time in his life that Jared had ever touched him. Jared drew back and sat down heavily on the threadbare couch. He had a horrific vision of Caleb putting his arm around Victoria and the two of them walking into the fog and never being seen again. All Jared could do was stare at his grandfather.

“I still don’t know,” Caleb said in answer to the unasked question. “I don’t know how or why or what will happen. Everyone is here now. Did Alix tell you that she saw my father at Parthenia’s wedding?”

“No,” Jared said, still staring.

“His spirit is in Dr. Huntley’s body. My father was a man of great integrity and kindness, and my mother was his strength.” Caleb sighed. “I’ve had to see them die four times, and three of those times were just alike. First my father went, and he was followed soon by my mother. But this time your modern medicine has made them leave each other out of order.”

“What does that mean?” Jared asked.

“It’s yet another thing that I don’t know, but I hate to see him the way he is now. He misses my mother so much that he’s only half alive.”

Jared was studying his grandfather, very aware that in a few days he would no longer be there. “Have you been spying on Victoria?”

“Not in the way you mean,” Caleb said with a bit of a smile. “A bit of talk while she’s asleep, but nothing more.” He waved his hand. “If I got near her the way I am now, she’d see me. However, I’ve been considering allowing that. One last time.”

“You won’t get to see number eight,” Jared said, meaning the son that he and Alix would have. “But then I guess we should drop the numbers.”

“Perhaps you’ll name a son Caleb.”

“I would be honored,” Jared said. “Maybe on that last day you would be allowed out of this house long enough to come to our wedding.”

“I wish I could!” Caleb said. “With all my might, I wish I could be there. I would like to hold Valentina in my arms one last time, see her smile at me.” He sighed. “I have paid for my greed.” He gave a little laugh. “The irony is that the treasure I thought I had to have was left behind on my ship and my brother brought it back to Nantucket.”

“Are you talking about the shipload of goods you bought in China?”

Caleb waved his hand. “It doesn’t matter now. Are you going to let Victoria in on the secret of your wedding?”