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the direction of the door. I resisted for a moment, wanting to say a farewell to Gabriel.
    “I do hope you will recover soon, Mr. McLeod,” I stated, noting the inadequacy of my words as I allowed Lucas to usher me out of the room.
    “Miss Sullivan?” Gabriel’s baritone voice gently called out as I turned to leave. I glanced back at him to see his pensive, troubled eyes. “I thank you for your concern.”
    I nodded, unable to think of anything adequate to say. Richard led us down the hallway, thanking me for the visit while subtly ignoring Lucas.
    As we walked along the small alleyway, I gripped Lucas’s arm painfully. “Why were you such a boor?” I demanded.
    “Rissa,” he said, exasperation tingeing his tone. “Are you seriously concerned about me offending two poor laborers who live here ?” He stared at me incredulously as he waved around the poorly lit area, stopping to stare at me. “You can’t actually tell me you care one whit about them?”
    “They’re Colin’s friends,” I insisted.
    “Yes, and Colin has some regrettable associations,” Lucas said. “Clarissa, are you so naive?” He gripped my arms lightly, as though he wanted to shake sense into me. “The elder brother looked at you with such…” Lucas broke off, muttering under his breath.
    “With such what, Lucas?” I demanded.
    “Insolence,” he nearly roared. “How dare he look at you like that?”
    “Like what? Like he found me attractive?” I said, louder than I had meant and heard a faint catcall in response. I noted we had a small audience, and, though I wasn’t sure they could understand all we were saying, I felt uncomfortable. “Lucas, we shouldn’t be arguing in the street.” I gripped his arm, trying to propel him into motion.
    “So now you worry about propriety?” Lucas ground out, remaining stock-still. “Rissa, what’s come over you?” he asked, finally allowing me to drag him toward the main street and home.
    “I don’t like it when you sound like Jonas Montgomery, that insufferable fiancé of Savannah’s, all pompous and stuffy, as though you are better than other people,” I said. “I don’t like it when you stand sullenly by, glaring at an injured man, then insult him in his own home by pointing out his poverty!” I hissed. “Don’t you think he knows he is poor?”
    “As long as you understand it, Clarissa,” Lucas whispered. “Don’t get any ideas about the McLeods. They’re not good enough for you.”
    I shook my head futilely. “Lucas, you misunderstand. I have no ideas, romantic or otherwise, about the McLeods,” I said. “I just want to see him well, to move on with my life.”
    “Rissa…” He let out a long sigh. “I’m sorry if I acted improperly, in your opinion. I didn’t like either of them. One too friendly and sure of himself, the other too…” Again he wouldn’t finish his sentence. “Rissa, just don’t plan to be around them much. It’s not a good idea.”
    “I doubt either would want to see me,” I muttered as a wave of self-pitying thoughts washed over me.

CHAPTER 4
    “UNCLE,” I CALLED OUT as I entered the store, only to find myself nearly deafened by a high-pitched squeal. I almost toppled over as Savannah threw herself into my arms.
    “Where have you been? I’ve been here for ages, and I even had to wait on a few customers,” she said, widening her sky-blue eyes in mock horror. Her wispy strawberry-blond hair was fashioned in a loose chignon with tendrils framing her heart-shaped face. “Come, tell me of the past few weeks!” Savannah said, grabbing my hand and pulling me up the stairs.
    We passed through the darkened hallway, careening into a side table. A vase of flowers almost tipped over, but Savannah reached out to right it before it toppled to the floor. We continued through the hallway to the stairs, passing hung scenes of New England and small cross-stitched pieces that Aunt Matilda and Savannah had created. Bright sunlight streamed in