His Forever Valentine by Kit Morgan Page A

back to what we were doin’,” Tom said with a smile.
    They looked at him, as if each lost a loved one, before anger flashed in Mrs. Davis’s eyes. “I’ll be speaking to your father about this, Charlotte,” she spat then turned on Tom.  “And you young man, will have to take it up with him!”  She turned on her heel and stormed down the hall.
    “Oh dear, oh dear ,” Mrs. Riley said to herself as she began to wring her hands together. “Nellie’s upset, this can’t bode well.”
    “What do you mean, it can’t bode well?” asked Rose.
    “Oh, child. You don’t know her like we do,” she quickly glanced to Charlotte. “No offense, but you of all people should understand how she can be.”
    Charlotte nodded. “More than ever, but tell me, Mrs. Riley. Who encouraged her?”
    Mrs. Riley stood stock still, except her mouth, which opened and closed in silence. Finally, she took a deep breath. “I admit Mrs. Quinn and I can get … excited at the prospect of … young love.”
    Rose had to cover her mouth to stifle a very un-lady like snort. Tom smiled at the action, Matthew didn’t.
    Charlotte sighed. “As can my mother. She, however, likes every single detail done her way. She didn’t get to do anything when Abbey got married. Now she’s saving it all for me.”
    “I’m sorry, dear, I got so excited when Mrs. Quinn told me about a double wedding, I was … well, I clearly over-reacted. You know I meant no harm by it.”
    “I know, but now I’m going to have to find a way to handle her.”
    “I think this is my fault,” said Tom. “I never meant for ya to have to be in any kind of scuffle with your ma, Miss Charlotte.  If’n it will help, I’ll follow ya on home and explain the whole thing was a misunderstandin’.”
    “How did talk of the two of you courting get started, anyhow?” Mrs. Riley asked Tom.
    He didn’t answer as all eyes gravitated to Matthew. “Leave me out of this!” he said and held up his hands in front of him. “All I did was suggest Rose and I call each other by our first names!”
    “That’s all, huh?” Tom chuckled.  “Well then I’d hate to see what would happen if you’d suggest she let you steal a kiss!”
    Matthew gasped. “That would be highly improper!”
    “You mean like me calling this pretty lady here, Charlotte?”
    Matthew pressed his mouth shut and said nothing.
    “Hmmm,” Tom said as he mused. “I guess a man can’t have everything he wants. Miss Charlotte’s gonna marry what ever man tickles her fancy, and you’re gonna marry Miss Rose. That being said, there should be no more high and mighty tantrums, have I got that right?”
    Matthew glared at him.
    “Tantrums?” asked Mrs. Riley.
    “I’ll explain later,” Rose quickly added.
    Charlotte glanced between the two men. Matthew had been trying to protect her, albeit in an aggressive manner.  Tom was doing the same thing, but used wit as his weapon.  Her heart swelled at the realization, and she lowered her face to hide a smile. She couldn’t remember a time when two men fought for her. But of the two, it was Matthew who fought the hardest, and most passionate.  Charlotte raised her face to his, with one question on her mind. Why?
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Seven

    Several days went by before Tom decided to pay Charlotte a call.  Not because he had a burning desired to see her, but because no one had seen her since they took tea together at the mercantile.  He’d not received word from Matthew to play chaperone either, and as neither he nor Charlotte had been to the Quinn’s since, who was acting the part with the couple?
    He rode up to the hitching post in front of the house and dismounted.  He’d never been out to the Davis place before. The house was huge, and solidly built, a testimony to the Davis family’s wealth.  Where that wealth came from, Tom had no idea.  Spencer had mentioned investments of some kind back east, and a few relatives on Mr. Davis’s