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Piper

My arms ached and sweat gathered at the base of my neck. Rowing a boat was harder than it looked. The midmorning sun was relentless, even on the water, and I longed to jump in for a cool swim. My charge, six-year-old Bebe, had not stopped talking since we left the shore. She was particularly fond of asking questions.

Where did bees come from? Why was August hotter than any other month? Was Mr. King really my sweetheart? All asked in quick succession, not waiting for me to answer before flinging another one.

Part of being a nanny was a commitment to perpetual learning, no matter the activity. Inquisitiveness was one of my favorite qualities in a child. This one had as much as five children put together. Other than my dear Sara Rose, whom I practically raised into adulthood and now considered family, no child had captured my heart quite like Bebe Tutheridge.

“I don’t know where bees come from, other than God made them to help populate the earth with flowers.�

As if to agree with me, the sweet scent of wildflowers and roses from the gardens drifted in on a sudden breeze. I stopped rowing to catch my breath. The waters of the Puget Sound, where the San Juan Islands clustered like lily pads in a pond, almost connected but not quite, rocked the boat gently. My wide-brimmed hat shielded my face from the sun, but regardless, my scalp and the nape of my neck perspired.

“What about August?� Bebe asked, wrinkling her freckled nose and staring at me with her earnest blue eyes under the brim of her hat. “How come it’s so hot?�

“In this part of the country, the summers are cool, with the warmest days in August.� The weather had been sunny and mild all through July, giving us many opportunities to explore the island together. Now, a few days into August, it seemed that summer had truly arrived. Temperatures had climbed into the eighties for three days in a row. Bebe and I had spent a lot of time outdoors playing croquet and lawn tennis. Today, hoping for some relief from the heat, we’d decided to take the rowboat out. Not my best plan, as I was now a sweaty mess.

We were not far from shore. I was not entirely confident in my captain abilities and didn’t want to get too far adrift. Regardless, I’d have a blister between my index finger and thumb from rowing before the day was through.

“I heard Papa say Mr. King was courting you.� Bebe pushed her straw hat from her head, leaving it to dangle around her neck by the string.

An instinct more than conscious thought had me reaching out to put it back in place. I’d positioned a lot of hats back on small heads over my decade as a nanny. “Hat is a must, not a maybe,� I said. “Do you want to have a sunburn and have your grammie irritated with me and you?�

Her grandmother and mistress of the estate and my employer, Mrs. Bains, was always on her about her sun hat. Bebe, whenever possible, freed her dark head from captivity and raised her face to the sun as if it were an old friend.

“Is it true about you and my teacher?� Bebe asked.

I’d hoped she’d forgotten that question. Not our Bebe. A memory like an elephant, this one.

The island school’s teacher, Caleb King, was indeed my beau. “He’s a special friend.�

“Will you marry him?�

If he asks, I thought but didn’t say. “He’s only a friend. Nothing for you to worry yourself about.�

Caleb and I had bonded over our love for children the first time we met. After that, he’d asked to court me and I’d said yes. We’d taken buggy rides, had picnics, and walked along the water’s edge. Such happy times for me. Feelings stirred in me that I’d not felt before. Was it love? I had no idea. It was not like Sara Rose and Rhett, who had fallen in love at first sight. I wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was because Caleb was so much older than I. He was over forty and I was twenty-eight. Anyway, he was more sensible and less spontaneous a man than Rhett Rivers.

I’d had several proposals back in Boston, but it had never felt right. I’d decided I’d be quite content as a single woman making her own way as a nanny or governess. My parents� marriage had been a fraught one, mostly because of my father’s philandering. Mama once said, after too much Christmas punch, that my father had never met a whore he didn’t follow home. At the time, I had no idea what that word meant. It was only later that I realized the true meaning of what she’d said. By that time, my father had broken both our hearts.

“What’s the difference between a beau and a friend?� Bebe asked.

Good question. “It’s complicated. You’ll understand better when you’re older. Why do you want to know, anyway?�

She tugged on her shell-like ear. “I can’t tell you.�

“Ah, we have secrets between us now?� I added just a hint of disapproval. As unruly as Bebe could sometimes be, she had an innate instinct to please the adults in her life. It was only that we were all so confusing that it was hard to know how to do that. This was my guess, of course, based on my own remembrances of childhood. Raised in a home that throbbed with tension, I’d been on constant alert as to ways to please them. If I’d known a way to make them happy and stop fighting, I would have done it. As an adult, I knew making my parents� marriage a happy one was impossible. They were responsible for their own happiness.

But Bebe didn’t know this. She was innocent and vulnerable. Sweet, adventurous Bebe had not been the challenge everyone said she would be. I’d been warned of her mischievousness and tendencies toward naughtiness before I took the position. They had been mistaken in their assessment. Mostly, I figured, because they knew nothing about children. Bebe was a delightful, inquisitive little person who made me laugh and inspired me to be braver and seek more of the thrills of living than I ever had before.

It made my chest ache to think of how she vied for her father’s attention. When she was good or bad, she did it all to pull her father’s gaze toward her. To no avail. Hudson Tutheridge was an insufferable, snobbish bore. As much as I cared for Bebe, I could not find one thing to like about the man. Other than he was quite easy on the eyes. All the Tutheridge men were blessed with good looks. Unfortunately, Hudson Tutheridge was an example of someone pretty on the outside and ugly on the inside.

Mr. Tutheridge’s moods were uneven, although mostly nasty, bullish, or gloomy. Did I feel bad for him? Of course I did. He’d lost his wife when Bebe was only a toddler. From what his sister, Ella, had told me, he’d once been a fun-loving, generous man. Losing his wife had left him bereft. So much so he could not love his daughter.

I could not bear him. The moment he entered the room, my skin crawled. Especially after I came to live at the mansion. I’d looked forward to it at first, thinking of living in such a grand estate, with views of the Puget Sound and the expansive lawn and a room of my own. However, it took only a few days to know the truth. The more time I spent in the presence of Hudson, the less I liked him, which diminished my enjoyment of my new position. My new life.

Why did God give children to people like him? I’d had experience with bad parents in all of my jobs. Especially Sara Rose. Ignorant, awful people who made her feel as if she were unlovable simply because she had eyes of different colors. What idiots they were. A flash of anger made my hands ball into fists. Never mind, though. I smiled to myself. She’d had her happy ending despite how cruel her parents had been to her. The smartest thing we’d ever done was come out here to Whale Island.

“You have a secret.� Bebe pointed a finger at me. “Actually, a few of them.�

“Please do not point.�

“W³ó²â?â€�

“It’s bad manners. And why do we think I have secrets?�

“We don’t. I do,� Bebe said.

“What secrets do you think I keep?�

“You’re not as happy as you pretend, for one.�

“That might be true.� My mother always commented on my sunny disposition. This had pleased her. Thus, I honed the skill of joyfulness, even if sometimes I would rather have hidden under a pillow to weep.

“I heard you talking to Miss Sara Rose one day. You were crying.�

“You have got to stop eavesdropping,� I said reprovingly. “It’s going to get you into trouble one of these days. Sometimes when adults talk, there are things you don’t understand and thus interpret incorrectly.�

“You were crying about your beau. I know you were.�

How had she known that? Bebe was too smart for her age. I had been crying about Caleb. He’d been unexpectedly impatient with me during our Sunday afternoon drive, speaking harshly to me when I asked him a question about why he’d left the East Coast and come to Whale Island. He’d actually insinuated that I was prying into his life. It had been so unexpected that I’d been stunned into silence. We’d parted that afternoon with only a curt goodbye. Later that same day, I’d talked it over with Sara Rose when she and Rhett had come for supper at the big house.

Caleb had dropped by the next day after school let out to apologize. He’d said there were some things in his past that he’d rather leave there and could I understand that? I’d agreed, happy he seemed back to his charming self. Still, the whole incident gave me pause. Did I really want to fall in love with a man who didn’t want to tell me about himself? Since then, he’d been gracious and sweet. I’d decided it was a momentary lapse. No one can be perfect all the time.

“I was crying because a friend hurt my feelings,� I said now to Bebe. “Has that ever happened to you?�

“Yes, sometimes at school.� Bebe sighed, sounding about a hundred years old. “Girls can be very mean.�

“Not all of them. You’ll find a few in your life that you will love and trust, like I do Sara Rose.�

“Tell me the story about how you met her when she was only a kid.�

I’d told Bebe the story several times. For some reason, she loved hearing about it.

“Well, she was only ten and I had just turned eighteen, having graduated from high school. I heard about a family with a little girl who didn’t go to school. They needed a governess, and I needed a job, so it was such good luck that I happened to run into this particular acquaintance, who told me about the job. So I went to the house and met Sara Rose. She liked me, and I liked her. My mother had just died, so I was sad and a little lost. Right away we grew close. Her family was not very nice to her, making her stay in her room and forbidding her to go to school, which she wished for very much.�

“On account of her eyes,� Bebe said. She’d heard this story before. “One blue one and one brown one.�

“Correct. They made her feel bad about being different, and that was wrong. What have I told you about that?�

“To be myself and not care what others are thinking or doing. Except if myself is thinking about doing something bad. Then I should not be myself.�

We might need a little more work on understanding fully what I meant, but for now, it would have to do. “Sara Rose was lonely for other kids, and her own sister was selfish and cruel, so I had to be like her big sister and love her so that she knew she wasn’t alone in the world.�

Bebe tented her hands, eyes dreamy. “That’s the part I like the best. About how you became each other’s family.�

Sara Rose had been desperate for love and companionship. I’d recently lost my mother. We’d needed each other. Teaching her had been easy because of her intelligence and innate curiosity. “We certainly did. In our eight years together I taught her everything I knew, and of course, I learned from her.�

I didn’t tell Bebe the full story, for fear it would cause her to see Sara Rose differently. Mrs. Wilcox had told Sara Rose her unusual eyes were the mark of a demon or the devil. Just thinking of it made me angry all over again.

“What did you learn from her?� Bebe asked.

“How to be humble and loving even when people are nasty.�

“Why would you want to?� Bebe asked. “I’d rather be mean right back.�

I hid a smile behind my hand. “Because that’s the way Jesus wants us to be. We should always behave as he asks us to in the Bible.�

“Right. Good old Jesus. He said a lot of things.�

“Bebe,� I scolded, biting back a laugh. “You must always speak of our Lord and Savior with reverence.�

“What’s reverence?�

“Great respect. To revere someone is to hold them in esteem.�

“Then you came here to Whale Island,� Bebe said, back to the story. “And Sara Rose met Rhett and now they’re married and live in the lighthouse.�

“Yes. She has her happy ending now. Which, in turn, makes me happy.� I left out the tragic circumstances surrounding our need to leave Boston. Bebe was too young to know that evil men like the one who had hurt Sara Rose existed. For as long as I could, I would protect Bebe and keep her innocent. The cruel world would come to call on her soon enough.


A knock on Bebe’s bedroom door, followed by Lizzie’s voice asking if she could come in, interrupted our reading time. After our noonday meal, if we’d been particularly active as we had this morning, I encouraged Bebe to rest while I read to her. We were snuggled together in the window seat with the shades drawn to let in only slivers of light.

“Come in,� I said.

Lizzie, one of the maids, a darling girl with a talent for fixing hair, bobbed her head in greeting. “Miss Jayne, I’m sorry to disturb your reading time.� Her cheeks were flushed from the warmth of the afternoon, and she was slightly out of breath.

“It’s no trouble,� I said. “Is there anything wrong?�

She lowered her voice. “No, it’s just that Mr. King is here to see you.�

How odd. Caleb knew I was working. Why would he come by the house? Mrs. Bains discouraged visitors for the staff, including me.

“Dear me,� I said.

“I can stay with Bebe if you’d like to go down for a minute.� Lizzie’s pretty face brightened further when Bebe nodded enthusiastically. Lizzie was only sixteen, practically still a child herself. “Mrs. Bains is out back with Mr. Bains.�

“Thank you. So kind of you. I’ll see what he wants and be back very soon.� I untangled myself from Bebe and hurried downstairs.

Caleb was standing in the foyer, hat in hand, wearing a tan summer suit. He took my breath away. Such a handsome man. And he liked me. I could hardly believe it.

“What are you doing here?� I asked, whispering. “I’m working.�

“I know. I’m so sorry to disturb you. It won’t take a minute, but I just had to see you.� He pulled a small box from his jacket pocket. “This just came in with the post and I couldn’t wait another moment to give it to you.�

He handed me the box.

“It was my mother’s, and my sister found it in a box in her attic and thought I might like to have it for someone special. And now I do.�

I lifted the lid to see a silver locket on a chain. Plain but pretty nonetheless.

“Maybe someday you could put my picture in there?� Caleb asked.

Pleased with the gesture, I wanted to keep it, but it wasn’t right. If we were engaged, maybe. But not now. “This is too much. It’s a family heirloom. I can’t possibly accept it.�

“Please, I want you to have it. A promise of things to come?� He took my hand and brought it to his mouth for a quick kiss.

“Let me think about it,� I said, doing my best to be coquettish but probably failing miserably.

“Will you keep it while you think?� His eyes twinkled down at me.

“I suppose it couldn’t hurt anything,� I said.

“Also, I’ve come to ask you if you’ll attend the dance with me this coming weekend?�

I’d been hoping he’d ask me. “I’d be delighted.�

“I couldn’t be more delighted, Miss Jayne.�

“Nor I, Mr. King.� I pushed him gently toward the door. “However, you must go before I get into trouble.�

“I’ll see you soon.� Caleb flashed a charming smile that weakened my knees. How was it possible that such a fine man was interested in me?

A little voice whispered to me. But do you know him fully?

I told the voice to be quiet.

There had been that incident the other night when he’d been less than charming. But it hadn’t happened again since. He’d had a bad night. That’s all. Everyone has one occasionally. It wasn’t as though he was perpetually grumpy like my employer, Mr. Tutheridge.


Later that afternoon, I sat in a rocking chair under the shade of the covered porch. Grateful to be out of the sun, I watched a hatless Bebe practice her cartwheels on the lawn. Every time she went over, her skirt lifted, showing her pantaloons. Despite this, she was getting better at them, her legs straighter. Lizzie brought out a pitcher of lemonade.

“Lizzie, you’re a godsend,� I said, smiling up at her as she set the tray on the table next to my rocking chair.

“Mrs. Halvorson thought you and Bebe might be parched after your boat ride this morning. She doesn’t know how you do it, keeping up with that girl.�

Mrs. Halvorson was the estate cook. As far as I could tell, her genuine goodness came out in her delicious meals. “I don’t mind, but I do sleep well at night.� I was asleep the moment my head hit the pillow. Bebe woke early, which meant I had to as well.

All the rowing had given me a stinging blister on my left hand, so I used my right to pick up the glass. I was naturally left-handed, and my mother had tried to change me to be like most other people. To her frustration, it didn’t work. I was as left-handed as could be. She wanted nothing more in life than to fade into the woodwork. The way to do that, she’d said, was to pretend to be like everyone else. After she passed away, I was under no obligation to keep trying, so I just let myself be.

Lizzie stood at the edge of the porch and cheered when Bebe did an almost-perfect cartwheel. Bebe curtsied.

Lizzie returned the curtsy before looking back at me. “She’s done so well since you came here. You have such a way with her.�

“Everyone has their gifts. Mine happens to be with children. I love my work.�

“Do you like the island?� Lizzie asked. “Does it seem boring? You know, you being a city girl and all?�

“Honestly, I could spend the rest of my life here and be quite content,� I said. “How about you?�

“I love it here too, but I miss Ella. She used to let me fix her hair and help her get dressed for the evening. She always told me clever stories and made me laugh. It’s been quieter around her since she married. I wish I had a beau like you.�

“Maybe someone will move here,� I said. “Someone just right for you.�

“I think that only happens if you’re a Tutheridge.� Lizzie grinned. “What an odd thing it’s been, seeing them married off one after the other. Mrs. Bains must be relieved.�

“Why’s that?�

“She wanted them all to marry.� Lizzie drew nearer and lowered her voice to a whisper. “I’ve heard rumors they were sent here by a matchmaker.�

“Seems unlikely, doesn’t it?� I played dumb, knowing it was true. Sara Rose and I hadn’t known it at the time, but Mrs. Mantle was a matchmaker. She’d sent Amelia, Faith, and lastly Lucca to the island. Sara Rose had been sent specifically for Rhett Rivers. Thank goodness, I’d come as a companion to Sara Rose. There was no one acting puppeteer for me, and I’d found Caleb anyway.

“I should get on back to the kitchen. Mrs. Bains will want her tea soon.�

“Thanks for the cool drink, Lizzie.�

“Anything for you, Miss Jayne.�

After Lizzie left, Bebe came bounding up the stairs for a glass of lemonade. I poured her a small one, not wanting her stomach to cramp. Normally I would ask her to do it herself, believing that children should be taught independence and self-reliance. However, the pitcher was heavy and slippery with condensation. It would do no good to get us both in trouble.

The screen door opened and Hudson Tutheridge appeared, dressed in a linen summer suit and light blue tie. He was the smallest of the Tutheridge brothers, coming in at only six feet. His torso was slimmer and his shoulders less broad than Briggs and Benedict, but he was still a substantial man. He had thick dark hair like his daughter and similar eyes. All in all, with his nicely shaped nose and full mouth, he was a handsome man. If you liked the insufferable kind.

“Papa, what are you doing out here?� Bebe leaped up from the chair next to me and threw her arms around his legs.

To his credit, he didn’t push her away. However, he wasn’t exactly demonstrative either, simply patting her head, which was without its hat. Cartwheels could not be done in a straw hat. I glanced out to the grass and saw it sitting by its lonesome near a rhododendron bush.

“Bebe, please get your hat,� I said.

She stuck out her bottom lip but didn’t sass me. Instead, she ran down the steps and then, perhaps remembering her triumph of earlier, shouted back to her father. “Do you want to see my cartwheel?�

“If I must,� Hudson muttered under his breath.

This man made me want to punch something.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Tutheridge,� I said pleasantly. He was my employer, and as much as I disliked him, I had to be on my best behavior. I really didn’t want to lose this job. For one thing, I was already so fond of Bebe.

“Afternoon. Taking it easy, I see?�

I bristled but hid my irritation as best I could. “Yes, we’re talking a break from the sun. Bebe and I took the rowboat out this morning.�

Bebe did a cartwheel, not far from the steps, then straightened. “Papa, did you see? Did you see?�

“Yes, quite impressive.� His tone of voice belied his words.

“I can do it again,� Bebe shouted.

“Must she show her underwear every time?� Hudson yanked his straw bowler hat from his head and hung it on the back of the rocking chair next to mine. In all, there were a dozen rocking chairs lined up on the porch. Mrs. Bains had only recently added them, she’d told me. So that her family could all visit during nice weather.

“Do you want me to have her stop?� I asked. He was her father. If he thought it unladylike, then I had to respect his wishes. “It’s just that she enjoys it so. And it wears her out.�

“I suppose it’s fine in the privacy of our backyard. But I don’t understand the purpose of these cartwheels.� He sat, not beside me but with a chair between us. This was new behavior. He’d never come out here before. Was he going to fire me?

“They’re fun, that’s all,� I said. “She’s doing them for the sheer joy of it.�

He didn’t reply. I folded my hands on my lap and then yelped in pain from my blister.

“What is it?� Hudson asked sharply.

“I have a blister.� I held up my hand. “From rowing the boat earlier.�

One brow arched before he returned his gaze toward the water while pulling a handkerchief from his pocket and placing it on the arm of my chair. “Wrap that around so you don’t keep smacking it.�

Surprised by his thoughtfulness, I did as he suggested.

“Miss Jayne, I have something I wish to discuss with you. It’s rather delicate.�

“Yes, of course.�

Was he going to fire me? Please, God, not that.

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