Their Mistletoe Matchmakers. Keli Gwyn

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       Chapter Four

      “Uncle Henry.”

      Henry dragged his gaze from the guest room window on the second floor where Lavinia had stood moments before, her eyes riveted on him as he knelt on the shed’s lean-to roof two days later. He focused his attention on his nephew, who had accepted his invitation to help with the repairs. “What, Buddy?”

      “Did I do it right?” Alex looked up, a plea for approval in a pair of blue eyes so like his father’s.

      Henry felt the familiar stab of pain that came whenever he thought of Jack. The girls had taken after Pauline with her curly brown hair. Alex’s resemblance to his father was striking, although the boy’s thick wavy locks were a shade darker than Jack’s, more coriander-colored than cumin. “You’ve done a great job lining up the lower edge of the shingle with the others in this row, but we need to leave a little room between them on the sides.”

      “Why? Won’t the roof leak if we do that?” Alex was as inquisitive as he was conscientious.

      “That’s a good question. The space allows the shingles to swell when they get wet and keeps them from buckling. Since we offset the shingles in each row, there’s another shingle underneath the gap in the two above it—a second layer of protection.”

      Alex smiled. “I didn’t think of that.”

      The back door opened. Lavinia flew out of the house, marched across the yard and stopped a few feet from the shed. She raised a hand to shield her eyes from the sun, which was shining so brightly that Henry had shed his jacket and rolled up his shirtsleeves.

      “What are you doing?” she asked, clearly vexed.

      “Repairing the roof.”

      “I can see that, but what is Alex doing up there with you?”

      The same thing, but evidently that wasn’t what she meant. “Helping me.”

      “Do you think that’s wise? He’s only eight.”

      “He’s quite safe. I wouldn’t have invited him up here otherwise.” It wasn’t as though they were on the steeply pitched roof of the two-story house. They were all of ten feet off the ground on a roof with a minimal pitch. “You could come up and see for yourself if you’d like.”

      To his surprise, she nodded. “I think I will.” She covered the few feet separating them in no time.

      Henry scooted closer to the edge of the roof, grabbed the ladder to steady it and watched as Lavinia placed a foot on the bottom rung. Was he imagining it, or did her dainty boots match her strawberry-colored dress? If so, that meant she had two pairs of red boots. Most of the women he knew were content with one serviceable black pair. But they weren’t the daughter of a man with more money than most men would earn in several lifetimes.

      She climbed slowly, watching her feet as she went. With her full skirt and fancy footwear, he could see why she was being careful. “You’re doing fine.”

      “This would be a far easier feat in trousers.”

      “I didn’t expect you to accept my invitation.”

      She sent a smug smile his way. “You underestimate me.”

      He liked seeing this spunky side of her. He’d have to challenge her more often.

      Moments later, Lavinia’s shoulders crested the roofline. She stayed at that level and looked around. “The view is nearly the same as the one from my bedroom window, but—” he detected a waver in her voice “—it’s different seeing everything from here.”

      “I know just what you mean, Aunt Livy,” Alex said. “Sitting up here makes me feel like I’m on top of the world.”

      “Indeed.” She focused her attention on their nephew. “Would you show me what you’re doing?”

      “Sure.” Alex positioned a shingle and nailed it into place, talking through the steps as he worked. “That’s how you do it.”

      “You explained that quite well. You’d make a fine teacher.” She followed her compliments with one of her cheery smiles that transformed her from merely attractive to outright beautiful.

      Alex beamed. “Can I finish the row on my own, Uncle Henry?”

      “Certainly.”

      Lavinia praised Alex’s work as she watched. And watched. He’d completed the task, and she was still there. “Well done.”

      Henry nodded his approval. “Your aunt’s right. You’d make a fine carpenter, too. In fact, I think you could succeed at whatever profession you chose.”

      “Why choose just one? Your uncle didn’t.” Although she wasn’t smiling, something shone from her eyes. Was it merriment or something else?

      Alex looked from Lavinia to Henry and back again. “Are you teasing?”

      Henry eagerly awaited her answer.

      “Not at all. Your mama told me in her letters some of the things your uncle’s done. He was a blacksmith when I met him at your parents’ wedding, but he’s been a carpenter, a hotel owner and who knows what else. But I know what he wants to do most of all.”

      No! He didn’t want the children to hear about his dream of running a restaurant. They might feel bad if they thought they were keeping him from it. He caught Lavinia’s eye and gave his head a small shake.

      She forged ahead as though she hadn’t seen him. “What your uncle Henry wants—” her smile shifted from friendly to calculating “—is to see that you children are happy and well cared for. That’s what I want, too, which is why I have a plan that—”

      “That she plans to discuss with me first.” Henry didn’t like cutting her off, but they’d agreed not to subject the children to any heated discussions or disagreements. He had a feeling both were about to take place.

      Lavinia angled her head, lifted one side of her mouth and an eyebrow and shot a wordless rebuke at him. Not that he cared. She was the one who’d been on the verge of going back on their agreement, which came as a shock. Although he didn’t know her well, he felt certain she wasn’t the type of person who made promises she didn’t intend to keep.

      She cleared her throat. Loudly and pointedly. “As I was saying before I was interrupted, I have a plan that’s one of my best.”

      Alex leaned forward, eagerness widening his eyes. “What is it?”

      “I can’t СКАЧАТЬ