Acadia Song 04 - The Distant Beacon Read Online Free PDF Page A

spices. Her hair was bound up in a fashion Catherine could not even begin to fathom.
    Nicole reached out and took hold of Catherine’s hand. Even here there was discomfort, when she only wanted to recapture the first moments of joy at their reunion. Catherine looked down at the two hands and wished she could hide away her own, red and winter-chapped as they were.
    “I’m so glad to see you, Mama. I have waited so long, I can hardly believe it is true. How have you been?”
    Catherine willed herself to give back a taste of the love and care she found in her daughter’s eyes. At least this had not changed. And yet it had, for the person who gazed at her was a woman indeed, and the expression had deepened and strengthened such that even here Catherine found herself stumbling over the confession, “Missing you—.”
    “And I you,” Nicole said. A sheen of tears appeared. But the woman who was her daughter showed her strength of will. She lifted her chin and blinked repeatedly, holding back the flow. Catherine wanted to squeeze the hand she held and tell her daughter to let go, to release the tears and weep for them both. But she couldn’t bring herself to speak, and Nicole smiled tremulously at the young officer and said, “Look at me. I’m such a ninny.”
    “Not anything like that,” Gordon reassured her. The young man straightened to full attention as the rear door opened.
    “I heard voices,” Father John said, unsteadily making his way through the doorway, adjusting his suspenders.
    “Grandfather!” Nicole hurried to embrace the old man.
    “Good gracious, child. Could this be you?” The old man’s eyes sharpened as they hadn’t in months. He smiled and said, “You leave a fine young lass and come back to me a duchess.”
    “That is exactly what I thought,” Catherine said, not able to keep the pride from her voice. “A duchess has come to visit us.”
    “My dear sweet Nicole,” Father John said. “You do us all proud.”
    Nicole led the old man over to the fireplace. “Grandfather, may I present Gordon Goodwind, who has escorted me all the way from England.”
    Gordon gave the military half bow. “An honor, sir. Nicole has often spoken of you, and always in the highest possible terms.”
    Catherine watched as the old man’s gaze sharpened further still. “An officer, are you?”
    “Indeed, sir.”
    “Navy?”
    “Actually, sir, I am with the merchant marine.”
    “As honorable a position as any.” John pointed to the rocker by the fireplace. “Give me a hand with settling my bones, will you?”
    “Of course, sir.” With Gordon on one side and Catherine on the other, the old man lowered himself into the padded seat.
    “Gordon is captain of his own vessel, Grandfather.”
    “Then obviously there are others who think highly of you, besides my granddaughter.” Father John pointed to empty chairs. “Sit yourselves down, the both of you.”
    Father John inspected them and said, “If I didn’t know better, I would say I was looking at royalty.”
    Gordon cleared his throat. “Actually, sir—” “Gordon, no,” Nicole protested quietly.
    “They need to know,” Gordon replied. “They are your family.”
    Nicole dropped her eyes to the hands in her lap.
    “Your daughter . . .” Gordon hesitated a moment and glanced at Nicole, clearly hoping for some sign of approval. But she didn’t raise her head. “That is, Nicole . . .”
    “Out with it, man,” Father John said. “We already know her name.”
    “Yes, sir. That is, well, she is actually a titled lady now.” Catherine couldn’t help but stare. “What do you mean?”
    “It’s nothing, Mama,” Nicole said, her face embarrassed. “Really.”
    “I’m sorry, Miss Nicole, but I must respectfully disagree.” Gordon continued in a rush, “Charles has elected to make Anne’s son, his closest heir by blood, the lord of the Harrow estate. But he has granted Nicole the title of viscountess.”
    Catherine knew her mouth was