by L. P. Dover
Eyes wide, I sucked in a breath. “Blair Realty?”
“How did you know?” he asked, staring at me in shock. “It hasn’t been made public yet.”
I bit my lip. “I must’ve overheard it.” Blair Realty would become fully established in 1866. I remembered seeing the custom wooden sign Trent had made as a gift for his father. Clearing my throat, I walked past him to the other end of the porch and changed the subject. “So, William, do you have any brothers or sisters?”
“A brother. But he’s not in town right now.”
I turned around and faced him. “Older or younger?”
“Younger. Any siblings for you?”
I shook my head. “Only child. I always wanted a sister. Although, I do have a friend who’s close enough to be considered one. I wish she could be here right now.” Taking a deep breath, I pointed out toward the field, my nerves making me ramble. “If it weren’t dark, I’d say we could walk around the pond. It’s so beautiful out there.”
William closed the distance, his arm brushing against mine as he followed my line of sight. “You can always take me for a tour. I mean, unless you’ll be busy with Mr. Ferguson,” he teased.
I playfully smacked his arm, shocked at my reaction. I was finding reasons to touch him. “Definitely not.” I laughed. “But it’s a date.”
His grin made my insides tingle. “Good. I would say we could do it tomorrow, but we have the baking raffle at the town hall.”
“Don’t remind me,” I said, groaning.
He burst out laughing. “You don’t sound happy about it.”
“What’s there to be happy about? I have to cook a meal for a man I don’t know, and then he gets to be my date to the Christmas party. It’s definitely one-sided.”
He shrugged. “Maybe I’ll pick your basket.”
“I doubt I’ll be that lucky, but I can always wish. You’re the only one here who doesn’t seem like a pompous ass.”
His bark of laughter made me smile. “Glad you approve. I’ll pray that I get your basket.” The wind whipped by us and I shivered. “We should probably get you inside and out of the cold. The party’s almost over.” I didn’t realize how long we’d been away from the party. People had started saying their goodbyes and loading into their carriages.
Mr. Ferguson marched out onto the porch and completely ignored William as he reached for my hand, kissing it gently. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Adeline. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow night for the raffle.” Smugly, he glanced over at William and then back to me.
“Thank you for coming, Mr. Ferguson. Have a good night,” I said politely.
He waited for a second, maybe hoping I’d say more, but I wasn’t about to. Turning on his heel, he walked down the porch stairs to where Helen’s husband, Jonathan, had his horse and carriage ready.
“I don’t think he’s ready to accept defeat,” William mentioned.
“Obviously not. Then again, men always want what they can’t have.”
William walked me inside and I handed him his coat. “That’s why I always make it a point to get what I want,” he said, his voice low and deep. He did seem like the kind of man who never settled for anything other than what he deemed best. Everything inside of me trembled as he smiled.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I whispered breathlessly.
He slipped on his coat, his gray eyes boring into mine. “Until then.”
Eight
Adeline
Yawning, I slipped on a light pink nightgown. It was strange that I felt tired in my own dream. I made my way over to the chaise by the window and stared outside. Night had fallen, and Helen had just retired for the evening, leaving an oil lamp in my room so I could see. I always wondered how people survived without electricity, but it wasn’t so bad. The small dusting of snow had made a white blanket across the yard.
A soft knock sounded on the door. When it opened, my great-grandmother stuck her head in. Her long, white hair was in a large braid, and she had on a cream-colored nightgown and robe. “I thought you’d be asleep by now.”
“No.” I stood and moved away from the window to sit on my bed. “It’s been an interesting day; so much to think on.”
She sat down on the edge of my bed and smiled. “Yes, it has. I’m so glad you’re here. We waited days for your arrival. I was afraid you weren’t going to make it.”
It broke my heart to know the real Adeline had never arrived. I couldn’t imagine how distraught my great-grandparents had been over that. “I’m happy to be here as well,” I murmured. It was a miracle, even if it was just a dream.
“I couldn’t help but notice you spent a lot of time with Mr. Blair.”
Heat rose to my cheeks. “He’s different,” was all I could say.
Her brows furrowed. “He is.”
“What all do you know about him?”
She shrugged. “The Blairs are a well-known family. They don’t have as much money as other people around town, but they’re moving up in society. William is new to town. No one knows much about him, other than that his uncle is building his real estate business and William is here to help.”
“You don’t think money and power matter, do you?”
A genuine smile lit up her face. “Not in my eyes. If money mattered, I wouldn’t be married to your grandfather.”
I nodded. “It’s a good thing he had a mind of his own. I guess it runs in the family.”
She nodded, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “That’s why I know you won’t rush into a marriage. The Hamilton genes run strong in your blood. All I want is for you to be happy. Marriage isn’t always the answer. You’re capable of taking care of yourself.” Yes, I was. The world was going to change so much in the coming years.
Sitting back in the bed, I leaned against the antique headboard. “Tell me the story about how you and grandfather fell in love. I want to know everything.”
Chuckling softly, she closed her eyes as if she could see it all in her mind. “It was so long ago. My mother was a servant for the Hamilton’s, so I grew up with Andrew and his siblings. His sister, Clara, took me under her wing. She taught me how to read and write. When my mother passed away, I took her job in the house. I was eighteen years old.”
“Wow. I guess it was a shock to everyone when he fell in love with a servant.” Back then, love hadn’t been an option. They’d had to marry within their social status.
She nodded and breathed in deeply, letting it out slowly. “The night of the town Christmas party was when Andrew proclaimed his love for me. Clara dressed me in one of her fine gowns and made me beautiful.” She glanced at me, completely smitten all over again. “The look on Andrew’s face when I walked in, is something I’ll never forget. He walked straight over to me and took my arm, never once letting me go the entire night. His parents threatened to take away his inheritance, but he didn’t care.”
“They didn’t though, right?”
She shook her head. “Eventually, they accepted me, but it was a long, hard road. I had to prove I was worthy of him.”
“How did you do that?”
Her eyes glistened. “I just loved him. There was nothing I wouldn’t do for him, and he for me. His family saw that. I think a few of them were envious of us. Finding true love is rare; if you’re ever lucky enough to experience it, hold on to it and don’t let go. It’s pure magic.”
“I bet it is,” I murmured.
She slid off my bed and cupped my cheek. “You’ll find it, my dear. Have faith. I do.” Her lips grazed my forehead. “Goodnight, Adeline.”
“Goodnight, Grandmother.”
She walked out of my room and shut the door. I climbed under the covers and laid my head on the soft, feather-filled pillow. My eyes grew heavy, even though I was scared to fall asleep, as I would most assuredly wake up in real life. Dreaming about the past was one of the most amazing experiences I’d ever had. After a short time, my exhaustion won out and I drifted to sleep.
Nine
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Adeline
Startled awake, I sat up quickly, thinking I was late for Jessica’s wedding. Rubbing a hand over my face, I blinked the fog from my eyes, and looked to see where I put my phone, only to find that I was in my bedroom, still in 1865.
“What the . . . ?” Patting the covers around me, I felt like I was losing my mind. It couldn’t be right. This had to be the longest dream of my life. Not that I was complaining, but it was getting weirder by the minute.
What made it worse was that I had to spend the day cooking a meal to give to some eligible bachelor I wouldn’t be interested in. Why couldn’t they cook the women a meal? After fretting over the fact that I might be truly sick from something I ate, causing me to hallucinate and have this dream, I decided there was nothing I could do about it at the moment.
Hopping out of bed, I headed into the adjoining dressing room. Finding the wash basin, I poured some water into the bowl and washed my face. Next, I found a jar of what I believed to be primitive toothpaste. Thank heavens it had been invented by this time, or I’d be running around feeling like my teeth had sweaters on them. Brushing with an odd, overly large toothbrush, I rinsed my mouth out, and felt halfway decent.
I made my way back into my bedroom and opened the closet to see what I had to work with. It was nothing but dresses—both day and fancy ones. But what I really needed was a pair of pants, and it didn’t look like that was an option. I picked a plain, navy dress and slipped it on, not even worrying about the corset. But I would be lying if I didn’t admit to admiring the details of the dress, down to the buttons carved from bone. I couldn’t help but wonder how my mind had put together every little detail with such precision.
Tummy growling, I decided to head downstairs. At the base of the stairs stood a woman with short, graying brown hair. Upon seeing me, she stopped mid-step and bowed her head. She was short and round, dressed in a long black dress and apron, just like Helen wore.
“Good morning, Ms. Hamilton. I’m Evelyn Chambers,” she said, her voice low and soft.
“Good morning to you, Evelyn. It’s nice to meet you.”
She waved her hand toward the kitchen. “Would you like some breakfast? I wasn’t sure what you would want. We do have some hot biscuits right out of the oven, and I can make you some eggs.”
I shook my head. “No, don’t worry about me. I know how to make them myself. Besides, I have to be in the kitchen today, to cook who knows what. Thank you though.”
Her mouth gaped wide and she looked confused. I knew I wasn’t speaking or acting correctly for the time period, and wished I had some Austen material with me to brush up on my speech.
Evelyn smiled a little unsurely and slowly stepped away. “If you need anything, please let me know.”
I nodded. “I will. Thanks again.” Pushing through to the kitchen, I found Helen sliding biscuits into a basket and covering them with a cloth. “Those look amazing.”
Her head snapped my way and she grabbed her chest. “Oh, Miss Hamilton! You should have rang for me. I would’ve helped you dress, and brought breakfast up to you.”
I held out my hands, attempting to put her at ease. “No, really. I just went over this with Evelyn. I’m fine. I might need a little help with my hair and evening gown later on, but I’m going to be cooking away in the kitchen today. No need to bother yourself. I’ve got it. Thank you though.”
Letting out a small noise that almost sounded like an exasperated giggle, Helen shook her head and grinned. “Well, then. Please feel free to have as many as you want.” She held up the basket of biscuits.
I walked over and picked one out of the basket. I broke it in half and it was fluffy inside, just like the ones I made. Closing my eyes, I took a bite and moaned. They tasted just like mine too. I was told the recipe had been passed down through the ages, and now I knew it to be true.
“What all do you use in these?” I asked.
Helen giggled. “Your grandmother made them. You’ll have to ask her. Evelyn and I don’t make them as good as her, so we quit trying. I’m not complaining. I love eating them. And she made extra, so you could put a few in your raffle basket.”
I took another bite, relishing in the familiarity. “Usually, I like to do things myself, but I might have to take her up on the offer. These are amazing.”
Helen agreed with a nod. “Everyone in town loves them. Whoever wins your basket will be ever so grateful. People are always asking for your grandmother’s biscuits.”
The thought made me smile. At all my family gatherings, everyone begged for mine, which was why I had to make them every time we all got together.
Popping the last two bites in my mouth, I explored the kitchen, wondering what I could possibly make for the raffle. Seeing all the different gadgets I wasn’t familiar with, I honestly didn’t know where to start.
“Are you still wondering what to cook?” she inquired.
I sighed. “Yep. I just need to figure out what we have here.” There was a pantry across the room, so I walked inside and looked at all the vegetables. “Is it bad that I’m not really excited about this?”
“Most of the women love it. They like to show the men how well they can cook.”
I scoffed. “I’m afraid if I do that, I won’t get rid of the guy who wins my basket.”
She burst out laughing. “Forgive me, but you are so very different, Adeline. You make me laugh.”
“Glad I could help.” I winked at her and went back to the stockpile of food. There were tons of dried and cured meats, so I picked out a ham and gathered up a few sweet potatoes and green beans. Add in the biscuits my great-grandmother made, and it would be the perfect meal. “All right, I think I have it.”
Setting everything down on the table, Helen looked pleased. “Do you want any help?”
I shook my head. “I’ve already cheated enough by using the biscuits. I need to see if I can tackle the rest of it on my own.” Back and forth, I stared at the food and then over to the wood stove, realization settling in. It was going to take all day without electricity.
Ready or not, here I go.
“Adeline, you’re pushing into your time to get ready,” my great-grandmother warned as she marched into the kitchen, dressed in her fancy emerald gown. She got a good look at me and inhaled dramatically. “Oh dear! You’re worse than I thought. How will you get your hair done in time? It’s in a state of disarray!”
Helen passed me a large cloth and I set it over the food and shut the top of the basket. “I’ve got this, Mrs. Hamilton,” she assured my grandmother. Holding onto my arm, she began to tug me out of the kitchen.
“Helen, no. I’ve got this one.” My great-grandmother gently grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward the door and past a stunned Helen. “Come with me and I’ll help you get ready, dear. We only have an hour and a half left.”
I followed her up the stairs to my room and I picked out a royal blue, silky gown from my closet. There was a sheer, white lace covering over the bottom of the dress that bustled in the back, giving it a bouffant style. The top of the dress was even more beautiful. The lace around my puff sleeves almost had a glitter effect to it. It was going to look amazing underneath the candlelight. I didn’t care about impressing the eligible bachelors, but I couldn’t pass up the chance to wear such an exquisite ball gown. I’d never get the chance once I woke up.
“Lovely choice, Adeline.”
Once out of my flour covered dress, she helped me put on a clean chemise and drawers, and a corset and three petticoats. Yes, three! Then came the hoop skirt, my over petticoat, and finally the gown. Before I could admire myself for too long, she was pulling me over to the toilet table chest.
“Sit down and I’ll fix your hair, dear.”
I did as she said and watched her as she rolled the hair off my face and braided a portion of it, so she could wrap it across the top of my head, like a headband of sorts. The other sections of my hair she crimped and braided, securing it over a cushion at the nape of my neck
. It was a very popular hairstyle for the evening in the 1860s.
There was a glow about her, like she was an angel. For a moment, I could almost pretend we were spending time together in real life. “After my basket gets picked, do I have to introduce myself to the person?”
Her grin widened. “Yes. Your gentleman will need to know who he’s escorting to our party.”
“Since it’s our party, don’t you think I should get the privilege of asking who I want?”
She shrugged. “Maybe, but like I said, this will be good for you. And every year, a lot of the couples get together at the pond behind the town hall and ice skate afterwards.”
A slow smile spread across my lips. Ice skating, I could handle. I was actually pretty good at it. However, I wasn’t so sure how I was going to be wearing antique blades.
“You do know how to skate, don’t you?” she asked.
“I’ve done it a few times,” I replied, feeling excited. I didn’t want my date to know it, until I smoked him on the ice.
“Good. I already had Reginald put a pair of skates in the carriage for you.” Pursing my lips, I looked up at her reflection in the mirror and she winked.
A half an hour later, she finished my hair. Holding up a mirror behind me, I could see the intricate design of braids crisscrossing the back of my head, woven into a large roll of hair at the base of my neck. The hair style was unbelievable, and it accentuated the oval shape of my face perfectly. It was another Hamilton trait.
She placed her hands on my shoulders. “It’s time to go, my dear. Your grandfather and I are going to the Mason’s after the raffle, if you want to go there instead of ice skating. The men always like to play cards, while the women gossip.”
“I’m not much for gossip.”
She winked. “Neither am I, dear. I’d much rather go skating with the young folk. If only my knees were strong enough.”
“You could skate with me. I wouldn’t let you fall.”