Corrie suppressed a grin at Mr. Fletcher's obvious captivation and Hannah's frank surprise. "Hannah, this is Mr. Fletcher, a friend of the family's. Mr. Fletcher, this is Miss Hannah Benjamin. She's the doctor's sister and is taking charge of the Irvington Times during the War."

Hannah offered a clumsy curtsey as she tried to brush her long dark curls away from her face, no doubt surprised that they had been accompanied by a young man in the waning hours of evening.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Fletcher," she said without her typical bravado.

"You as well. I'm sorry to intrude on you at this hour; I was escorting the Miss Walkers home," Titus said, offering Hannah a smile.

His smile was handsome, Corrie observed. Though his features weren't particularly attractive, the wrinkles at the corner of his eyes displayed his good nature and his eyes had a kind light to them.

"It's so kind of you to escort them home," Hannah exclaimed, her timidity fading rapidly. "I hope the dinner went alright?"

Corrie laughed. "As well as can be expected with my parents involved. But I should head home. Mr. Fletcher, thank you for escorting us."

After depositing Christina safely in her room, Corrie was happy to hear continued conversation between Mr. Fletcher and Hannah as she walked away. When she got home, however, she came face to face with her father, face red and bald head sweating bullets.

"Cornelia, what in tarnation was the meaning of your behavior this evening?" Oliver raged. "You behaved like a common floozy, throwing yourself at Mr. Fletcher!"

"Me?" Corrie was astounded at his accusation. "I was merely trying to deflect conversation from Christina since she was so obviously tricked into sitting next to the young man."

"Yes, you! You have a suitor back in New York, in case you've forgotten," Oliver yelled, his voice echoing through the twilight like the ringing of a bell. "And your sister has nothing! No beau, no job, no future. She needs a man if she wants any comfort or stability in life."

Though not normally given to fits of rage, Corrie struggled to control her indignation and keep her voice level. "Christina does not need a man. She's recovering from a terrible illness, she has a beau who's defending our country, and she has a future. I can't believe you would do this to her. I can't believe you think so little of her."

Corrie squared her shoulders and brushed past him though the bravery inspired by her defense of her sister faded rapidly. Rather, Corrie was left with the sad knowledge that a woman without a man was seen as something lesser, something incomplete, yet she felt complete, she was complete. How would anyone know that, however, if she kept her words locked up inside?

~~~~~

When Corrie arrived at the doctor's office the next morning, it was bustling with frenetic energy as Hannah rushed back and forth through the hospital. Corrie was surprised to see Titus Fletcher there though it was still early in the morning. He followed Hannah's determined figure like an abandoned puppy and Corrie nearly laughed aloud at the sight.

"Oh, Corrie, I have great news!" Hannah declared as soon as Corrie walked in, greeting her with a glowing face. "I received a telegram from Alex this morning. He's due back today!"

"That's wonderful," Corrie responded, anxious to hear the doctor's prognosis on Christina's recovery. "When will he arrive?"

"He's due back on the afternoon train," Hannah explained, whirling in another direction to gather a few loose papers from the desk. "I'm afraid I have so much to prepare."

"I'm sure Mr. Fletcher would be more than willing to help," Corrie added with a knowing grin.

Hannah turned breathlessly to the abashed young man. "Oh, Mr. Fletcher, would you?"

Titus looked completely unable to refuse her and merely nodded. "Consider me your servant for the day, Miss Benjamin."

As Hannah and Titus disappeared into the back examination rooms, Corrie took her carpetbag to Christina's hospital room, and finding her sister still asleep, set herself up in the chair next to the bed and started to reread her book of Poe's poetry for the umpteenth time. Corrie suspected that Christina's exhaustion stemmed from her fury over the dinner with their parents, so she let her sleep peacefully.

When Christina finally awoke in the early afternoon, eyes still wrinkled with sleep, she smiled at Corrie and whispered, "Read to me."

So she did, starting with "The Raven" and then reading "Alone" and "Tamerlane." When she got to "Annabel Lee," Corrie sighed, setting the book aside and reciting the words from memory.

"It was many and many a year ago, 

In a kingdom by the sea,  That a maiden there lived whom you may know  By the name of Annabel Lee;  And this maiden she lived with no other thought  Than to love and be loved by me.  I was a child and she was a child,  In this kingdom by the sea-"

Corrie's reverential recitation was joined by another, deeper voice who knew the words as well as she.

"But we loved with a love that was more than love."

It was Corrie's favorite line of the entire poem, but she was too surprised to enjoy it because of the appearance of a man standing in the doorway, reciting the line in unison with her with just as much reverence and appreciation. As she stood to her feet in surprise, Corrie realized two things: One, this must be Christina's doctor, and two, she had seen him before.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt," he said in a warm, cheery voice. "It's just that 'Annabel Lee' is one of my favorite poems."

"Mine too," Corrie responded in a breath before she could even take in what was happening.

She knew the man before her. He was the man who had startled her when she had been stargazing in the street a few weeks ago.

"I realize this is the second time I've startled you," he said, obviously remembering her. "My apologies for the intrusion, but I suppose it's time we officially met."
Corrie struggled for words, staring for a moment at the young man. For some reason, she had expected the doctor to be older and more taciturn, but this man, Dr. Benjamin, appeared young and good natured. He was tall, noticeably so, his head of recalcitrant dark hair nearly brushing against the top of the doorframe. He gave her a wide smile, and she noticed the laugh lines around his warm blue eyes. He wasn't handsome, necessarily, but there was something so intrinsically benevolent and carefree about the way his entire face transformed into a smile.

"I'm Dr. Alexander Benjamin," he said with a light bow. "But I'm afraid I don't know anything about you beyond your love of the stars and excellent taste in poetry."

Fighting a blush, Corrie dropped into a shallow curtsey, wishing she'd dressed in something better than her faded linen dress. "I'm Corrie Walker, Christina's sister. I arrived as you were departing to care for my sister."

"Ah, you're the sister I've heard so much about!" he exclaimed with another wide grin. "Christina's told me about you. You're studying in New York, right?"

Corrie cast Christina a helpless, questioning glance. How did this young man whom she'd barely met know so much about her while she knew nothing about him?

"Uh, yes. Yes, I was studying in New York City," Corrie answered hesitantly.

"And you left it behind to take care of your sister?" he questioned, voice graver. "That's very selfless of you if you don't mind me saying so."

Corrie glanced up at him and was instantly caught off-guard by the sincerity of his sea blue eyes framed by dark lashes. She blushed and ducked her head.

"I'm her sister. I couldn't leave her to recover on her own."

"Still. It's admirable," Dr. Benjamin said.

Corrie felt a wave of gratitude for the young man; she knew from Reverend Smalley that Dr. Benjamin had raised Hannah mostly by himself, and she appreciated his understanding. He was no stranger to sacrifice on behalf of family.

"Thank you. And thank you for your faithful care of my sister," Corrie added. "My family and I are deeply appreciative."

Dr. Benjamin smiled, displaying the laugh lines at the corners of his eyes. "It's my pleasure, Miss Walker."

Corrie blushed again even though she had no reason to, and she was grateful when Hannah came squealing down the hall and burst into the room with the energy of a steam engine. Corrie found herself breathless from talking to the young doctor, and though she wished to speak to him more, she was without the wherewithal to do so. Instead, she took the reprieve in conversation to gather her composure and carefully avoid the doctor's gaze as she bid goodbye to Christina and scuttled out of the doctor's office as quickly as possible, leaving the conversation about Christina's recovery to another day.

As she walked away, the line they recited in unison echoed in her head.

But we loved with a love that was more than love.

~~~~~

Okay, admit it, that's pretty much the cutest way to meet someone EVER. I'm so excited to post this chapter! What do you think? Don't you love Dr. Benjamin? (And he's right, Annabel Lee is a fantastic poem.)

Thanks for reading and for getting Sharing Corrie to nearly 300 reads! I'd love to hear what you think so far :)

~ Hannah