The noise of her mother and the cook arguing in the foyer awoke Corrie the next morning. She heard something about eggs and the price of bacon and rolled out of bed in a half stupor. Her parents had invited Edwin to join them for breakfast as well, impressed by the young man's charisma, affluence, and sycophancy.

    "Cornelia!" Anita screamed up the stairs. "It's nearly breakfast time!"

    Glancing in the mirror of her vanity, Corrie groaned. Her hair had matted into a bird's nest, and her eyes were shadowed, evidence of her fitful sleep. How was she supposed to sleep well with Edwin flattering his way into her parents' good graces? After last night, they would certainly give him permission to marry her if he so desired. With a sigh, Corrie pinned up her hair and slipped on her best dress, the blue satin.

    During the previous evening, she had seen glimpses of the Edwin she had so admired. He was kind to everyone in her family despite Christina and Jack's barbs, and he fawned over her as much as ever, but his words seemed more vacuous than they had before. Before what? She refused to follow that line of thought.

    Slipping on her boots, Corrie rubbed her eyes and joined her parents downstairs. Anita was fussing with lilies picked for the dining room table.

    "Cornelia, good morning!" Oliver said, offering her a smile.

    Corrie couldn't remember the last time her father had been so excited to see her. "Good morning, Father," she responded, stifling a yawn with a hand over her mouth.

    "Please allow me to say how proud I am of you for finding such an amiable and genteel young man. Your mother and I approve wholeheartedly," Oliver said, taking on the role of doting father.

    "Thank you, Father."

    "Now you just need to convince him to buy you a ring and move you to New York!" he exclaimed gleefully, and Corrie felt her stomach somersault.

    That's exactly what I'm afraid of. It wasn't that she didn't want to marry Edwin, she just knew that she wasn't ready to move back to New York City. That was the only reason.

    Corrie was grateful when a knock came at the door signifying his arrival. Mr. Bricker invited him in, and Edwin kissed Corrie on the cheek before greeting her parents, bowing to Anita and then shaking Oliver's hand.

    "Good morning, Mr. McAlister!" Oliver declared as wind swept from behind Edwin, carrying a strong whiff of the smell of rotten meat. "By George, what is that smell?"

    Edwin's face puckered and reddened a bit. "I do apologize, I'm afraid that's me. Some rotten bratwursts were left in my hotel room and I seem to have contracted the scent."

    Corrie stifled a laugh; such a prank must certainly be attributed to her Aunt Jack though she had no idea where she'd found rotten bratwursts. By Edwin's expression, he did not find it so amusing.

    Taking him by the arm, Anita assured him, "Oh, don't worry about it, Mr. McAlister. Please come have a seat. We have sugar cured ham, and..."

    Corrie became lost in thought as Anita detailed every delicacy being served for their repast. Edwin's seamless fit with her family comforted Corrie; perhaps her loyalty to Edwin was warranted after all. If they did marry, she and Edwin would always be welcome in her parents' home even if they did return to the city. Corrie tried to envision a life with Edwin, but all she could elicit was a mirky mirage of lavish ball gowns and opulent parties.

    After breakfast, Corrie convinced Edwin to accompany her to see Christina. As they walked through the cobblestone streets of Irvington arm-in-arm, Corrie prayed that Dr. Benjamin would once again be called away on business. By this point, he must be aware that Edwin was in town. If Hannah, Jack, or Christina hadn't told him, certainly one of the gossips of the town who had seen them together must have shared the revelation. She could only imagine the speculation about Edwin burning through the small town like a wildfire. Her father would be in his element.

    The outside of the hospital came in view, Corrie's second home over the past few months. Edwin commented on the town as they walked, using terms such as "quaint" and "colonial" to describe Corrie's hometown, his disapprobation of the town nettling her.

    "Here we are," Corrie said, beckoning to the practice.

    "The Medical Practice of Dr. Alexander Benjamin," Edwin announced mockingly. "Such an austere name for a small town doctor."

    "Ed," Corrie reprimanded gently. "He's been nothing but gracious to us."
    "Yes, yes," Edwin said, brushing away the rebuke. "Let's go see your sister."

The crowd of patients awaiting Dr. Benjamin turned to observe Edwin and Corrie as soon as they entered and Corrie blushed under their examination as she whispered "good morning" and hurried to Christina's room.

"So where is this doctor fellow? I'd like to meet him and thank him for going out of his way to care for you and your sister these past few months," Edwin said grandly though jealousy snapped in his eyes.

"I'm sure you'll meet him while you're here," Corrie said with a sigh, "but he's very busy preparing for the injured soldiers expected to arrive here."

    "Christina!" Corrie called from the doorway.

    "Come in."

    Christina was sitting up in bed with newspapers spread before her, nose wrinkled in concentration. She smiled at Corrie when she came in.

    "Morning, Cor. Mercy, what's that smell?"

    Edwin reddened again. "It's nothing!"

    At Christina's giggle, Corrie recognized her sister as Jack's co-conspirator and she tried to hide her smile. "How are you feeling today?"

    "Oh, I'm alright. I'm trying to predict when the Americans will get called to the front. I wish David could tell me more in his letters, but they censor them so closely," Christina said, gritting her teeth in frustration.

Corrie touched Christina's shoulder. "It's probably for the best, Chris. You'd only worry more."

"Your sister mentioned your illness. You are looking quite healthy this morning, however," Edwin interrupted, eying Christina's face.

"Thanks to Dr. B., I'm somewhat recovered," Christina said, but Corrie still saw the wan pallor of her skin and the deadness in her eyes.

"I'm very glad to hear that. I'm afraid I won't be able to bear sharing Corrie for much longer," Edwin said, offsetting the harsh comment with a smile.

"Edwin," Corrie murmured, heat washing through her.

Did he really think she would abandon Christina as soon as she was healthy? But wasn't that what she'd promised him?

"Shouldn't we go? I don't want to tire your dear sister," Edwin said, tapping his polished shoe on the floor.

"Yes, let's," Corrie murmured, her voice hardening.

How dare he treat Christina like she was merely an obstacle to be removed to attain what he wanted? Taking Edwin's arm, Corrie pulled him out of the doctor's practice into the shade of a nearby building to conceal them from prying eyes.

"Edwin, how can you speak to my sister like that?" Corrie admonished in a harsh whisper.

Edwin sputtered, "I said nothing! I merely commented on her recovery. I expected to find an invalid, but she's quite healthy."

"She's improving, but she's not recovered. Just a few months ago she could barely take a full breath! She still can't walk."

    He huffed. "I was just commenting on her improvement. No need to throw a fit."

Corrie glowered. "I'm not throwing a fit. I don't like how you speak about my sister as if she's disposable. She's my sister. She's always going to be part of my life."

"What about me, Cornelia?" Edwin glowered, his eyes narrowing. "I've spent months without you in New York City. Where was your devotion to me?"

Ignoring the pinprick of guilt, Corrie answered, "I invited you to come here and you refused. Regardless of what my parents may say, money is tight between the war and Christina's treatments, and we couldn't spare the cost for me to visit you."

"Then why don't you come back with me instead of wasting your life here with these plebeians?" Edwin yelled. "Instead of making me wait for you like some abandoned puppy?"
    Corrie stared at him in shock; she'd never heard him yell or even say a harsh word to her before, yet he was now irate. She knew he had been annoyed by her prolonged absence, but the power to end the courtship was in his hands, and he knew her conditions.

"I'm not forcing you to court me," Corrie finally whispered. "If this isn't what you want, then that is your choice, but I'm not leaving until Christina is completely recovered."

Edwin looked away and stroked his mustache, the rage fading. "Cornelia, that's not what I want. Please, rest assured that my admiration for you hasn't abated. I just...I feel as if you deserted me for your family. I just wish you would prioritize our courtship." He offered her a smile. "However, I'm confident we want the same things."

The one thing in which Edwin was confident was the very center of Corrie's conflict.

~~~~~

Did anyone catch the name drop in this chapter? Let me know if you did! I love the rotten-bratwurst trick Jack and Christina played on Edwin. No one seems to like him except for Corrie's parents, and we all know how great their judgment is.

I will try to post two chapters this week, but after that I'll be gone for a week or so as I'm traveling outside of the country for a week and a half! Sorry for the wait, but my life has been tumultuous lately. I hope I'm back full-time soon.

~ Hannah