Free Love Birds of Regent's Park by Ruth J. Hartman Page B

when Lucy had questions about life… love… her feelings for Oliver, it would have helped to have her mother’s advice and guidance. It seemed now that she was older, more and more questions crowded into her mind at every turn. Events that would have included her mother, important events, would be forever tarnished. Courtship. Marriage. Children.
    And Lucy couldn’t imagine in a world of lifetimes, confiding these confusing feelings to her father.
    No, never .
    He’d frown at her and tell her she was absurd for even thinking such thoughts, much less asking him for advice about them. Then he’d shoo her away so he could get back to his work. And remind her to be a good girl. Sometimes, no, more than sometimes, he hurt her feelings. Why must he be so brusque? Of course he could never have the sensitive nature as a woman would have, but must he be so impatient and ill-tempered with her at times?
    Thank goodness Lucy had Anna to lend a sympathetic ear. They had whispered their hopes and secret longings about the new men they’d met, of course. But despite her age, Anna was as much a novice in the ways of love as was Lucy.
    Both innocent.
    Inexperienced in the pursuit of relationships and romance.
    Two babes in the woods.
    What to do? It seemed she was on her own as to her feelings for Oliver. A man of great warmth, humor, and intelligence. Soft brown eyes and gentle hands. A love for birds and nature and all that those entailed, even the less appealing items, such as muddy paths and smelly pond water. All because he longed to be a part of the world where the birds lived.
    But he possessed no wealth. No income deemed worthy by which to care for Lucy.
    Which her father would detest.
    Besides that, Father seemed determined that she would marry Conrad anyway.
    Sigh.
    No matter what came of her time spent with Oliver, Lucy would not shy away from him. In fact, she couldn’t stop thinking of the man. Deep dimple. Broad shoulders and strong arms. More than that, though. It was his heart. His very living soul that called her, drew her closer, enveloped her in warmth and… love.
    Yes love. Be it near impossible to comprehend, she had fallen in love with someone she barely knew. If someone else had told Lucy the same had happened to her, she’d call them foolish and preposterous. That she hadn’t an ounce of common sense about her.
    And yet wasn’t that what s he had become? Did that fact matter to her? No. Not a whit. She’d never experienced feelings like this before, and she didn’t want to give them up. Rather, she intended to embrace them with her whole heart.
    And it was all because of one Oliver Barrow.
    She was now the one caught in the strong grasp of love’s tempting pull, and she had not the wherewithal to abstain. Its strong grip held her tight, pulling her in, drawing her nearer and nearer. And she had no inclination to put up a struggle. Something wonderful, magical was happening to her. Why wouldn’t she want to discover what it was about?
    Lucy glanced down. Her cat still sat at her feet, unblinking, studying her as if she were a specimen of some sort. Perhaps it was a good thing that he couldn’t read her thoughts at present. She patted the bench seat. “Come and see me, Gerald.”
    Merrow.
    The cat’s caramel eyes widened as his whiskers twitched. Strong hind legs pushed from the ground, propelling his compact furry body through the air and onto the bench. He landed squarely on all four paws at the same time. Dancing in place, he kneaded the bench, his front paws lifting up and down. Up and down. Purring louder, he tapped her lap with his paw. Twice.
    A smile played across Lucy’s mouth. “Yes, you may.” The trick she’d taught him as a kitten still amused her. He’d been a pudgy ball, then, so full of energy and mischief, always wanting to play or learn something new.
    Gerald climbed ont o her lap and turned in a circle. Once. Twice. Thrice. Always three times. Never varying. As if her cat could