by L. P. Dover
“Why not?” I wondered. “Is your family taking some time off? I guess the real estate business would be slow this time of year.”
“It’s more due to the fact my uncle refuses to work this week, with all the parties going on.” He picked up a rock and skipped it. “This town goes crazy for Christmas. It’s all anyone ever talks about. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“Neither have I,” I admitted truthfully. “Although, it is my favorite time of the year.”
He chuckled. “At least, you’ll be accompanying me to the Christmas party at your house on Saturday.”
I bit my lip. “Yes, I will.”
He turned to face me. “Do you have any plans for this evening?”
My heart skipped a beat. “Why do you ask?” I had a feeling I already knew.
Staring at me with his steely, gray eyes, he stepped closer. “I went through town this morning, and saw Mr. Simmons sweeping outside of the furniture store. His mother asked if I was taking you to the town social tonight. I hoped if you were going, that maybe you’d like to go with me.”
“Are you sure there’s not someone else you’d rather ask? I bet there are plenty of young women who’d love to be your date.”
“I’m not interested in them,” he replied, his serious gaze on mine. “I do know I don’t want you going with Mr. Ferguson.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Is that the only reason?”
He let my words hang in the air, before bringing a hand up to my face, gently brushing away a strand of flyaway hair. “I’m asking you because all I’ve done since the moment I opened my eyes this morning is think of you. We didn’t get much time to get to know each other last night.”
“Then, yes,” I answered, feeling everything inside of me tremble. “I would love to be your date tonight.”
From the way he studied my mouth, I thought he was going to kiss me. Instead, he sighed and moved away, almost like he had to restrain himself. I didn’t want him to though. Then again, we were in 1865 and not the 21st century.
William nodded back at our horses. “Want to go for a ride? You could walk me around that pond of yours.”
Excitement bubbled in my chest. “I’d love to. Maybe we could race?”
Grinning mischievously, he cocked his head to the side. “What is it with everyone wanting to race me as of late?”
“I don’t know.” I laughed. “Last night before you raced Mr. Ferguson, you seemed so calm and collected. I guess I want to see if you’re as good on a horse as you were on the ice.”
His grin widened. “Think you can beat me?”
I shrugged and inched toward Ranger. William caught on and matched my movements. “Guess we’re about to find out,” I squealed, and we took off for our horses at the same time. Reaching Ranger first, I climbed up. “Come on, boy, let’s go.” I clucked my tongue and we were off. William was right on our heels, his chuckles echoing through the woods.
“You got a head start,” he shouted.
I burst out laughing. “Keep telling yourself that.”
The trees whipped by us and the adrenaline coursed through my veins. It was the most excitement I’d had in years. Charging past the tree line, we were neck in neck. The house and the pond came into view, and the last leg of our race was closer than ever. But in the end, I reached the pond first, and my muscles hurt from cackling so hard.
“I won,” I shouted triumphantly.
Grinning from ear to ear, William slid off his horse and grabbed me by the waist as I was getting down. He held onto me and I clutched his arms, keeping him close as I caught my breath. “You’re so different,” he murmured, sounding fascinated.
“That’s the second time you’ve told me that, Mr. Blair. And what is it that makes me so different?”
He moved closer, his hand sliding up the side of my body to my cheek. “Everything,” he said on an exhale.
Time stood still as the distance between us closed. I could feel his warm breath on my face, and anticipation coursed through my veins. Our lips almost touched, but I jerked away when my great-grandfather shouted my name, breaking the spell. His voice echoed from the front of the house.
“Adeline!”
William sighed and tapped my chin. “We’ll continue this later.”
“I’m counting on it,” I replied breathlessly. We grabbed our horses’ reins and made our way around the house. My great-grandfather stood on the porch and waved, but he wasn’t alone. The carriage was pulled around out front, and Jonathan was there, loading a trunk on the back.
William growled low in his chest. “What is he doing here?”
That’s when I noticed James Ferguson, standing beside my great-grandfather, looking highly displeased to see William with me.
Jonathan appeared from behind the carriage and rushed over, taking Ranger’s reins from me. “Did you have a good ride, Miss Adeline?” he asked.
I smiled. “I did. Thank you.”
He bowed his head and took Ranger away, while Edward appeared from the other side of the house, dressed in a long, brown coat and hat. He acknowledged me with a nod and climbed into the front seat of the carriage.
Clearing my throat, I looked up at the porch, widening my smile at my great-grandfather and James. “Good morning.”
Dressed in a suit, a fitted overcoat, and a top hat, my great-grandfather marched down the stairs, an amused expression on his face as he took in my dirty pants. “You look beautiful, my dear.” He kissed my forehead and lowered his voice. “As you can see, you have another guest. I wish I could stay, but I have business in Virginia. I thought maybe we could spend some time together, but it’ll have to wait until I get back. I should be home for Christmas.”
He pulled me in for a hug and my chest tightened. I wanted more time with him. My dream wasn’t going to last forever. “Be safe,” I whispered.
“I will.” He nodded to both William and James. “Farewell, gentlemen.”
Intentionally not paying attention to James, I watched my great-grandfather get in the carriage and disappear down the dirt road. I could feel his stare on my back.
“Good morning, Adeline,” James called out. “You’re out early.”
I turned to face him. “So are you. What brings you here, Mr. Ferguson?”
Jaw clenched, he glared over at William, then back to me. “I wanted to see you . . . and to apologize for last night. It was wrong of me to bet for you.”
“Yes, it was,” I agreed, my voice bland.
He shifted on his feet. “The town social is tonight. I thought maybe you’d like to accompany me. I can make up for being an ass last night.”
James had acted like an arrogant jerk, but I had to believe there was more to him than that. Before I could speak, William moved closer to me.
“I’ve already asked her,” he spoke out, his lips tilting slyly. “And she said yes.”
James nodded and lifted his chin as he walked down the porch stairs, heading straight toward me. He reached for my hand and kissed it, lingering a little too long. “Will you save me a dance?” he asked, meeting my gaze.
I didn’t want to, but at least he’d apologized for acting like an idiot. In the end, I nodded. “I will.”
He glared at William one more time, who in return, glared back. It was annoying how men always had to buck up to each other, like everything was a competition. James hopped up on his horse and grinned at me one more time, before riding away.
William growled and blew out a heavy breath. “He sure does know how to get under my skin. I can only remain calm and collected for so long.”
“I see that.” I waved him off. “But you have nothing to worry about, you know this. Besides, it’s just one dance. I wanted to be nice, since he apologized to me.”
He snorted. “Only to get back in your favor.” Taking my hand, he faced me. “What I want to know is how are you going to feel when other women want to dance with me?”
Annoyed. “We’re not married, William. You are
free to do as you please, and so am I.”
Chuckling, he kissed my hand, and then hopped on his horse. “Deep down, you know you won’t like it. I can see it in your eyes.” He was right, and I hated how transparent I was. I’d never been jealous over a man before. “I’ll be by tonight to pick you up.”
“Where do you live, by the way?”
He peered off toward the woods on the other side of my house. “In a cabin just through those trees. Our land abuts your estate.”
That was right, it did. In the 1900s, the Blair family had sold their land to the Hamiltons, giving us an extra twenty acres.
I walked up on the front porch and leaned over the rails. “Do you live alone?”
A mischievous grin took over his face. “I do. Maybe one day you’ll come visit me.”
“Maybe,” I replied, feeling everything inside of me tighten. “I’ll see you tonight, William.”
Upon entering the house, a whiff of cinnamon apples hit me. It smelled like heaven. Then I heard someone singing beautifully in the kitchen; it was Helen. I waited by the door and listened, loving the sound of her voice as she sang “Amazing Grace.” Once she was done, I opened the door and clapped.
She grabbed her chest, splattering flour all over her apron. “Oh! You startled me.” Taking a deep breath, she continued to knead a ball of dough, trying her best to hide her smile.
I laughed. “Sorry. I didn’t want to interrupt. You have a beautiful voice.”
“Thank you, Miss.” She rolled out the dough. “I’m making those apple pastries you liked so much. Didn’t you say you wanted to learn how to make them?”
I gasped excitedly. “Yes!” Joining her by the wooden table, she stepped back.
“I already made the dough, but it’s flour, sugar, salt, butter, water, and lemon juice.”
“Lemon juice, huh?” I said. “That’s interesting.”
She giggled. “Yes, ma’am. The filling has it in it too. Look here.” The bowl of apple filling was off to the side, and she slid it over. “All you need are two teaspoons of lemon juice, a cup of sugar, and a pinch of salt.”
Brows furrowed, I studied the filling. The apples weren’t in slices, but shredded. “Did you shred the apples?”
Helen beamed. “It stays in the pastry better that way. When you bite into them, all the filling doesn’t fall out.”
“I’ll have to remember that trick.” Hopefully, I could remember it all when I woke up from my dream.
Once we rolled out the dough and put the filling inside, we sprinkled the tops with cinnamon and sugar before putting them in the oven. Then I cleaned off my hands and sat down by the stove, loving the warmth. Helen sat across from me and smiled. Heat flooded to my cheeks as I thought about my morning. “William met me on my ride. We had a race on horseback, and he asked me to the town social tonight.”
Her eyes widened. “Did you say yes?”
“Of course.” I shook my head and laughed. “Mr. Ferguson was waiting out front when we returned, and asked me as well. I told him I’d save him a dance.”
She snorted. “You’ve been busy since I last saw you. But you made the right choice. Mr. Ferguson’s not a nice man.”
“Neither is his sister, so I heard.”
“That’s right. The whole Ferguson family thinks they’re better than everyone else. It makes no sense. Your grandparents are the wealthiest in the town, and they don’t act like that.”
“It’s because my family is full of good people.”
“That it is,” she agreed with a smile.
Eleven
Adeline
“Aren’t you a vision,” my great-grandmother said as I walked down the stairs in my ballgown. The dress was just a tad lighter than royal blue, with a white lacy overlay that reminded me of snowflakes. It was snowing outside, which made it all perfect.
I noticed that Grandmother was still in her afternoon dress from earlier. “Aren’t you going to the town social?” I asked.
She shook her head and kissed my cheek. “Not tonight, my dear. With Andrew gone, I’d rather stay here. If he comes back, I want to be here.”
“Are you sure? You can come with me and William.”
“That’s not necessary,” she said, snickering. “Helen and Jonathan will be there to keep you company. Besides, I’d just be in the way. You and William need some time to get to know each other.”
I hugged her tight. “So do we. You’re my grandmother.” Even if it was just a dream, I wished I could have more time with everyone.
With a heavy sigh, she patted my back and let me go. “I think I hear your beau coming now.” The thumping sound of the horse and the clanking of the carriage echoed in the air. The horse’s steps reminded me of thunder. A few seconds later, William approached the front door and my great-grandmother opened it. His eyes widened when he saw me in my gown, with my blonde hair pulled up into an intricate roll at the base of my neck.
“Good evening, Mr. Blair,” my great-grandmother greeted him.
He smiled at her and nodded, but his focus stayed on me. No other man had looked at me like that. I’d never felt more beautiful in my life. William walked up to me, raking his gaze up and down my body. “Adeline, you look,” his eyes met mine, “stunning.”
“Thank you,” I replied. “You’re rather handsome yourself.” His chestnut brown hair was combed neatly, and my fingers ached to run my hands through it. Not to mention, he looked sexy in his black pants and white button down, covered with a black tail coat. He held out his hand and I took it, shivering at the feel of his skin against mine.
My great-grandmother smiled and handed me a thick, wool shawl. “Be safe, but more importantly, have fun.”
William squeezed my hand and led me out to his carriage. The coachman opened the door and bowed his head as I got in. William shook the man’s hand. “Thank you, Frederick.”
The coachman beamed. “You’re welcome, sir.” Frederick climbed up in front and we were on our way.
I leaned in close to William. “I could’ve ridden a horse. You didn’t need to bring a carriage.”
He burst out laughing. “But Frederick is paid well, so I know he’s happy to take us.” His focus landed on my dress and I could see the heat building. “Also, I wouldn’t want you to ruin that dress of yours. I’m sure you would’ve worn a pair of pants, if it were allowed.”
I scoffed. “I’m not scared to wear pants in public. Don’t get me wrong, I like them better than dresses, but I couldn’t pass up the chance to wear this,” I said, gazing down at the blue gown, poofed out by the layers upon layers of crinoline underneath.
“I’m glad you did,” he said, holding my hand up to his mouth. Keeping his gaze on mine, his lips touched my skin, creating a zing of warmth to shoot up my arm. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
“What?” My heart stopped for a split second. Judging by the tension in his shoulders, it couldn’t be good.
The carriage came to a halt in front of the town hall and Frederick opened the door.
William sighed and kept hold of my hand. “I’ll tell you later.” He got out first and then helped me, which I was grateful for, as it took some finagling to get my skirt through the door. The 1860s were not playing around with the enormity of the dresses—they were beautiful, but not practical in the least.
Other townsfolk ventured into the town hall, wearing their fancy dresses. A lot of the women stopped and stared at me, their eyes lit with wonder.
“I think I’m going to make a lot of men jealous tonight,” William murmured, wrapping my arm around his. He held me close as we walked up the stairs.
When we got inside, I hung up my shawl, only to receive a couple of evil glares from some of the women. “I could say the same for the women,” I muttered quietly.
I’d always believed people were nicer back in the day, but it didn’t look like that was so. The same pettiness and jealousy were there, no matter what era. Don’t get me wrong, I loved a good competition, bu
t I would never intentionally hurt someone. There was no reason to be that way. It was easier to be nice than mean.
“Adeline,” Hannah called.
William and I turned around to see her and Fred, arm in arm. She looked positively radiant in her green and gold dress. “Hello, Hannah. Mr. Simmons.” I bowed my head in greeting.
Smile wide, she hurried over and hugged me, while Fred shook William’s hand. “You look amazing in that dress,” she murmured.
“Thank you. So do you. Stunning.” I leaned in close. “Looks like you and Fred are getting along well.”
She giggled. “We are. We spent the entire night talking. He’s going to introduce me to his family.”
I hugged her again. “Oh, that’s wonderful news.”
Fred nodded at me and smiled before taking her away. Meeting parents was something I’d never done. I never got close enough to someone to have to do that. I spotted Helen across the room with another couple and waved at her. She waved back and smiled.
William guided me over to a group of three men who were in deep conversation. The tallest one had light brown hair and the same gray eyes as William. He watched us approach and reached for my hand, bowing his head as he kissed it.
“Ms. Adeline Hamilton, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” He lifted his head and let go of my hand.
William cleared his throat. “Miss Adeline, this is my uncle, Mr. Philip Blair.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” I said sweetly. Philip wasn’t very old, probably in his early forties. His nose was on the longer side and a little crooked, but all in all, he had that typical Blair charm. He stared at me curiously. Then again, I was different from all the other women there.
“I take it she’s accompanying you this evening?” Philip asked.
William’s jaw tensed. “Yes. I asked her to be my date.”
Philip huffed, then forced a smile. “Carry on then.”
Squeezing William’s arm, I nodded toward the dance floor. “Would you like to dance?” I asked, hoping it’d get us away from his uncle. I didn’t know how to do the fancy line dance the townsfolk were doing, but I was a fast learner.