Keep My Heart

Chapter 8

Cameron shook Clayton’s hand as Texiss smiled at Quinn.

“He’s beautiful” she smiled, stoking the baby’s hand.

“He’s a sweetheart” Millie smiled.

“So how long are you in town?” Texiss asked.

“I’m leaving after services on Sunday” Millie answered, sighing.

“So soon?”

“Well, Trey doesn’t like his son being so far away from home” Millie sighed.

Yet, he will leave him for days on end while he goes gallivanting…

“Is he okay, Doc?” Millie asked after Doc Jacobs examined Quinn.

“He’s fit as a fiddle. Everything seems normal,” Doc Jacobs said.

“Then why won’t he talk?” Millie asked.

“Some kids are just slow. He might take a little coaxing, but I think he’ll speak” Doc said.

“I hope so”.

“So how do you like your new job out there?” Doc asked.

Millie smiled “I like it real well. I miss everyone a lot, but I manage” Millie scooped up Quinn.

“Good. We miss you around here” Doc put up his stethoscope.

Millie sighed. It was good to be home for a few days.

*****

Trey wandered aimlessly around the house. He didn’t know what to do with Quinn, Millie, and Clayton gone. Life was boring, even if they hadn’t been gone a full day yet. Wandering into the parlor, he plopped down onto the sofa and felt something hard on his back. Reaching behind him to retrieve the object, he felt what seemed like a book. He drew it out and looked at the title.

Pride and Prejudice.

Well, he didn’t have anything else to do, so he might as well see what all the fuss was about over the book. He had heard several people talk about it, but had never read it himself.

But how did it end up on the sofa?

Cracking it open, Trey saw a handwritten note on the first page.

To my Lizzie on her 17th birthday. You will always be the love of my life.

Your Mr. Darcy, Lance.

His eyebrows drew close together. Who was Lizzie? Who was Mr. Lance Darcy?

He involuntarily snarled his nose as he began reading the book. Soon he found out that Lizzie was a character in the story and Mr. Darcy was another character.

Only Lizzie hated Mr. Darcy. What kind of a love note was that?

He continued reading and developed a strong dislike for the entire Bennett family. Immature daughters, annoying mother, lazy father, and no sons. Who would carry on the Bennett name?

“Who wrote this thing anyway?” Trey mumbled as he looked at the cover.

Jane Austen.

Trey sighed and continued reading. Why he sat there for three hours and read the entire thing, he had no clue. After the last page was read, he finally understood the note in the front of the book. The only question now was, how did the book get on the sofa, and who did it belong to? Maybe it was one of Jess’. Or it could be Millie’s. She was always reading something.

Sighing, Trey took the book up the stairs to his study and placed the book on his desk with the intention of asking Millie about the story.

Did he have any Jane Austen books in his library? Trey searched through titles and came across several of Karen’s old books that had the Austen name on them. Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, Emma, Mansfield Park, and Sense and Sensibility. Taking the stack of books, he placed them on his desk and plopped into the chair behind it. Taking the top book, he cracked the pages and began reading.