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Robert felt as if things between them had returned to normal. They saw each other twice in the park and once at another ball. Each time she had been polite and kind, but not as warm as he had hoped she would be by now. Robert knew he was going to need to do something to move things along in the right direction. Luckily, he knew Becca well enough to know what that should be.
He arrived at her house just in time to see Stephen leaving. He stayed out of sight, hiding around a corner until the other man was gone. It made him even more determined to get them past their previous argument.
“Mr. Donovan, we weren’t expecting you.”
Mrs. O’Hare said that as the maid showed him into the parlor. He noticed that she was sitting on one end of the room in a single chair, while Becca was perched on a sofa at the other end with the remnants of a tea service in front of her. She must have been playing hostess to Stephen and her mother was giving a bit of privacy to them.
“I wasn’t intending to stop by today, Mrs. O’Hare,” Robert said, trying his best to be charming. “I was just out shipping and found something that I thought Becca might enjoy. I know that I have neglected her birthday for the last five years, so I thought I might try to make up for that.”
He held up the brown paper wrapped package in his hand. At first the older woman, who had stood when he entered the room, narrowed her eyes at him. He felt like a young boy standing in front of the nanny while she inspected the cleanliness of his hands. She could be a tough judge of character.
“You have not spent much time with us since you returned,” said Mrs. O’Hare, continuing to watch him.
“My apologies. I have been busy with the hotel.”
“Which is doing well, I hear.”
She didn’t as that as a question, but made a statement.
“It has done well so far. I only hope it continues to do so.”
He watched her expression as she tried to decide if he was welcome or note. He had been the troublesome one as a boy, often causing problems. Now he was a successful business man and she had a daughter looking for a husband. He knew she would realize it was better to invite him in.
“Becca,” she called out to where Becca had been waiting for her mother’s decision. “You have a visitor.”
Mrs. O’Hare indicated with her hand that he could go join Becca on the sofa. She remained near the chair, where he knew she could clearly keep an eye on them.
“She can still hear us too,” Becca said as she sat with him.
“Oh?” Robert had been wondering but hadn’t asked about it.
“My previous visitor said something funny and I could hear her laugh.”
Robert wanted to ask if she laughed at Stephen’s joke as well, but that would give too much away.
“She’s just trying to protect your reputation. Now that you have decided to come out into society again, it is important to be vigilant.”
Robert watched as the maid cleaned away the food plates and empty cups, wondering if they were going to offer him any refreshments.
“I wish she would not sit there, hovering so close. She could at least join in the conversation, but she prefers to keep a distance to encourage the conversation. I feel like she is setting the stage and hoping for a certain performance but I’m not a good actress.”
Becca realized what she said a moment too late, and her eyes grew wide. A deep pink spread across her face as she covered her mouth with her hand to hide the coughing fit she was having in her embarrassment.
“I think its best if you don’t acquire those skills,” Robert said, fighting the urge not to laugh. “You are much better suited for the parlor than the stage. Besides, you enjoy wearing your gowns too much.”
He said that last sentence in a whisper and could see Mrs. O’Hare leaning over and trying to hear. She leaned over so much she almost fell out of her seat. Becca saw her mother struggle not to fall and began to laugh again, with her palm pressed over her mouth.
“If you would like some lessons, I know a very good actress-”
Becca cut him off with a slap to the arm that stung more than he expected.
“Don’t mention her where someone might hear.” Becca was matching his hushes tones.
“Why not? She’s a very popular actress now. Most people would know her name and be impressed that I was a friend.”
Becca glared at his use of the term friend. Robert held up both hands in surrender.
“I will never mention it again.”
That at least made her relax. Her mother, practically folded over the arm of the chair she was in, struggling to hear their whispered conversations, cleared her throat.
“I agree with your opinion about the theater,” Robert said loud enough that Mrs. O’Hare fell back into her chair, and Becca giggled again. “I should learn to simply agree with you about everything.”
“You are overdoing it,” said Becca.
“Your mother appears amused.”
The woman, who was attempting not to reveal her eavesdropping, was grinning into her cup.
“She would like to think that I am part of her, so you were saying she is always right.”
The tension that he had been feeling between them felt liked it had faded away. It was like it was before that terrible incident. It felt comfortable again.
“I brought you something,” he said, remembering the package in his hand. “It was something I found in Kansas City and it reminded me of you.”
“You found something that reminded me of you out there?”
“It is still civilization.”
“You held on to it all this time?”
“Not that long.”
The more questions she asked, the more embarrassed he got. He didn’t want to admit he found it shortly after he went to Kansas City and he was missing home so badly. He had held on to it for years, keeping it as a memento of her. He would turn to it when he felt like he needed to remind himself why he was working so hard to change.
“You never bought me gift before,” Becca said.
“I never had any money of my own before,” he told her. “I couldn’t let my parents catching me purchasing gift for my brother’s fiancé. They would have been livid.”
“I wasn’t only Brandon’s fiancé. I was a friend to the entire family.”
“Yes, but they would have known the first meant more.”
Becca nodded, taking the package and placing it in her lap. He watched her expression carefully as she removed the brown paper and removed the book hidden inside of it.
“Poetry?” she asked flipping through the pages of the book. “Byron? You bought me a book of his poetry?”
Robert was expecting a more enthusiastic response to his gift.
“You said you loved Byron.”
“I did... when I was younger.” She ran her fingers over the cover the book. “It lost some of it’s magic for be after Brandon left. It was no longer romantic to me.”
“Byron is the master of romance.”
Becca shrugged. “I’m not sure I enjoy romance anymore.”
Robert shook his head and reached for the book, but she pulled it away.
“I didn’t say I didn’t like the gift.”
“You said you didn’t enjoy his work anymore.”
“Yes... but I enjoy knowing it made you think of me. It is nice to know someone is thinking of me.”
Robert heard something caught in her words. “You don’t think Brandon thought about you?”
“He left so quickly after our engagement and he hardly ever wrote to me. I know he was busy dealing with the troubles of the sea and then .... but it felt like he forgot about me.”
“Not even my big brother could be that much of an idiot.”
Those blue eyes shifted down to the book in her lap, and he could see the frown on her lips. If Brandon hadn’t died, Robert would want to thrash him for his bad judgement.
“I never forgot you. Not for a single moment I was gone.”
Robert hadn’t meant to make that confession but he felt she needed to know. He needed her to know how unforgettable she was. When she tipped her head back up, he saw that although her eyes were watery, her mouth was wearing a smile. That made is worth saying.
“Thank you for the gift. It was very thoughtful.”
“I could have bought something more expensive. I have the money now to purchase jewels or furs. That might have been better.”
She hugged the book to her chest. “No, the book is perfect.”
They must have been making too much of a commotion because Mrs. O’Hare rose from her seat and cleared her throat.
“I think my daughter has had enough visitors for today She need to rest before this evening’s activities.”
Robert knew she was going to be attending a party, because he was going to be there too. His mother had told him about it without knowing she was helping his mission.
“I will take my leave, ladies.” Robert stood and gave a bow to the head to each of them.