to her. “Ma’am, you just raised a whole wagonload more questions than you answered with that statement.”
His tone had lost some of its belligerent edge. He seemed to be leaving it up to her as to whether she continued her story or not.
And his consideration lifted some of her reluctance to explain. “So ask your questions.”
“It sounds like, in spite of what you said a moment ago, you and my brother knew each other.”
“Knew of each other would be more accurate.” She tucked her marriage papers back in her purse. “Through Julia.”
He made a small movement of surprise. “You knew Julia?”
Callie nodded. “Yes. Her family lived next door to mine when we were children. We were best friends, closer than sisters, and almost inseparable. It was one of the saddest days of my life when I learned they were packing up and moving to Texas. She and I kept in touch after that through letters.” She smiled. “Julia wrote the most wonderful letters. I feel like I already know the people and the town here.”
He sat up straighter. “Wait a minute. You said your name was Callista. You’re Callie.”
Her brow furrowed at his abrupt statement. “Yes.”
“Julia talked about you all the time when she first moved here. Really looked forward to getting them letters from you, too.”
Her smile softened. “As I said, we were close. Even after she moved here, I always felt I could confide anything to her. Julia was that kind of friend.”
He rubbed his chin. “So that’s how my brother knew so much about you.”
She nodded. “Once Julia was married, she shared some of the things from my letters with her husband. She asked first, of course, and I didn’t mind. And naturally her letters to me were sprinkled with references to him.”
“Naturally.”
She wondered at his dry tone, but continued with her story. “Julia assured me she and Leland often included me in their prayers, a consideration I cherished. It also let me know that Leland was familiar with both my dreams and my situation.”
“Situation?”
Callie took a deep breath and loosened the strings to her bonnet.
This was it.
Time to get it all out in the open. How would he react? Would he be as understanding as his brother? “Yes, my situation. The reason why I’m nearly twenty-six years old and unmarried. The reason why I always wear this stuffy bonnet when I’m in public. The reason why I would probably have remained a spinster the rest of my days if your brother hadn’t made his generous offer.”
Slowly she pushed the confining bonnet back until it hung loose behind her neck. She’d thought she was past feeling self-conscious. She shouldn’t care what this man thought of her appearance, but somehow she did.
She lifted her head and waited for his inevitable reaction.
Jack watched her remove her bonnet and got his first good look at her face. He wasn’t sure what he’d expected after her dramatic lead-in, but it wasn’t this.
While not beautiful, she was passably fair, pretty even, at least in profile. Her hair was sandstone brown and her green eyes were brighter now that they could more fully reflect the sunlight. She had a small crook in her nose, but that added interest to her appearance rather than detracted from it.
So what was this “situation” she’d mentioned? “I’m sorry, ma’am, but I don’t—”
Then she turned to him and he stopped cold. He winced before he could stop himself.
Along the left side of her face, from mid-cheek to hairline, her skin was stained by a palm-sized blotchy patch of a deep red color. It was difficult to see past such disfigurement to the pleasant picture she’d presented a few seconds ago.
Her gaze drilled into his, allowing him to look his fill, waiting for him to say something.
But he had no idea what to say.
She finally turned away, presenting him with her unblemished profile again. Her shoulders drooped slightly, but she gave no other sign that she’d noted his reaction.
“So now you know.” Her voice was steady and surprisingly unemotional as she reached back and pulled her close-fitting bonnet up once more. “Your brother understood what he was taking on by marrying me. And he also understood why I would see his offer as a welcome opportunity to finally have a family of my own.”
Her acceptance of his unguarded reaction made him feel like a complete oaf, like the worst kind of mannerless fool. “I—”
She raised a hand, palm out. “There’s no need to say anything, Mr. Tyler.” She faced him fully again, her smile perhaps a little too bright. “I assure you I’m quite accustomed to such first-time reactions.”
It was good of her to give him an out, but his momma raised him better than that. “Look, ma’am, I’m sorry I was so rude. You caught me by surprise, is all. And, well, I don’t believe in fancy speeches or anything, but I want you to know I admire you for agreeing to my brother’s scheme and coming out here on your own the way you did. I’m sure it wasn’t an easy decision.”
At least the whole situation made more sense now. It was exactly the kind of grand gesture Lanny would make.
Her smile warmed a bit. “You’d be surprised.” Then she brushed at her skirt. “Now, if you don’t mind, I think I’m ready to pay my respects to my—our—family.”
Jack recognized her desire to change the subject. “Agreed.” He helped her rise, then offered his arm as they made their way across the churchyard.
Once through the cemetery entrance, he led her around the inside perimeter, past the graves of his parents, to three freshly turned mounds with markers. Nell and Jed rested side by side, and Lanny was buried a few yards away, next to Julia’s grave.
Jack stopped in front of Nell’s grave while his companion trudged the last few steps to Lanny and Julia’s resting places.
Somewhere nearby a blue jay squawked his displeasure. A heartbeat later Jack caught a flash of movement as a squirrel raced down the trunk of a nearby pecan tree.
Other than that, everything was hushed, still.
He frowned at the half dozen or so pink roses someone had placed on his sister’s grave. That wasn’t right. Daisies were Nell’s favorite flower.
The memories pelted him, one after the other, piercing him with their clarity, battering his attempts to hold them at bay.
He could see his little sister, skipping along the fence row, pigtails bouncing, picking armloads of the yellow blooms. Then she’d sit under the oak tree in their yard and make braids and crowns and other little girl treasures for hours on end.
Ah, Nell, I’m so sorry I didn’t come home sooner like you kept after me to. You always warned me
