EXCERPT

The silken finery and feathery cap preceded the countenance of Helen McPhail as a young porter escorted her from the steamship to dry ground.
George groaned. Helen. What is she doing here?
Victoria Arnold walked behind Helen. She tipped onto her toes, peering over Helen’s shoulder and waving a gloved hand at her son.
George smoothed the curl of hair that always fell over his forehead and smiled at his mother. He stepped past Helen and took his mother’s small carpetbag. He gave her his hand to help her step to the dock.
“George, darling!” She reached up and hugged him around his neck before slathering a kiss on his cheek. She lowered her hands and held him out at arm’s length while she examined him. “It’s so wonderful to see you again. I was so worried about you all those months you were gone. You look healthy and well fed. And just as handsome as ever.”
“Like I told you in my letter, Mother, I needed some time to find my own way.” He continued holding her hand, surprised at how emotional he felt at seeing her once again. While he’d been in the foothills, he’d been too busy with mining and surviving to miss his family, but now, this rush of sentiment surprised him. Perhaps it was the near brush with losing his father that made him more appreciative of his family. Or perhaps it was the influence of Lucinda and the thought of bringing her into his family.
“What about me, George?” Helen cocked her head coquettishly. The feather in her velvet hat bounced in the breeze. “Did you miss me?”
George turned away from his mother to the woman now smiling at him, a woman who loved herself far more than she could ever love anyone else.
“Of course I missed you, Helen. Every day, I thought about how quiet it was to hear the songbirds unaccompanied by your unique voice.” He raised her gloved hand to his lips and kissed it.
Helen considered his comment, her eyes unsure. “If I didn’t know better, George, I would think you just insulted me. But you would never do that, would you?”
George bowed his head and forced his lips to resist turning up at the edges. From the corner of his eye, he saw the look of approval on his mother’s face. Helen and her mother wanted this relationship so badly, wanted him to propose marriage, but it was all wrong. It was wrong in so many ways. They were going to be very disappointed.