Читать книгу Listen to Your Heart - Irene Brand - Страница 9

They entered the central hall, which boasted a magnificent staircase and a crystal chandelier that had been imported from France in 1835. Laurel explained that this would be the site of Debbie’s wedding.

“We can’t seat many people in here,” she explained, “but since I stood on this stairway during my wedding, just as my mother-in-law did when she was married, Debbie wants to continue the tradition. We’ll have only family members for the wedding itself, and then all of our friends and neighbors are invited for the outdoor reception.”

The house had four huge rooms on each floor with great fireplaces in each room, set off by carved walnut mantels and varnished paneling. That the Coopers had once been wealthy was evident in the priceless antiques and beautiful oil paintings in each room.

When Micah commented on the wealth of her furnishings, Laurel shrugged her shoulders. “There would be wealth if I sold them, but I want to keep the house as it is for Debbie and her children. This house was one of the few in the area not raided during the Civil War. Most of these furnishings have been here for a long time. Legend has it that the Coopers buried their money and that it was never found. But my father-in-law said his ancestors gave most of their wealth to the war effort. None of the Coopers I know have been prosperous.”

In the parlor, Laurel pointed out the Steinway grand piano. “This piano belonged to Debbie’s great-grandmother.” Laurel ran her fingers over the keys, testing the tone.

“Debbie’s father played, and he filled the house with music when he was at home. It’s hardly been touched since his death. But Debbie wants her wedding music played on this piano, so I had it tuned.”

The house was situated on a small hill, and a spreading lawn with large, gnarled trees and spacious gardens added to the mansion’s magnificence. Micah’s camera finger was already itching to photograph the place.

Micah thanked Laurel for the tour and returned to his apartment. The rooms were cool now. He turned off the air conditioner and raised the window facing the large stream, flowing southward at the foot of the hill. He inhaled the fragrance of the landscape flowers and settled down with his laptop to map out an itinerary for his Tennessee research.

Micah kept thinking of the delicate bone structure of Laurel’s oval face that ended in a determined chin, and he couldn’t concentrate on his work. Laurel had experienced a rough life bringing up her child as a single parent, but she’d apparently developed a strong character, while fulfilling her role as a mother. He remembered how her emerald eyes easily flared with anger as bright as a flash of lightning, only to fade just as quickly to the softness of a peaceful ocean. Her auburn hair was cut close to her head like a cap. Since she’d been dressed in jeans, he was well aware of her slim waist above shapely hips, and—

“Whoa!” Micah said aloud.

He shook his head, wondering at his thoughts. It had been a long time since he’d given any thought to a woman. There was no time for romance in his busy schedule, so what had prompted this sudden surge of interest in Laurel Cooper? He decided he was just as well off not to know the answer to that one, and he shifted his thoughts to the computer screen.

By the time they’d finished their tour of the house, Laurel had been completely at ease with Micah, and now she could smile at the way she’d mistaken him for a carpenter. She thought about his interesting life—how much he’d seen of the world compared to her meager travels.

She had eventually become resigned to her restricted life. Since Debbie was all they had left of their son, the Coopers were determined that their granddaughter would be raised in their home. When Laurel had mentioned going to work, or moving into a home of her own, they’d raised such a fuss that it was easier to submit to their demands rather than fight them.

She’d tried to stifle her temper when dealing with them, because they’d aged considerably after Jason was lost at sea. They’d been good to her in many ways, but she hadn’t had a life of her own. She’d received some income from a small trust fund left by her grandmother, but she was dependent on them for food and housing. And she could never have given Debbie a good education without their help.

She was surprised when they’d left everything to her, although her father-in-law had asked her in his will to keep Oaklawn for Debbie’s inheritance, actually controlling her life after his death. Mrs. Cooper had lived only two months after her husband, and by the time Laurel had paid their funeral expenses, there wasn’t much money left.

Acting on the advice of her attorney, Kevin Cooper, Laurel had used most of that money to redo the wing into apartments. Kevin, a first cousin of Jason’s, had advised that the apartments would provide a steady income for her. The apartments had supplied an income, but by the time she paid the utilities and the taxes, she’d hardly broken even on the apartments. Laurel still had the upkeep of a large house, a limited income and no job experience. She was annoyed that Kevin had given her such poor advice, but she hadn’t complained to him. He’d been helpful in settling her father-in-law’s estate, and he’d assured her that she could call on him for further help when needed.

Although she’d been concerned about having Debbie leave home, Laurel wondered if it wouldn’t be nice to be completely independent for a change. At forty-two she could still get an education and have a career. She had been dreading the summer, but she anticipated it now. She intended to enjoy her daughter’s company while they planned the wedding. And since just one evening in Micah’s company had uplifted her spirits, she looked forward to seeing him often during the next few weeks.

It was amazing how quickly she’d been drawn to Micah. She hadn’t dated much before she’d met and married Jason, and since his death she hadn’t been interested enough in any man to contemplate a serious relationship with him. But Micah’s quiet ways, his dry humor and his gentleness had captivated her from the first.

Laurel was still downstairs when she noticed the lights go off in Micah’s apartment. The clock on the stairway chimed ten, and Laurel knew it wouldn’t be long until Debbie came home. She turned off all of the downstairs lights except the ones on the back porch and in the entry hall and went upstairs. She always stayed awake until she knew Debbie was safe at home, but Laurel had avoided being a controlling mother who monitored her daughter’s comings and goings. If Debbie wanted to talk to her about what she’d done when she was out for an evening, Laurel let her take the initiative.

After her in-laws died, Laurel had moved into their room because it commanded a good view of the river valley. She had kept the cherry bed, dresser and chest that had been handed down for several generations. But to give the room a hint of her own personality, she’d had a green carpet laid and dressed the high, narrow windows in ruffled curtains that matched the rug’s color. As a final touch, she’d replaced the dark painted walls with a colorful, floral wallpaper.

Laurel had changed into a mint-green cotton nightgown by the time she heard Debbie’s light gait, taking the steps, two at a time. The door cracked slightly and Debbie whispered, “Asleep, Mom?”

“No, come in. I’m about ready for bed.”

“We had a fun time at the pastor’s house, but I almost went to sleep two or three times. It was a long flight from Colorado today.” Debbie smothered a yawn and drifted over to kiss Laurel’s cheek. “Night, Mom.”

“We should go into Knoxville and pick up your wedding invitations tomorrow,” Laurel said, “but we won’t have to leave early. Sleep late if you want to.”

Yawning again, Debbie waved lazily, indicating she’d understood and wandered out of the room and down the hall.

Laurel sat in the wicker rocker she’d brought from her grandmother’s home and reached for the Bible on the small table beside the bed. For the past year, Laurel had memorized a different Scripture verse each week and used it for her special meditation. Without opening the Bible, she tried to remember this week’s verse from the book of Proverbs. A cheerful heart is good medicine.

Despite her difficult life, Laurel had, for the most part, remained cheerful. She and Jason had enjoyed a happy marriage for eighteen months until Debbie was born. But Jason had wanted Laurel’s full attention, and he resented Debbie’s claims on her. Although Debbie had toddled after him all the time, he hadn’t had time for her. He worked on construction jobs that took him away for months at a time. He kept in touch with his family with occasional phone calls and infrequent checks to Laurel. Jason’s parents had spoiled him as a child, and he hadn’t grown up to be a responsible adult. While he was working in Texas, he’d met Ryan Bledsoe, and for a year prior to his death, Jason had bummed around the country with his friend.

During those difficult days, and the time after Jason’s death, Laurel had relied on her faith in God to survive. He hadn’t failed her. She’d prayed for the wisdom and strength to be a good mother, and God had answered her prayer. He’d given her the strength to keep her in-laws from spoiling their granddaughter as they had their son.

Debbie had never caused her any trouble. In high school, she’d made good grades, played in the band and participated in summer sports. Despite the sorrow that Laurel personally felt, she had kept her sadness from Debbie. And because of her upbeat attitude, Laurel had kept her head above water when circumstances tended to overwhelm her.

Laurel opened the double windows facing the bend in the river. The cost of air-conditioning this huge house was prohibitive, so during the summer, they stored cool air at nighttime and kept the windows and doors closed all day. The thick brick walls retained the cool air that drifted inside at night.

Before she turned off the light, Laurel walked across the hall and into the dark room she’d once shared with Jason. She pulled back the heavy draperies and opened the window, providing a full view of the addition where the apartments were located.

She wondered if Micah found it difficult to sleep in strange surroundings. Probably not, since he’d traveled so much. What would it be like to travel as extensively as he had? Her honeymoon to Atlanta was the farthest she’d been away from Oaklawn. Dereck’s mother had invited her to come visit them, but with her renovation debts, Laurel was short of funds. She’d have to be conservative until she took a job and paid off that loan. Perhaps then she could go to visit Debbie and Dereck in Colorado.

Laurel hummed a hymn as she darkened her room and turned on a dim light beside her bed. She stretched, savoring the texture of the smooth sheets under her back. She crossed her hands behind her neck and listened to the cacophony of insect sounds outside the window. She also heard a cow bawling on her neighbor’s farm—probably trying to find its calf. The owl, nesting in the attic of Oaklawn’s garden house, serenaded its nesting mate. Last night the plaintive call of the owl had made her sad, but tonight she enjoyed it.

Micah’s coming had lifted her spirits. The rent he paid this summer would help with her finances, but she wasn’t sure that was the only reason she was pleased with her new tenant. She fell asleep thinking about him.

The ringing phone woke Laurel, and at first she thought it was the alarm clock, which she’d set for seven. A glance at the clock indicated it was after midnight. Her heart thumped rapidly, and her stomach churned with anxiety and apprehension. Following her in-laws’ custom, Laurel had developed the habit of going to bed early. Her friends knew she didn’t keep late hours, so who could be calling? She sat up and quickly lifted the receiver, hoping the phone hadn’t wakened Debbie. Maybe there was an emergency among the church family.

She swallowed with difficulty and hesitantly answered. “Hello?”

Her apprehension increased when no one answered her greeting. She knew someone was on the line because she heard uneven breathing. She almost dropped the phone when a pleasant, tenor voice started singing the words of an old song.

“I looked over Jordan, and what did I see

Coming for to carry me home?

A band of angels coming after me,

Coming for to carry me home.”

After a significant pause, the man said, “Be ready, Laurel, we’re coming after you.”

Laurel dropped the phone receiver on the floor, and reached out a trembling finger to sever the connection. She childishly pinched her arm to be sure she wasn’t dreaming.

She ran to the bathroom, sick to her stomach, and retched. Laurel rinsed her mouth, gulped a glass of water and staggered back to bed.

She was sorry now that she hadn’t stayed on the phone. She replaced the phone in its cradle and lay awake the rest of the night. Was there any way she could trace the call?

After she’d squirmed in the bed for several hours, Laurel got up, dressed in an ankle-length floral skirt and a soft, white cotton blouse, and quietly went downstairs. Because of the isolation of the house, she had two dusk-to-dawn security lights, which kept the grounds and the house partially illuminated all night long. Creeping along in the muted light, Laurel entered the kitchen and closed the door so she wouldn’t wake Debbie. She filled the teakettle with water and, while she waited for it to boil, placed a tea bag in her favorite mug.

Once made, Laurel wrapped her hands around the steaming cup and went to the screened back porch, where she’d encountered Micah yesterday. The front gallery contained only antique rocking chairs, but after she’d taken over ownership of the house, Laurel had made the back porch into a cozy, relaxing area.

Laurel sat on a padded lounge chair and sipped the tea as she contemplated what to do. If she’d had caller ID, she might have determined the identity of her caller, but with her limited income, she cut corners when she could, and the latest technology wasn’t high on her priority list.

When daylight dispelled the darkness, Laurel became aware of movement at her side. Remembering the threatening phone call, the cup tottered in her hand. Micah Davidson walked across the lawn. He halted when he saw her, and momentarily she wondered if he’d been the caller.

“Good morning,” he said. “You’re up early.”

“Earlier than usual,” she answered. “Couldn’t you sleep?”

“I don’t usually sleep more than six hours, and I went to bed early. I had breakfast while I waited for enough daylight to look around. You don’t mind if I explore your property, do you?”

“Of course not. There’s a cleared path to the river if you want to go that way.”

“That’s where I was heading. Would you have time to walk with me? I could use a guide.”

“Yes, I’d like a walk,” she said eagerly. She wasn’t in the mood for conversation, but it might be a good idea to learn more about Micah Davidson. She swung her feet off the lounge, kicked off the soft scuffs she wore and reached under the chair for a pair of walking shoes. She quickly pulled on the socks she’d stored in the toes of the shoes, and in a few minutes had joined Micah.

Pointing to the left, Laurel said, “The best path is through the orchard.”

The lawn was neatly mowed until they reached the orchard, then weeds grew profusely in the path. Laurel’s long skirt was soon wet from the abundant dew on the grass.

“In your research of Southern homes, you’ve probably heard many stories about keepsakes the Confederates buried before the invaders came. I mentioned Oaklawn’s story to you last night. Supposedly a Cooper ancestor buried gold and silver in this orchard, but the cache was never found.”

“Not even after the war?”

“No,” Laurel said, and her eyes sparkled, temporarily replacing the pain Micah had noticed. “My father-in-law said that when he was a boy, he and his brother dug from one end of that field to the other and didn’t find any money. But the cultivation did give them a bumper crop of fruit for a few years.”

Micah gazed appreciatively at the grainfields and the lush pastureland along the river.

“Oaklawn isn’t as large as it was in the eighteenth century,” Laurel continued as they walked. “At one time, the Coopers owned a thousand acres, but they’ve had to sell parcels of land during hard times. The farm is only fifty acres now. Actually, I’m glad it’s no more than that, because I can’t even manage that much land. My neighbor, Pete Howe, rents the farmland, so I only care for the few acres around the house. I have a riding mower, so it isn’t difficult work, but it does keep me busy during the summer. Especially this year, when I want everything to look nice for the wedding.”

Although she’d hoped walking would take her mind off the mysterious phone call, it didn’t, and she lapsed into silence, trying to figure out who had called her. The singer’s voice didn’t sound familiar at all.

Micah walked slightly behind Laurel since the path was narrow, but he was aware of her downcast eyes. When she’d joined him for the walk, he’d noticed at once that she wasn’t the contented woman he’d talked with on the gallery the night before. Had something happened to disturb her, or did it take a while for her to get going in the morning?

“I’d appreciate hearing anything you know about Oaklawn,” Micah said. “I want to feature the history of the homes, as well as the architecture.”

Laurel wasn’t in the mood for visiting, but taking a deep breath and staring straight ahead as they walked, she said, “The Coopers moved here soon after the Revolutionary War. The place was a wilderness then. They lived in log cabins and had the usual troubles with the Native Americans that most settlers had. Eventually they prospered enough for Debbie’s great-great-grandfather to build the original brick house, but the Cooper wealth declined over the next century.”

When they passed a knoll where the family cemetery was located, Micah commented, “I suppose your husband is buried here.”

“No, he isn’t,” she said bluntly, because she didn’t like to think about Jason’s death.

Micah couldn’t imagine why his question had annoyed her. They were both silent as they walked downhill to the northern bank of the shallow river. A wide beach of sand and gravel had formed at a sharp bend in the stream. Overhanging trees provided a secluded area. A few ramshackle lawn chairs and a wooden bench had been placed several feet from the water. Laurel walked to one of the sturdier chairs and sat down.

“Do people go swimming or fishing here?”

“Mostly fishing,” Laurel said shortly, her eyes on the river.

Did his presence annoy her, or was she troubled about something else?

After a pause, she continued, “But there is a deep pool midway in the stream. The local boys go to the other side of the river, swing on the vines and drop into the pool. It’s a dangerous practice. One boy was seriously hurt here last summer, but they continue to swim.”

The gentle ripple of the water as it slid past them was quieting, and the peace of the place was soothing to Micah. After spending over a year in the jungle, the past three months in the States—mostly in cities—had frustrated him. The noise of traffic had grated on his nerves. Pleased to have this sojourn in a quiet place, Micah sat on the wooden bench facing upstream. In this position, he could watch Laurel without being obvious about it.

Her present attitude didn’t compare to her quick flash of anger yesterday, which had disappeared as quickly as it had come. Her eyes brooded today, and there was a petulant droop to her full lips.

Early sunlight peeked into the shaded glade, a fish flipped in the middle of the stream and birds gently began their morning songs.

Without looking at him, her eyes staring across the river, Laurel said, “Mr. Davidson, I should apologize to you again. I had an unpleasant experience last night, or I wouldn’t have been so short-tempered. Let me give you a reasonable answer to your question about my husband’s burial. It’s always been a sore subject to me, but you wouldn’t have known that.”