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СКАЧАТЬ grinned and joined them in the hall. “We don’t need a fourth player. I shall gain the victory over one, then take on the other.”

      “You believe so?”

      His grin widened. “I do.”

      Laina grinned right back. Justin knew very well she wouldn’t refuse such a challenge—they had been adamant checkers adversaries since childhood. She glanced over at Elizabeth, who had taken Justin’s arm. “What is your wish, Elizabeth?”

      Her sister-in-law smiled and gave her husband a saucy glance. “I wish to give this overly confident gentleman a sound drubbing.”

      Justin threw his head back and laughed. Laina drank in the wonderful sound, storing it in her heart to cheer her when she returned to the loneliness of her home in New York.

      “And how did you find Philadelphia, Laina?”

      “Different, yet much the same.”

      Justin smiled as he held chairs for her and Elizabeth at the game table. “Now, there’s a remark I’m unable to follow. Would you care to explain?” He pulled the checkerboard from the drawer, took his own seat and grinned at them. “Which of you ladies wishes to be my first victim?”

      “That would be Laina.” Elizabeth laughed. “I fall prey to your skill far too often.”

      Justin rubbed the palms of his hands together and waggled his eyebrows, giving Laina what was supposed to be a diabolical look. “So be it! Prepare to meet your fate at my hands, fair damsel!”

      Laina laughed and picked up one of the small cloth bags holding the checkers. “Do not expect me to swoon in terror at your threats, good sir. My fate rests in my own hands—prepare thyself!” She returned his challenge with a cheeky smile and placed her checkers on the board.

      Justin chuckled and did the same.

      “But to answer your query, dearheart, there are many new shops in Philadelphia. It’s quite exciting to see how much the city has grown in the ten years I’ve been gone. But it’s much the same in its cleanliness and friendly atmosphere.” She wrinkled her nose. “New York does not clean its streets daily as you do here. It can become most unpleasant, especially in the heat of summer.”

      Justin nodded agreement. “Your move.”

      Laina slid a checker forward.

      He countered her move. “And what is your opinion of Madame Duval?” His gaze shifted to Elizabeth and he chuckled. “My wife found her a little avaricious on their first encounter.”

      Laina laughed and moved another checker. “I can well understand that. There is a definite gleam in Madame’s eyes. And that French accent she puts on! I’m so thankful Elizabeth warned me, or I know I would have laughed.”

      Laina looked down to hide the gleam she was afraid shone in her own eyes as Justin moved his piece exactly where she wanted him to. “But there’s nothing fake about the designs Madame Duval creates. And the fabrics she imports are simply beautiful.” She moved her sacrifice checker into place, then glanced at her brother. “It was so sad driving by Twiggs Manor today. It looks woebegone. Elizabeth said you’ve not decided what to do with it.”

      Justin nodded and made the forced jump. “I will sell it eventually—it’s too fine a house to sit empty—but not yet. I’m not ready to face strangers living in Abigail’s home.”

      “I quite understand.” Laina looked away from the sorrow that clouded her brother’s eyes—she saw enough of it in her own eyes every time she looked in a mirror. She shook off the gloom threatening to overtake her, jumped two of his checkers and smiled across the table at Elizabeth as Justin growled low in his throat and countered her move. “He’s running from me, Elizabeth, but it will do him no good.”

      She moved her next checker into place and grinned when Justin groaned. “Methinks someone has walked into a trap.”

      Elizabeth giggled. “And straight into a drubbing!”

      Thad halted the horse and stared into the darkness. Had a child run behind that building or not? He drew in a breath, then frowned and drove on. There was no sense in calling—the poor hapless children of the night were too frightened of people to answer. They either crouched silent and still in a hiding place, or crept away in the dark.

      He shook his head and guided the horse onto Spruce Street. “Well, Lord, I’m sure You have a solution for this problem, but I can’t for the life of me figure what it might be. The merchants are so angry over the constant theft of their wares they’ve little sympathy left for the children, who are only stealing what they need to stay alive. And the town council says all the available funds are going into the development of the new waterworks, so—”

      “Doc! Doc!”

      Thad stopped the horse and sighed as a young boy raced toward his buggy. He’d almost made it home. He caught a look at the boy’s frightened face and guilt smote him. Forgive me my selfishness, Lord. “What is it, Tommy?”

      “Ma’s birthin’, Doc. Jenny sent me to fetch you. She said Ma’s in a bad way an’ they need you. She said come fast.”

      Thad nodded and patted the seat, processing the scant information as Tommy Dodge hopped up and sat beside him. They. So there was a midwife in attendance. He hoped she was a good, capable woman. Of course, that would mean the problem was serious. Thad scowled and urged his tired horse into a trot, his own weariness forgotten.

      Laina turned on her side, pulled the covers closer about her neck and stared at the moonlight streaming in the window. So many lovely things had happened in the past two days with Justin and Elizabeth.

      Laina sighed, threw back the covers and slid out of bed. They were the best days she’d had in months and still she couldn’t sleep. All those lovely things reminded her of the emptiness of her own life.

      Laina lifted the long skirt of her nightgown, stepped into her slippers and walked to the window. Moonlight outlined the bare branches of the trees and highlighted the patches of snow in the gardens below. She wrapped her arms around herself for warmth and stared down at the scene. Everything looked desolate and barren.

      She heaved another sigh and turned away from the depressing sight. She would be so glad when spring arrived. When everything came to life again. She wanted so much to feel alive again. Not on the surface, as she’d felt tonight while playing checkers with Justin and Elizabeth, but deep down inside. She was so tired of feeling like…like Abigail’s empty house.

      There! The thought was out. All day she’d been suppressing it. Laina frowned and walked over to curl up in the chair on the hearth. Why couldn’t she get Abigail’s vacant house out of her mind? She didn’t want to think about sad things. She’d had enough of sadness. She’d come to Philadelphia to escape it! There had to be something she could think about that wouldn’t remind her of her own circumstances.

      Mr. Buffy. Laina gave a nod of satisfaction. Yes, that was it. She would think about Mr. Buffy. There was nothing about him to make her feel her own lack. She’d never had a pet. She leaned against the soft, padded back of the chair, stared into the dancing flames of the fire and fixed her thoughts on the big black dog.

      Chapter СКАЧАТЬ