“I’m sorry to hear that. I had thought you would be interested in visiting the library.”
Her chin snapped up. “The library?”
“Yes, the library.”
She chewed on her bottom lip as if contemplating the idea. “Won’t it be horribly crowded?”
“That has not generally been my experience.” He smirked.
She shot him a scrutinizing gaze. “But there will be people there?”
“I should think so.” He cocked his head to the side. “Why, what are you afraid of?”
“I’m not afraid of anything!” she snapped but sounded more insulted rather than defensive.
“Then why the concern?”
“I’m not—it’s just—I just don’t like people.”
She had mentioned this before but he had thought she was lying or exaggerating in an effort to thwart his courting attempts. He hadn’t really thought she was serious. But then again, he hadn’t thought she was serious regarding her phobia of the outdoors.
He glanced about the small room and noticed the old quilting bee ladies looking upon Evelina with pity. He considered pointing out that she was presently sitting in a room of “people” without any apparent discomfort. But somehow he knew little old ladies were not quite the people she was referring to.
Curiosity suddenly aroused his interest.
“Why?”
Her gaze met his briefly before quickly shifting away as she shrugged at the same time. “I don’t like when they stare.”
“No-one will be staring at you.”
“They always stare,” she responded flatly.
The furrow over his brow deepened but he decided not to push the issue. At least not at the moment.
“As you wish then.” He conceded. “However, I will need to retrieve Evelina from you as it is due back at the library. Do you have it handy?”
Her head jerked in his direction in alarm. To his satisfaction, he noticed a look of sorrow enter her lovely eyes. “You mean to return it?”
“Yes, unfortunately, they don’t let you hold onto their books forever.”
In amazement, he watched as her expression became contrite then fierce with determination in a split second. “I–I suppose I could pull myself away for a few hours.”
“Are you certain? I hate to take you away from anything important.”
She grimaced as if knowing he was mocking her but slowly got to her feet and said, “I’m certain.”
He noticed the old quilting ladies shoot May grins of satisfaction before he told Evelina, “Good, I’m glad to hear it.” And surprisingly, he really meant it.
Walking in her usual slow pace, she made her way over to the corner that she habitually occupied and retrieved the book lying on one of the shelves behind the settee. Then turning, she shuffled across the floor until she came to stop directly in front of him. He looked down at her face and noticed a little crinkle form along her forehead. Reluctantly she held out the book.
“I wasn’t able to finish it.”
He took the book from her hands and took pity on her. “I will see if I can renew it.”
She looked up and the tiny frown between her brows vanished instantly. “You can do that?”
He chuckled. “It’s the library, of course you can.”
Seemingly perplexed she didn’t respond so he offered her his elbow before bidding the ladies farewell.
Kathleen scurried behind them, bubbling with excitement. “This is very generous of you, Mr. Colby. I’m so looking forward to going into the core of the city.”
He glanced at her in surprise. “Have you not been?”
“Rarely. It is far enough away to make it inconvenient.”
Admittedly, that surprised him. Though it was true their little home did sit some distance from the city’s core center, he would have thought they were acquainted with downtown Detroit.
“We have all we need in this little community.” Evelina interrupted to inform him. “There is no need to go further. Besides, how would we get there?”
It was common for folks in the lower class to go without a horse and buggy. Horses were a big expense and if not needed were not owned.
“Father always said it was far cheaper to own a boat than a horse. One did not need to feed Lady Evelina.”
He dipped his head in acknowledgment. “Then I take pleasure in knowing I am able to offer you some enjoyment.”
She arched her brows. “I did not say I was going to enjoy myself. On the contrary, I wish to leave and return as soon as possible.”
Typical. He smirked before turning away. The woman was so dumbfounded irritating. It was a wonder if he cared to take an interest in her at all.
He stepped onto the front porch but came to an immediate halt when he realized she did not follow. Looking back, he shot her a questioning glance.
She sucked in a long unsteady breath and said, “This is the first time I stepped outside my front door in twelve years.”
He frowned. “Why is that?”
Her gaze slid to him as if alarmed she had spoken the words out loud. “No matter.”
He wanted to press further but knew from the expression on her face that she had closed down as she realized she had revealed more than she had intended.
Unlike the back porch, the front porch only had the one step to maneuver and though she took her time taking it, she eventually stepped off the porch and made her way nervously down the narrow pathway. It was not wide enough for two people but since she refused to let him go and clung to his elbow as if she depended on it to keep her upright, he was forced to walk close by her side.
She was near enough to him that he felt the tension in her body as she shuffled along at a slow pace. He glanced down at her face and noticed the grim line of her lips pressed so firmly together they were nearly white. He couldn’t believe someone could be so terrified of simply walking down the walkway in front of their own home.
Taking pity on her he reached over with his other hand and patted hers reassuringly where it clung to him furiously. She glanced up taken aback then offered him a grateful smile. He smiled in return and rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb.
“You are all right.” He assured her, hoping he was somehow able to quell her unwarranted fears.
Kathleen had already climbed up next to the driver when they eventually reached the carriage. It was the enclosed two-seater kind, which under different circumstances might have been considered romantic. He opened the door and held it for Evelina but she hesitated once again. He supposed this was the first time she had ever been in a carriage if he were to accept the sheltered life she had him believe she led.
As she placed her hands on the side of the carriage to pull herself up, he naturally took her elbow to assist her. She lowered one tiny boot covered foot on the little step, and then on unsteady legs she attempted to pull herself up. However, the moment she went to put her weight on that tiny foot, she wobbled and would have fallen if he hadn’t reacted swiftly by reaching out to steady her. Without foresight, his hands came to rest on her petite waist causing him to marvel once again at how remarkably small she was considering how little exercise the woman got.
Once she was tucked safely inside, he closed the door and hurried over to the opposite side. When he settled in next to her, she offered him a tentative smile. They were crammed into the small confined space with barely any distance between them. Their shoulders brushed up against each other and he noticed she tried to keep a stiff distance but failed miserably once the carriage pulled away from the curb.
When she accidentally bumped into him, she mumbled an apology and he thought how adorable she seemed. It was like taking a child on their first outing. He had an overwhelming urge to place an arm around her shoulders and draw her close.
As it was, he sat stiffly in his seat and watched her face as the carriage turned off the little narrow street where lived and rolled down Jefferson Avenue. He noticed her hand clutching the side of the carr
iage and the whiteness of her knuckles the further they put between them and the little blue house. It truly was perplexing to see someone so deathly afraid of everything.
“Is this your first ride in a carriage?”
“No.” She shook her head. “However, the first in a very long while.”
“Twelve years ago?” He purposely mentioned the time period that she had inadvertently let slip.
The blood drained from her face but she nodded. “Yes.”
“And where did your adventure take you at that time?”
She paused, then flatly stated. “To the hospital.”
He hadn’t expected that. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize. Had you been sick?”
Again, silence from her as she stared out the window at the tall buildings that passed, her grip on the door turning even whiter if possible.
“Could we not talk about that?”
He was curious as all get out but knew better than to push her. He was determined to reveal her secrets but not at the price of traumatizing the woman.
The rest of the ride was in silence apart from for the clopping of hooves on cobblestone as the carriage made its way toward the core of downtown Detroit. They eventually turned off the bustling avenue and onto the much wider street of Woodward Avenue. Street vendors lined the avenue on every corner of the shopping district. The carriage moved along weaving through pedestrians, horse-drawn streetcars and merchants until they turned off the avenue and onto a short lane. It was here that the carriage came to stop in front of a small stretch of greenery. Just beyond that, perched in the center of the park-like setting, sat an impressive red brick building. Evelina leaned forward, eyes aglow as she gazed up at the library for the first time.
Indeed, it was a remarkable sight, thought Ryan. The impressive four-story building with its ornamental front that jutted out slightly to showcase a set of twin pillars perched above a tall flank of stairs, sat surrounded by a picturesque garden. As buildings went, it wasn’t altogether grand he admitted, but still it was rather imposing, as it possessed much of the same striking architecture that coincided with other prominent buildings throughout the city. No doubt, it caused an impressive reaction from Evelina. It pleased him to know he was able to provide her with such obvious joy.
Turning from Evelina’s enamored expression he leaped out of the coach and came around to her side of the carriage. But before he could open her door, Kathleen was already eagerly climbing down from her perch next to the driver. He reached out to assist her down while they exchanged smiles. Admittedly, he felt a bit smug at being able to give the sisters an outing into the city.
Turning back to Evelina, he was astonished to see her eyes had grown surprisingly cold.
Actually, they had nearly frozen right over.
He frowned but opened her door and held out his hand. Was she insulted that he had helped Kathleen down first? Perhaps even jealous? It startled him to realize the thought evoked a sense of pleasure.
However, it was to be short-lived.
“I changed my mind.”
“Pardon?”
“I’ve changed my mind and wish to return home.” She settled back in her seat and stubbornly refused to budge.
He shot Kathleen an arched brow but she looked just as confounded as he did.
“Why?” His gaze swept over the empty library grounds. “There isn’t anyone here if that’s what has you worried.”
Her scowl deepened. “I told you, I’ve changed my mind.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. That’s not a reason.”
Her eyes flared with anger as she shot daggers in his direction. “Are you calling me ridiculous?”
He sighed. “No, of course not, but I don’t understand why the sudden change of heart.”
“I do not need to explain myself to you, Mr. Colby.”
This angered him. “Actually, I believe you do. I brought you out here with the belief you may enjoy this outing.”
“Then you thought wrong.”
“Like hell I did!”
She gasped before her eyes grew even more livid. “How dare you use foul language on me?”
“Well when you act like a spoiled little brat, it’s kind of hard not to.”
She blinked, obviously hurt. He knew he had gone too far with that last bit but he couldn’t help himself. She was as frustrating as all get out. He never met a more indecisive female in all his life. Or one that had such flip personalities. One moment she was pleasant and wonderful to be around; and the next, she was snippy and ungrateful.
“Kathleen, get back on the carriage.” She spoke sternly to her sister but kept her fierce gaze on him.
He wanted to tell Kathleen to stay where she was just to deny her sister. As a matter-of-fact, he would have loved nothing more than to escort Kathleen into the library and leave Evelina to sit alone in the carriage to wait for them for the next little while until they returned. It would have served her right.
Instead, he let out an irritated sigh and grabbed Kathleen’s arm probably a bit too harsh before ushering her inside the carriage next to Evelina.
“I’ll ride on the outside.” He growled. “The air inside the carriage is much too foul for my liking.”
Again, her eyes flicked with insult but he ignored it and slammed the door shut behind Kathleen before climbing up to take the seat next to the driver.
***
Evelina glanced at Ryan’s back as he sat stiffly on the seater in front of the enclosed carriage and felt horrible inside. She knew he was only trying to be nice and she reacted dreadfully.
“Evelina? What’s wrong?” Kathleen eyed her with concern.
She sighed. “Did you not see the library?”
“Of course I did.”
She made a face that her sister immediately understood. Swinging around in her seat, Kathleen glanced back at the building as it receded from view. “Oh dear. The stairs.”
Evelina closed her eyes and wished that she were like any other girl.
“You should have told him.”
Her eyes flew open. “No! He must not know.”
“He’s going to eventually find out.”
And just that thought scared her immeasurably. Though she knew Ryan would never choose her for a wife, she couldn’t bear the thought of him discovering the truth about her. She would prefer he exited her life without her secret ever being discovered.
The ride back to her parent’s home seemed to take longer than it did to get there. Most likely because there was so much tension and anger in the buggy. Evelina’s anger had evaporated almost immediately but from the stiff posture of Ryan’s back, she knew his hadn’t. He was more than likely wondering why he ever got involved with Evelina.
As she glanced out her window and saw the river and the docks come into view, she nursed her wounded heart with the thought that at least she still had the Lady Evelina to hold Ryan’s interest. She didn’t think he was quite ready to throw his chances of securing his dream away just yet. Or at least she hoped not.
The carriage slowed in front of her parent’s home and Ryan was leaping from his seat before it even came to a complete stop. Obviously in a rush to part company with them. Not them exactly, just Evelina.
She worked quickly, trying to find the right words to apologize but the door to the carriage opened quickly and he was ushering Kathleen out before she could even concoct her first excuse. The smile she spotted on his face as he bid farewell to Kathleen lifted her spirits some, hoping he was in far better spirits than she imagined.
However, once he settled Kathleen on the ground and turned his attention back to Evelina, his countenance turned stony as he held out his hand to aid her out of the carriage. She sighed heavily and glared at his offering. Why would he give Kathleen such a warm farewell but not Evelina? He was just being mean now. She would have apologized if he hadn’t turned so sour.
“I don’t need your help.” She brushed his hand aside then leaned forward to step out of the carriage. It
was only then that she realized how far up it was from the ground.
“Suit yourself.” He snapped and took a step back.
Evelina’s confidence wavered immediately. All at once, she regretted her decision to reject his offer but would rather die before she asked him for help. On an unsteady leg, she placed her boot on the far tinier step than she recalled it being earlier, and then tried to stand on it. As she suspected, her leg buckled and she found herself falling forward toward the earth. She imagined her face slamming into the hard ground and instinctively reached out for something.
Somehow, Ryan was right there and she flung her arms around him in an attempt to break the fall. His arms came around her swiftly and caught her, saving her from a ghastly—and very unladylike—fall.
When she realized she was no longer falling, she looked up into his face only to discover it was merely inches away. The antagonism in his eyes had vanished and was now filled with a softness along with something else she had no idea how to explain but left her feeling an alarming awareness.
“Oh my,” Kathleen muttered from the front porch before promptly turning her back on them.
Evelina frowned at her sibling’s reaction until it dawned on her the awkward position she was in. Both her arms were flung around Ryan’s neck in a death-like grip while one foot was tangled up in the buggy’s little step and the other remained in the carriage. Essentially, she was sprawled across his torso, lying heavily against his chest.
She gazed at his neck, awestruck by how close he was and that she could actually inhale the scent of his person. Or maybe it was his soap. She wasn’t entirely sure. All she knew was that she liked being this close and having his arms wrapped around her as he did.
It was then, as she lay there contemplating the probability of ever having to leave the comfort of his arms, that she noticed his head slowly begin to descend. She was in awe of it as it came closer.
“You’re not going to kiss me, are you?”
He froze.
“I was thinking about it.” He uttered. “Why? Don’t you want me to?”
“A gentleman never steals a kiss.”
“Pardon?” He sounded slightly rattled.
Lady and the Gamble: A Sweet Victorian Romance (The Colby Brothers Book 2) Page 7