by Jocelyn Kirk
“I find Ben Garrick extremely attractive, but I simply cannot imagine myself living in his house, bearing and raising his children…”
“What do you want from life, my love?”
“The answer is rather easy. I want to be just like you. Oh, I know you had a terrible disappointment in the loss of your Captain Reed, but you rallied. You own this wonderful house and shop, and half of your parents’ farm. No one can tell you what to do; you are your own mistress.”
To Elena’s surprise, Rosalie looked away and did not answer.
“Did I distress you, dear aunt?”
Rosalie pulled forth a handkerchief and wiped away a tear. “No, no. It sometimes surprises me how alike we are.”
“You felt the same when you were my age? But you were ready to marry Andrew Reed.”
“Yes, but rather than curtailing my freedom and sense of control over my own life, Andrew would have enhanced them. That was one of the things I loved about him. He had no need to prove his manhood by dictating to his wife.”
“But would Ben be the same kind of man?”
“I would stake my life on it, Elena. He confided to me one day the quality in you that he most admires is your curiosity and desire to learn.”
“But what if—what if I married him and we had a child? I have a dream of owning a business of my own, but would he not expect me to stay at home and be a devoted mother?”
“You want to own a business? You never mentioned it before.”
“I was afraid you’d laugh. It’s rather a daring idea.”
“I won’t laugh, I promise. Now what is this daring idea?”
“You’ll think me foolish, I’m sure.”
“No, of course not.”
Elena drew in a breath. “I have noticed that this village has no finishing schools. I want to open a school for girls and teach them manners, deportment, dance, hostessing, and the like.”
Rosalie considered for a moment. “I rather like your idea. I wonder, though, if your school would need to offer a boarding facility. In order for the business to make money for you, it would need to involve quite a number of girls. You could advertise in the surrounding towns if the girls could board.”
“I see what you’re saying. I would need a housemistress to take charge of the girls when school was not in session, but this should not be a problem. There must be widows aplenty who would be glad of such a paying position.”
“Indeed so. I know the perfect candidate. The widow of Elijah Croaker is a kind woman, but strong and not the type to be pushed about by high-spirited girls.”
“Mrs. Croaker, of course! She would do very well.”
“You will also need a facility to house the students.”
“Yes, and that is rather a sticking point. Where can I find a house to accommodate twenty or so girls?”
“My first thought is the farm, Elena. The girls would not be in attendance during the summer months, when I will want to be there myself.”
“The farm! That is a splendid idea! Part of the girls’ education could be the arranging of flowers! Hundreds of roses still bloom in the fall!”
“Absolutely.”
“But Ben is co-owner of the farm. I will need to pay him rent.”
“You will need to offer, of course, but he will not take it.”
“And you—”
“Do not even imagine that I would take rent from you. You are my heir, so the farm is yours as well as mine.”
Elena leaned back and smiled radiantly at her aunt. “I’m so excited about this! Perhaps I can earn a living, as you did!”
“I believe you can, but it will take time, patience, and hard work.”
“Time, patience, and hard work,” repeated Elena with a smile. “I fear that I have little patience, but time and hard work might be attained.”
“Let’s communicate your idea to Willa and the Garricks. I’m sure they will have helpful notions.”
Elena nodded, amazed at the sense of excitement surging in her breast. She knew her idea would work! And she would be independent…like her aunt.
The next day, before Elena could begin to think further about her plan, she was distracted by the arrival of Lorelei Morgan’s invitation to an evening soiree. It was of course addressed properly to the Misses Murdoch, Bellwood, and McCrea and was written on smooth, elegant letter paper. The three women were all in the shop when it arrived, and they handed it to each other with a little thrill of anticipation. An evening party was a rare delight, but Elena’s little shiver was due in great measure to the possibility of dancing with Benjamin Garrick.
The ensuing week was filled with the usual activities, plus the distinct pleasure of choosing gowns and accessories. They had no time to purchase new dresses, but with a few alterations, they made do with their existing wardrobes. When the day of the party arrived, Rosalie closed the shop after luncheon so they could all rest and be at their best. She secretly hoped her two young friends would be sought after by the two men she wanted to be their husbands—Ben Garrick and James Scott—but she was old enough to know the futility of such scheming.
“What will be, will be,” she sighed to herself.
Ben called for them promptly at five p.m. Elena was not ready because she had changed her mind about her frock and was trying to repair a small rent in the neckline of a different one. Willa, Ben, and Rosalie settled in the parlor to wait for her.
Rosalie had just poured sherry when she remembered a question she wanted to ask her friend.
“Ben, will you take a very quick look at the window in the kitchen that looks out toward the side lawn? I can’t open it.”
“Of course. It’s likely the wooden frame has swollen.” He set his glass down and walked into the kitchen.
Elena, meanwhile, had scuttled across the kitchen wearing nothing but a thin silk chemise to retrieve some thread from Willa’s room. When Ben entered the kitchen, she ducked rapidly out of sight in Willa’s chamber.
Ben threw off his coat and began to work on the window. As Elena peeked out, she saw him force the pane upward. The muscles of his shoulders and back bulged as he pushed on the stubborn wooden frame. Her breath caught at the sight, and she uttered a little gasp. Ben spun abruptly at the sound and spied her.
Elena was too startled to do anything, and they simply stared at each other. As his eyes roamed her body, she felt their touch as if they were hot, roving hands. She was unable to move, and he seemed unable to stop staring. Elena could hear her heart pounding, and she feared she would swoon.
A noise in the parlor jerked them back to reality. Elena slammed the door to Willa’s bedroom and leaned against the wall, red-faced and breathing hard. Ben, unable to present himself in the parlor at that moment, endeavored to busy himself with the window.
“Good heavens, Ben,” said Rosalie, entering the kitchen. “What has taken so long? Is the window beyond repair?”
He hastily donned his jacket and faced her. “It’s fine now, but forcing it open has given me a thirst. Lead me to the sherry!”
Elena needed ten minutes alone in her chamber to recover herself, and when she finally did emerge, she kept her eyes down and barely whispered a response to Willa and Rosalie’s compliments. Ben said nothing to her. He preceded the ladies down the stairs and helped each into his carriage without a word. When he took Elena’s hand to help her up the step, she felt his strong grip through every fiber of her being. She leaned back in the carriage and attempted to quell the beating of her heart. Fortunately, the cool, late-afternoon air restored her complexion, and Willa’s chatter distracted her from her own wayward emotions.
By the time they arrived at the Morgan residence, Elena was quite recovered and ready to be gay and happy for an evening. Dinner was the first event, and they were sixteen at table. The Duke of Simsbury was of course his usual gallant self. To Elena’s surprise, he engaged her for the first dance before dinner had even begun. She was both happy and disappointed. She had wanted to dance the first dance w
ith Ben, but at the same time, she feared she would be unable to conceal her sudden strong feelings for him.
“As the Italians say,” she muttered to herself, “I have been struck by the thunderbolt. Good heavens, what am I to do now?” Calling on all her reserves of self-governance, she determined that she would force all thoughts of Benjamin Garrick out of her mind for this evening and deal with the issue tomorrow. Accordingly, she settled herself gracefully at the elegant dinner table and prepared to chat merrily with those around her.
Elena and Megan were seated next to each other, and they amused themselves by watching the interactions among Willa, the duke, and Captain James Scott. James spoke cheerfully to everyone and seemed delighted to be included in the party. Willa, who was seated across from him, blushed every time he looked at her and could scarcely say a word. The duke, who had the place of honor next to Lorelei, did his best to converse long-distance with Willa, while also throwing flirtatious looks at Elena and Miss Morgan.
“My goodness,” whispered Megan. “I do not know how His Grace finds the energy to flirt with so many women at once.”
“He is up to something,” Elena replied, “and it will be amusing to see his plot emerge.”
“How do you know that?” asked Megan.
“He engaged me for the first dance. That means he wants to question me about something.”
“Perhaps he’s falling in love with you again!”
“Certainly not. He loves money and nothing else.”
“Elena, why is he paying such attentions to Willa, do you suppose?”
“I believe it has something to do with her father’s land. It may have a great deal of value, and it’s likely that Willa has a claim to it. An attorney is investigating the matter.”
“Yes, so I understand. Is the duke so coldhearted he would court a girl as young and innocent as Willa for monetary gain?”
Elena nodded. “Sad to say, I believe he is.”
“We haven’t considered a certain possibility.”
“What is that?”
“Perhaps he’s falling in love with Willa. She is certainly an attractive creature, and her very innocence and unworldliness may have overcome his cynical nature.”
“I suppose that’s a possibility.”
Megan smiled. “Italians have a saying…”
“Oh, yes, Megan, I know it well: without warning, one can be struck by a thunderbolt.”
Megan smiled and commented coyly, “I sincerely hope that not only the Duke of Simsbury has been struck.”
After dinner, while the men were having port and cigars in the lounge, Elena, Willa, and Megan strolled outside in the shrubbery behind the house. Willa was sparkling with the joy of young love, for in her mind there had been only one man at the dinner table—James Scott. She could talk of nothing else, and despite her fears of Willa tying herself to a sailor, Elena could not help hoping that James would not break her heart.
“Megan,” began Willa, as she hopped and danced along the path, “how old should a man be before he settles? I believe Captain Scott is now twenty-four years old—is not that a very fine age to marry?”
Elena and Megan laughed. “A fine age, indeed,” declared Elena, “if he chooses the right wife!”
Willa slowed her pace and looked suddenly sad. “Oh dear,” she said, “what if he does not choose me?”
“I hope he will be canny enough to choose you,” replied Megan, “but he may not. And that’s why it’s important for you to keep your feelings to yourself.”
Willa sighed. “Yes, I must be more discreet. I’m a foolish girl and a discredit to my fine teachers.”
“No, you are certainly not!” declared Elena.
When the dancing began, Elena and Megan were pleased to see Willa’s hopes answered by Captain Scott’s application. They were a fine-looking couple as they took the floor, and Elena watched them discreetly as she was whirled about by the duke and plied with questions, as she expected.
Elena had surmised Willa’s expectation of wealth from her father’s land would be the gist of the duke’s interrogation, but it proved otherwise. As it happened, he wished to inquire about a gentleman he had met briefly at a dinner the week before.
“The man’s name is Reed, and I’m curious about him. For one thing, I would like to know why he was asking questions about you.”
“I have no idea. I’m not acquainted with him at all. What specifically did he ask?”
“He wanted to know what relationship you had with Miss Rosalie Murdoch.”
“How odd.”
“He also made a few comments about the McCrea family. It seems that he knows them, or did at one time.”
“Ah,” said Elena, “now we get round to your real interest in the man.”
He smiled. “I doubt if you’re angry with me for being the admirer of Miss Willa McCrea. You have an admirer of your own, and I wasn’t born yesterday. I can easily see how you and the stargazing freight shipper feel about each other.”
Elena laughed. “Well, then, you know more than we know ourselves!”
“Silly girl! You love him, and he loves you. A child could see it, and I am not a child. I would have no chance with you now, even if you did forgive me for not marrying you in New York.”
Elena’s smile faded. “I forgive you. It’s myself I can’t forgive. I wanted to marry you for money and position. It never occurred to me that it’s very wrong to marry without love.”
He took her serious tone as he answered, “We were both wrong, but now I hope we both know better.”
The music ended, and he led her to the refreshment table. She accepted a cup of punch and faced him. “Your Grace, what brought about such a change in your thinking? I confess that I thought you irretrievably hard-hearted.”
He nodded. “I couldn’t forget your reaction to my suggestion that you become my mistress. I realized I had judged you unfairly and caused you deep and perhaps lasting pain. I despised myself…and still do.”
Elena was thoughtful. “If you learned a lesson from that experience, why are you now courting Willa McCrea? Are you not up to some sort of mischief in that quarter?”
He shook his head. “It’s natural that you would suspect me, but in truth, something about her draws me in a way I’ve never experienced before. If I can prevail on her to marry me, I will follow through with it.”
“Well!” breathed Elena, “I am astounded! The Duke of Simsbury in love! ’Tis a circumstance I never expected to see!”
He smiled into her face, and she could not help but smile back at him.
“I’m human, after all, Elena dear, and subject to my emotions, although I do my best to govern them.”
Elena began to reply, but the duke interrupted her. “Speaking of human emotions, your admirer, Dr. Garrick, has been staring daggers at me for the last ten minutes.”
Elena turned and, catching the right direction, observed Ben quickly withdraw his eyes from her. The duke grinned.
“Let us give him something to fret about,” he said. He took her hand and brought it to his lips. “Now go soothe his ruffled feathers before he challenges me to a duel. I am going to try to wedge myself between Miss McCrea and the dashing young captain of your lover’s freighting boat.”
“I wish you well,” she replied, laughing, “but I fear you have an uphill battle.”
He bowed, kissed her hand again, and left. Rosalie, Edward, and Megan were talking together, and she joined them. They immediately congratulated her on her idea for a school.
“I’m sorry, love, for mentioning it,” said her aunt, “but I thought you would have told Megan already.”
“Quite all right, Aunt Rosalie. I was only waiting for a good opportunity.”
At that point, they were joined by Ben and the British scientists. Elena’s heart jumped, fully expecting that Ben would now ask her to dance, but Dr. Soames seized her hand and led her away. Unable to help herself, she glanced about as she danced. When Ben led Miss Morgan to the floor
, Elena shivered with a little tremor of despair. She forced herself to give her attention to her partner.
Hours later, as the party was coming to an end, Elena was attempting to slip unnoticed onto a balcony when her arm was seized. She turned and found the dark eyes of Benjamin Garrick piercing her own.
“Are you going outside?”
“Yes, will you accompany me?”
He nodded, and they slipped out a side door, descended a flight of stone steps, and entered the shrubbery.
“I wanted to dance with you,” he said abruptly.
“Then why did you not ask me?”
“Fear,” he replied, and said no more.
Elena tried to be gay and charming but could not quite manage it. “Fear of me? I assure you, I am quite harmless.”
“No,” he replied, “fear of myself. I cannot read your heart, and if I’m not careful, I might have my own shattered.”
She sighed, feeling suddenly very tired. “I cannot read my own heart either,” she whispered.
He turned. “Come, I’ll take you home. Rosalie is no doubt looking for you.”
She complied. They were both silent on the ride home, and he left them immediately after. Elena fell into bed exhausted and slept dreamlessly for nine hours. When she finally arose, she found Rosalie and Willa dressed and about to go downstairs to open the shop. Willa went down, but Rosalie stayed behind for a moment.
“You missed a call from Ben,” she said.
“Did I? Why would he have called so early?”
“He had something to communicate. He and the good doctors from England have been invited to take part in a seminar at Harvard College in Boston and then stay on and work with other men of science in the college’s astronomy laboratory.”
Elena set her cup down. “Indeed? And have they decided to go?”
“Yes, they leave tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow! My goodness, how sudden!”
“Very sudden,” replied Rosalie. She left Elena to her tea and thoughts, but whispered to herself as she walked downstairs, “A good plan, Ben. I pray it will succeed.”
Chapter Twelve
Lessons of Life and Love