Gwen was speechless. She’d heard of life on plantations, but her father was a city man, and they had lived in a nice home just outside the county line. Their house workers had always been paid a fair wage, for Mr. Peters would not succumb to the pressures of easy help at the cost of slavery. She’d been grateful for that and sheltered from the disappointment of losing that lifestyle after the war.
“Would you care for another drink, Arthur?”
“No, thanks. Should be getting home. Boss expects me up at the house early.” He started toward the steps. “If you’d like someday, order the carriage, and I will take you to a nearby lake where Daniel and I fished, skipped stones, and swam as youngsters. Lots of devilment was planned on those shores – it might trigger a memory—hopefully, a good one.”
She reached out for his hand. “Thank you, Arthur. You’ve given me a ray of hope tonight, for I do want to try my best to reach Daniel, and if the Good Lord and I can return him to you whole, his faithful friend, my mission will be complete.”
Arthur nodded his head slightly and smiled. “Beholding to you, Nurse Gwen. Good night.”
Gwen watched him walk down the laneway with the same gait she’d seen in Daniel when he’d forgotten about his limp and walked naturally. She suspected his slowness of recovery was a head-trick, and the key to releasing the flow might be found in his half-brother and childhood friend.
A movement caught the corner of her eye, and she was startled to see Daniel standing on his verandah, watching Arthur disappear from his view.
Chapter 4
The next morning, Gwen fried strips of bacon and flipped the eggs over easy in the skillet before transferring it to her plate. Bread and jam with a cup of coffee completed the meal. She cleaned up the mess quickly and headed next door to start day one at her new job. They hadn’t discussed Daniel’s routine, so she hoped they would accomplish that before she went to the big house for the lunch meeting. Knowing the expectations on both sides would help her put a plan into effect.
Gwen knocked on the door twice, then turned the knob. It was unlocked, and she peeked in. “Daniel, are you up?”
She heard his response and the lousy attitude that accompanied it from an adjoining room. Perhaps he did not favor mornings.
“I’m ignoring you in the hope you will go away,” he said.
She sucked in a deep breath of nerve and marched in to confront the opposition. Daniel lay stretched in a large, overstuffed chair with his feet resting on a footstool. He wore a housecoat, and his hair suffered from bed-head.
Gwen stared in disbelief. “It is after nine o’clock, sir,” she said. “Do you plan on slouching about all day?”
“I gave it some consideration, but knew that, eventually, you’d be here to rain on my party.”
“You mean your pity party, and I’ll have none of it. The sun is shining, and I thought we could walk a bit and discuss our future endeavors together.”
“Let me save you some time—we have no future.”
“Curt and to the point. Usually I find that refreshing but not in your case.” She took his legs, swung them off the footstool, watched the anger rise in his face, and felt certain that if she’d have been a man, Daniel would have most likely flattened her where she stood. It seemed the man did possess a small amount of manners, after all.
“You could have injured me, twisting my leg like that.”
“Cry on someone else’s shoulder, Mr. McAlister. How long will it take you to dress?” When his shoulders shrugged noncommittally, she continued, “Have you eaten? I assume you join your family for meals?”
“Only when the royal decree is sent. I prefer to stay here alone.” He emphasized the final word, but Gwen let it roll off her back.
“I’m afraid that alone is not on the schedule anymore,” she said, holding eye contact without blinking. “I suggest you go and dress, and I will rustle you up something to eat. You need food to keep up your strength.”
“And I need to be strong for…?” His brows arched as if it were a sensible question, deserving an answer.
Her patience grew thin, and she hadn’t been in his presence but for a few minutes. “Life!” she responded. “As long as the Lord gives you air to breathe, you will make yourself available to do his bidding. Every morning, in the future, I will arrive at eight, prepare your breakfast, and then we shall walk.”
“And I have no say?” The man stood. Venom seemed to shoot from his lips, not six inches from her face.
“None whatsoever. The sooner you realize I am in charge of your full recovery and bringing you back into a state of usefulness, the easier this alliance will be.” She spun on her heels and headed for the kitchen. “Fifteen minutes, Daniel.” She’d emphasized his preferred name to gain back a touch of favor, seeing as how they were off to a bad start.
Gwen found meager fixings in his pantry and decided to run next door for fresh eggs and bread that was not molding. While she was there, she figured it just as easy to prepare his plate at her place. The stove was still hot, and there was coffee in the pot.
She filled a tray with a breakfast feast that resembled the one she had eaten earlier, then made her way back to the chalet. Gwen tried the knob, but it didn’t turn. She placed the tray on the verandah table and attempted to gain access to Daniel’s house again. She stood back
