He found her, talking to her plants once again. She dearly loved the greenhouse her father had gifted her with and, if left to her own agenda, would spend the bulk of the day coaxing them to grow with soft words of encouragement. “I hoped I would find you here.”
“Yes,” she said with a sad smile. “I am nothing if not predictable.”
He moved to stand near her, worried by her changed demeanor from her earlier happiness. He’d never known her to be sad at seeing him before. “Something is wrong. What is it?”
“Nothing.” She let out a shaky breath, turned away and, when she turned back, she had that parcel in her hands again. “Happy birthday.”
He shook his head. “It is not my birthday this year.”
She thrust the parcel at him anyway. “I don’t care what the calendar says. Everyone deserves a birthday present each year.”
He smiled at her stubborn insistence that he celebrate his growing older. Her confusion over his birthdate was one of his fondest memories. Being born on the twenty-ninth day of February, a day that only arrived every four years, perplexed a great many of his acquaintances at first.
“I don’t have a present for you,” he confessed quietly.
He’d considered it, but dismissed the notion almost immediately. Now he felt he should have gotten her something, even if it were only a new plant for her collection.
“Just seeing you again is present enough,” Jess promised, shaking him by the arm. “I wanted to spend my pin money on someone dear to me.”
He slowly turned the parcel over in his hands, noticing it contained something soft inside. Since presents were rare in his life, he liked to try to guess and draw out the moment for as long as possible. Today, he was baffled.
“Well, open it,” she insisted.
He set the parcel down on a worktable and pulled on the little string bow. Working slowly, he pulled the paper aside. He blinked…and then shook out a large dark blue garment. “Jessica! I
s this a gentleman’s banyan?”
“It is. Do you like the material?”
It was a very personal item to receive from anyone, and costly, too. He rubbed the dark blue brocade between his finger and thumb, then held the garment away from him to judge if it would fit him. It seemed large enough. “You should never have spent your pin money on me.”
“Try it on for me.”
He glanced around, but they were of course alone inside the greenhouse.
He swallowed, realizing that coming here was unwise. He should not be alone with her anymore. Anyone who found them alone together might get the wrong idea. Jess was no longer a little girl. “I cannot.”
She laughed softly. “Well, I can’t very well follow you home to see it on you there.”
“No, you most definitely should not do that,” Gideon exclaimed. “I have guests expected for dinner tonight.”
Jess stared at him with a concerned expression rather than the excitement he’d expected. “You will keep Mr. Lewis away from the candles this time, won’t you?”
He grinned and tweaked her nose. “Don’t worry, I’ll be lighting them myself.”
He glanced behind him, and then decided there would be no real harm if he tried on the garment so Jessica could see him in it just this once, if he were quick. He stripped off his brown coat and slipped his arms into the full sleeves of the blue banyan. Jessica assisted, standing behind him and smoothing the fabric over his shoulders.
Once the garment was in place, he turned to face her to get her opinion. “Well? How do I look?”
She sighed a little wistfully. “Exactly as I imagined. Blue has always suited you.”
Feeling a little warm from the compliment, he dropped his gaze and tried to see himself. He smoothed his hands down the beautiful material. The sleeves ended in deep, wide cuffs, and there were two pockets—one to carry his new eyeglasses in and the other a spare. He did not do up the buttons but they began at his neck and stopped midway down his thighs. The overall length was perfect, ending halfway along his calves. The inside was lined with patterned silk, and it was obviously quite expensive.
It was an astonishing gift, and he couldn’t hold back his happiness at receiving something so unique. “Thank you, Jess. This is the most beautiful gift I’ve ever received.”
“It is my pleasure,” she said, brushing her fingers against the sleeve of the garment. Her fingers moved up and covered his forearm. She squeezed him tightly. “This one will be perfect to wear for the coming winter, too.”
He covered her hand where it sat on his sleeve. “And people always say old bachelors must fend for themselves. I am astonished you remembered my birthday with all the excitement your season must have been. Did your father help you purchase this?”