{"id":1257,"date":"2019-02-15T00:12:02","date_gmt":"2019-02-15T05:12:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/read.whitefire-publishing.com\/?p=1257"},"modified":"2020-06-01T08:14:07","modified_gmt":"2020-06-01T12:14:07","slug":"sense-and-nonsense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/whitefire-publishing.com\/read\/sense-and-nonsense\/","title":{"rendered":"Sense and Nonsense"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Sense and Nonsense<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

by Lisa Karon Richardson<\/a>

Based on Sense and Sensibility<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Super serious Evangeline Bennett has no time for frivolities like courtship. Besides, she tried it once and doesn\u2019t intend to lay her heart open to that sort of pain again. Now she has her sights set on a higher goal. She\u2019s going to be a missionary to Ceylon. But when her plans go awry, only James Ferris, the son of the missionary board\u2019s chairman, can hope to set things right. Too bad he\u2019s the very man she\u2019s sworn to never see again.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t

Chapter 1<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t

May 16, 1899<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Evangeline Danwood paged through\nthe Sears & Roebuck catalogue until she found the guns. A revolver ought to\nwork\u2014a small one that could fit in her handbag, or maybe even a pocket. Not too\nexpensive though, she couldn\u2019t afford to squander her savings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Caught up in the intricacies of the\nofferings, Eva only distantly registered the sound of feet pounding along the\ncorridor. She made a mental note to speak to the girls about decorum in the\nhallways then happily lost herself in the minutiae of the decision again.\nHeavy-handed rapping on her door made her start and lose her place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Popping to her feet she scrambled\nto answer the door. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEva!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hand at the knob, Eva paused. Megan<\/em>. There went her pleasant evening\nof planning for Ceylon, the teardrop shaped island that looked like it was\nfalling off the tip of India where she would soon be teaching in a missionary\nschool. She opened the door to her closest friend. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A whirlwind of chiffon, red curls,\nand eau du cologne engulfed her as Megan rushed in and grabbed her arms in a\npincer-like grip. \u201cEva, it\u2019s gone. It\u2019s all gone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eva pulled back. \u201cWhat\u2019s gone?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll of the missions money. It\u2019s\nall gone. I don\u2019t know what happened. I had it at the mission office, then I was\nthinking about some things Mama asked me to pick up for her. Then I remembered\nabout James\u2019s birthday coming\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hands cold despite the early\nevening warmth, Eva took hold of Megan\u2019s shoulders. \u201cTell me what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d wailed Megan. \u201cI\njust know the money is gone.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eva snatched Meg\u2019s impractically\nsmall handbag from her and inspected it. The minute bag held a single quarter,\na folded bit of paper, a handkerchief, and a pencil stub. It most certainly did\nnot contain one thousand dollars. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot there,\u201d Meg said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eva ignored her as she upended the\nbag over her pale blue quilt. The money did not magically appear among the\nmeager contents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eva picked up the folded paper, but\nbefore she could look at it closely, Megan whisked it from her hand. \u201cThat\ndoesn\u2019t have anything to do with this. And the money wasn\u2019t in the bag when it\nwas lost.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Half wishing she\u2019d thought to buy a gun\nearlier, Eva planted her fists on her hips. \u201cMegan Victoria Conroy, you are\ngoing to find that money if we have to ransack all of Austin to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tears filled Megan\u2019s wide eyes.\n\u201cDon\u2019t be angry with me. I didn\u2019t do it on purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eva kneaded the bridge of her nose.\n\u201cI know that. But without that money, I\u2019ll never make it to Ceylon. I\u2019m\nsupposed to book my passage this coming week.\u201d Her mattress springs screeched\nin protest as she plopped down on the bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Megan sat more tentatively. \u201cI\u2019m so\nsorry.\u201d She put an arm around Eva\u2019s shoulders. \u201cBut if anyone can find that\nmoney, it\u2019s you. You\u2019re the smartest person I know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eva plucked her handkerchief from\nher sleeve and handed it to Megan. \u201cI\u2019m not one of your beaus to flatter, Meg.\u201d\nA smile softened the reproach. \u201cBut who am I to sniff at a tactic that works on\nall of them?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Megan offered a beatific smile in\nreturn and laid her head on Eva\u2019s shoulder. \u201cI knew I could count on you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eva pulled away. \u201cYou\u2019re not off\nthe hook. We\u2019re going to have to find this money together. Now start at the\nbeginning and tell me what happened. Wait, when did you last have the money?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell\u2026\u201d Megan said, \u201cI definitely had\nit after the fair.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eva tried not to scream. \u201cOf course\nyou did. I was there when Mr. Ferris gave it to you.\u201d Although how anyone ever\nthought Meg would make a good chairwoman of the missionary board\u2019s fundraising\ncommittee, she\u2019d never know. \u201cWhat did you do after the fair?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meg\u2019s fingers began to pleat the\ndelicate fabric of her skirt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eva narrowed her eyes. \u201cMeg\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meg sprang to her feet. \u201cI stopped\nby the missionary society offices. I left it there. I\u2019ll tell you all about it.\u201d\nShe reached for Eva\u2019s hand. \u201cBut please come on. We have to go look or I\u2019ll\nnever get a wink of sleep tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut I\u2019m responsible for the\ngirls.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPish, they should all be going to\nbed soon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eva raised an eyebrow. \u201cYou act as\nif you never attended this school.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, all right. But surely one of\nthe other teachers could help you out for a change. You\u2019re always doing\neverything for them.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI shall have to tell the kettles\nthat the pot had something to say about their conduct.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meg swatted at her arm. \u201cYou know\nwhat I mean. I\u2019m sure someone would be willing to repay your many kindnesses by\ngiving you an evening\u2019s respite.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI suppose Miss Allan\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMiss Allan is perfect. Let\u2019s call\nupon her now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eva allowed herself to be all but\ndragged down the hall to the deportment teacher\u2019s room. In typical tornado\nfashion, Meg made short work of Miss Allan\u2019s defenses, and almost before she\nknew it, Eva was on the sidewalk in front of the Jeanette C. Austen Academy for\nYoung Ladies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Twilight softened the city\u2019s sharp\nedges, and a little thrill slicked along Eva\u2019s spine. The unsanctioned outing\nfelt daring in the extreme. She was not the stick in the mud her students\nbelieved. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The walk to the offices of the missionary\nsociety took only a few moments. It was slightly eerie being the only\npedestrians on the street. She couldn\u2019t even hear any of the usual clatter and\nbells from the trolleys. Eva picked up her already quick pace, until Meg was\nalmost running to keep up. When they arrived Eva looked expectantly to Megan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Meg responded as if\nconfused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo you have a key?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eva\u2019s lips compressed together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t give me that look, Eva. I\nknow I can be flighty, but I\u2019m not addlepated.\u201d She raised a delicate fist and\nknocked in a decidedly indelicate fashion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eva had no time to ponder what this\nnew development might mean. The door swung in to reveal a figure, backlit by\nthe gaslights glowing inside. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

James\nFerris<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

His height always seemed to take\nher by surprise on first sight because he had such a self-deprecating manner.\nAlthough she could not see his deep brown eyes due to the light behind him, she\nknew he would be regarding her with the same serious attention he always\nshowed. For the second time that evening, Eva had the sickening sensation of\nfalling into an abyss. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He shifted to make room for them to\nenter, and the light illuminated a slightly too-big nose and the brown hair\nthat never quite lay flat. His gaze found Eva\u2019s, and she could not look away or\neven blink. She had not seen him except from a distance for at least two\nmonths. Not since the announcement of his engagement to Miss Megan Conroy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, James.\u201d Meg slipped past him\ninto the office. \u201cWe\u2019re sorry to disturb you, but I had some committee business\nto complete and dear Eva agreed to assist me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From somewhere deep in her\nwell-mannered soul, Eva dredged up a smattering of polite conversation straight\nfrom her adopted mama\u2019s lips. \u201cGood evening, Mr. Ferris. I understand\ncongratulations are in order. I wish you every blessing.\u201d Her knees wobbled\never so slightly as she stepped past him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He made a sound like a fishbone had\ncaught in his throat then inclined his head. \u201cYou\u2019re very kind, Miss Danwood.\nIt seems I haven\u2019t seen you in awhile.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI had not noticed.\u201d The untruth\nseared her throat, but she could think of no way to recall the words and so let\nthem hang like a fog in the air between them. Not that it mattered. The air was\nalready choked with a million words that had not been said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEva,\u201d Meg called from the inner\noffice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPlease excuse me.\u201d Eva swept\naround him and hurried through the spare, slightly shabby front room to join\nher friend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI missed you.\u201d James\u2019s words were\ntentative, and had her senses not been straining toward him, she\u2019d have missed\nthem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

God\nhelp me. <\/em>She squared her shoulders. There was no use thinking of what might\nhave been. She had to contend with one final Megan crisis then she would go to\nCeylon. The thought soothed her. Very soon she would be in a whole new world,\nand all of the entanglements of her life in Austin would fade away as if they\nhad never been. She would be able to immerse herself in helping her students.\nIf it meant giving up the delights of marriage and a home of her own\u2026 Well, so\nbe it. Surely God would ease the ache over time. And it wasn\u2019t as if she had\nthe promise of those things if she stayed in Austin anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI had it right here in an envelope.\u201d\nMegan sat at a roll top desk. \u201cThere were a bunch of receipts from the fairs. I\nhad to reconcile what bills were still owed with the money that came in. I was\nall excited because we earned so much, and I knew it was for your trip.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eva bent over the desk and they\nbegan to open and rifle through the myriad drawers. For a long moment the only\nsound was the slide of wood and shuffle of paper. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She straightened. \u201cWait! Don\u2019t\nthese desks usually have a secret compartment?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes! Maybe someone just moved it!\u201d\nMegan fiddled with an apparently solid panel and opened it. She revealed a dark\nlittle cubbyhole. Megan reached inside, but came away with nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eva grimaced. \u201cLet me guess, you\ndecided against using it because you thought it would be too obvious, didn\u2019t\nyou?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAm I that transparent?\u201d Meg\u2019s tone\nwas sharp with disappointment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOnly to me. And only because never\nin your life have you taken the easy route when a complicated one was\navailable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou needn\u2019t rub it in.\u201d Megan\ncrossed her arms and slumped back against the chair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust tell me what you did.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI thought that a thief would be\nlooking for something like a safe or a secret drawer, so I purposely avoided\nthose things. I wrapped the money up in the bills and put the envelope in the\noutgoing mail.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eva lunged for the mail tray. \u201cTaking\na page from Mr. Poe\u2019s book?\u201d She flipped through the accumulated pile of\nletters. None was thick enough to hold a stack of bills and cash. She reached\nthe end and then started over again. No,\nno, no. It must be here.<\/em> \u201cAre you certain that\u2019s what you did with it?\u201d She\nstarted through them a third time. \u201cDid you write anything on the cover?\u201d She\ntook each envelope out of the basket as she examined it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI addressed it to Mrs. Collins.\u201d\nMegan took the wire basket from her and sat on the edge of the cracked,\ninlaid-leather surface of the aged desk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eva stopped pulling envelopes from\nthe basket. \u201cWhy ever did you do that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know. It seemed fitting at\nthe time. She let us read mysteries because she said they would make us think,\nand if that was the only way to encourage us then so be it. So when I think of\nPoe I always think of her\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eva held up a hand to forestall the\nrest of Megan\u2019s explanation. \u201cWere any of these other letters here when you put\nthe envelope in the pile?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Megan looked at the envelopes.\n\u201cYes. I think so. I put my envelope in amongst the rest. I didn\u2019t just set it\non top.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eva plucked out the last letter.\n\u201cWell we can say with certainty that it isn\u2019t here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt must be. I know without a doubt\nthat I put it there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI believe you.\u201d Eva patted Megan\u2019s\narm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut what are we going to do? I\u2019m\nso embarrassed. Everyone will think I\u2019ve lost the money, or even worse that I\ntook it.\u201d Megan covered her face with her hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eva bit back a sharp retort about\nthe fact that her entire future had rested on those funds. Instead she said\nmildly, \u201cYou have to tell James.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Megan looked at her with horror-stricken\neyes. \u201cEva, I can\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, you can.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut what if he calls off the\nwedding?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An unkind frisson of anticipation\nshot through Eva\u2019s heart like a little bolt of lightning. Even as she prayed\nfor forgiveness<\/a>, she tried to reassure Megan. \u201cJames is an honorable man. You\ndo him a disservice to think he won\u2019t stand by you at a trying time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re very kind, Miss Danwood.\u201d\nJames\u2019s voice, rich as coffee, came from the open doorway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Eva straightened so fast she sent the tray\nflying. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

James stooped to help her gather\nthe scattered correspondence. \u201cI\u2019m sorry to have startled you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPlease don\u2019t apologize. It is\nnothing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s this about trying times? Is\nsomething wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eva looked at Megan. She wasn\u2019t\ngoing to rescue her this time. Megan could explain to her fianc\u00e9 how a thousand\ndollars had disappeared.
<\/p>\n\n\n