Sea of Christmas Miracles by Christine Dorsey Page B

we’ll eat.”
    After thanking him, Caroline began to follow
an obviously reluctant Rebecca up the stairs. The girl fairly
bounced when she walked, and Caroline thought she must look very
drab and listless in comparison as she clutched the banister.
    Below, in the hallway, George Walker clasped
his friend’s shoulder. “ ’Tis glad I am, that you’ve come. And not
just because Rebecca wonders constantly when you’ll arrive.”
    “I do no such thing,” Rebecca called back,
stopping so abruptly that Caroline almost bumped into her. “Papa,
don’t you dare tell such tales on me.”
    Rebecca turned, hands akimbo, and glared down
at the two men standing shoulder to shoulder below stairs. Her
cheeks were flushed and her dark eyes sparkled, and in that
instant, Caroline realized why. Rebecca Walker was in love with
Raff MacQuaid.
    Since she had little experience with romance
of any type, Caroline wasn’t certain how she knew. But know, she
did. She glanced around, to see if she could discern if Mr.
MacQuaid was privy to this tidbit of information, and her breath
caught in her throat.
    She’d thought of her future stepson as
imposing and unmistakably masculine, in turn broodingly quiet and
angry, but as she stared at him now, she appreciated how handsome
he was. His hand rested on the rounded newel, as he grinned up at
Rebecca. Then his piercing stare shifted, meeting Caroline’s, and
she felt as if all the air was sucked from her body.
    Rebecca flounced about, continuing the climb
up the stairs, and Caroline had no choice but to follow.
    Dinner that night was delicious; Caroline
hadn’t realized how hungry she was. But afterward, when she would
have preferred to climb into the soft down-filled bed and sleep,
she adjourned to the drawing room with Rebecca while her father and
Raff walked outside. Rebecca’s vibrant mood vanished, and she
sullenly stared out the window, answering only briefly Caroline’s
attempts at conversation.
    Finally giving up, Caroline sat ignored and
uncomfortable in one of the Queen Anne chairs, wondering when she
could politely excuse herself. She’d just about decided she’d
endured the woman’s silence long enough when Rebecca turned, her
dark head cocked to one side.
    “He hates his father, you know.”
    “I beg your pardon?” Caroline wasn’t sure if
she heard correctly. For the seemingly unsolicited statement made
no sense.
    “Raff. He can’t tolerate Robert for the way
he treated his mother... and the rest of the Cherokee.”
    Not knowing how to respond, Caroline studied
the hands folded in her lap.
    “He’ll hate you, too. I know he will.”
    Caroline swallowed. “I don’t think any of
this is your concern.”
    “Oh, but everything about Raff is my
concern.” She smoothed the swaying skirts of her brocaded gown. “I
thought you should know that he’ll never care about you... because
of his father.”
    “ ’Tis very... kind of you to tell me.”
Caroline stood, not quite knowing what to say. She smiled, hoping
to relieve some of the tension she felt emanating from the girl.
“I’m very tired. If you’ll excuse me, I think I shall retire.”
    “That’s splendid. And don’t worry, I’ll make
your excuses to Raff and my father.”
    With a nod of her head, Caroline left the
room, closing the door behind her. The hallway was airy, the door
leading from the back of the house open, and Caroline couldn’t
resist walking toward it. A breath of fresh air might clear her
head and help her make some sense of Rebecca’s remarks. It wasn’t
until she paused in the doorway that she realized Mr. Walker and
Raff were nearby.
    She couldn’t see them in the darkness, but
though they spoke in hushed tones, she could hear them. Caroline
was about to turn back inside when something her host said caught
her attention.
    “You think there will be war then between the
Cherokee and the English?”
    But it was Raff’s response that sent a shiver
up her spine.
    “Lyttleton sends talk