by Paige Powers
Or maybe she was dying and could not go to the grave with the secret. It was possible that the secret she held her entire life had been eating her alive. Whatever the case may be, Amelia could not figure out why Jonathan Montgomery Smith and his mother had to go and infiltrate her life.
Things were already stressful enough. In the past year, she graduated from school, and came home to discover that her parents had been killed in an accident. On top of that, she’d moved across the country to fulfill her father's wish that she take over his gold mine in San Francisco and get married.
And here she was, living in California, wanting to follow her father's wishes, as well as following her own dreams of opening a finishing school. The finishing school was turning out to be everything she wanted it to be. In the few months she had been living in San Francisco, she thought that she had found the man she would marry. Alfred was going to be the man she would wed, but somewhere in their courtship, it felt like things had hit a snag.
Nothing had ever been comfortable between Amelia and Mrs. Sharp, but that was something she could deal with. Dealing with the distance between herself and Alfred was a different story. He had not been the same since bringing up the idea that he should be the accountant for her finishing school. Besides the fact that she did not trust any business handling to anyone other than the insiders who had run her parents' businesses her entire life, Amelia did not want to mix business with pleasure.
Alfred did not understand. Or at least he did not want to agree. Whatever the answer, it was causing a riff between the two of them and creating a certain level of discomfort. Amelia wanted to make it work, but partly because she did not want to end their relationship and feel like she was starting over again. There was not time to start over. She was not sure what would happen if she did not marry within the time constraint her father set.
It was an idea that seemed a bit controlling at first, but she came to realize that it was her father's way of making sure that she would be looked after. The key was to marry a man that would love her for herself, and not be overly concerned with her money. At first, she thought that was Alfred. Now she was not so sure.
When Mr. McGill had come to check in on her, he did his best to explain to her that from this point on, men would think that she was unprotected and they would begin to circle her like vultures. They would want to tap into all that her money provided – status, networking connections, a life of luxury. Fortunately, her father had built a safeguard into Amelia's trust, so that she would continue to own property and her inheritance, and no man could come along and wipe her out of everything that her parents had spent their lives building.
Once Mr. McGill explained that, Amelia felt better knowing she would not be taken by any greedy man looking to marry her only to gain access to her money and property. She had not been thinking about marriage. When Mr. McGill read the will, it was the first time that Amelia even thought about being married or being attached to any man in that manner.
Her original plan on coming back to Boston was to settle into life in America for a moment and get reacclimated. She did not want to rush into anything as far as life was concerned. And she certainly had not been thinking about weddings or anything of that sort.
Especially not for herself. She had always been a bit of a rebel, the kind of girl who thought outside of what society wanted for her. The problem was that she never truly thought that women were happy in these marriages. She had not seen an example of women being satisfied and fulfilled. They seemed to just be making the best of the situation they were in. Most marriages were practically arranged and made to link families together for the purpose of status. Amelia had not actually heard of anyone who was married for love or married because they wanted to be with their spouse.
In her mind, she wanted to find the man who would romance her, the man who would confess his undying love for her. The man who would treat her as a princess and come home to her every day, bearing gifts and trinkets that showed how much he adored her.
None of her friends wanted that. They all wanted a life of luxury and status provided by the man they married. Amelia was more than happy to live on her own without having to answer to anyone. After courting Alfred, she started to realize how important companionship could be.
There was no glory in being alone.
*
Before Mr. McGill left town, he sat down with Amelia for tea. He told her all that he knew about Jonathan Montgomery Smith. So when the man claiming to be her brother showed up at her school, she was not rattled. She had been waiting for him to finally make his presence known. And the situation went exactly as she had expected it to. Jonathan walked in, made demands, and made his expectations known. Amelia had expected him to come in like a wild man, spouting off craziness and being a big-mouthed hothead.
She was a bit surprised that he had pretended to look for work instead of just coming in and being straightforward. Amelia was just happy to get the entire encounter over with. She knew it would not be the only time that Jonathan would come for her, so she would be prepared in advance the next time, now that she knew exactly what he wanted.
The one person who had not introduced himself was Ben Abbott, the Pinkerton detective. He was this looming presence, a wild card in the entire situation. Amelia was not sure why Ben Abbott would contact her, but she felt that he would at some point. Mr. McGill as much as agreed with her on that fact. There was much at stake. The William Smith fortune was something such that if one was pursuing a claim, that person would not let go easily.
Amelia knew that Mr. McGill would make sure her interests were safe. And she had her uncle to look after everything as well. There was no way either one of them would let anything happen to her parents' name or their fortune. She knew that Mr. McGill and her uncle would make sure things worked out in her favor. She just wondered if Jonathan Montgomery Smith realized what he was in for.
It would most definitely be the fight of his life. Because she would make it the fight of hers.
*
"Excuse me, Ma'am. Is this seat taken?"
When she looked up, Amelia was immediately taken by the rugged good looks of the man standing in front of her. He was in stark contrast to Alfred, who was strait-laced and moderately attractive. This man was striking, and seemed a bit cocky.
"Who is asking?"
He took off his hat, tipping it in a greeting. "Ben Abbott, Ma'am."
She nodded. "Ah, Mr. Abbott. I wondered when we would meet. Please, have a seat."
Amelia held her hands out to the empty seat.
"How can I help you today, Mr. Abbott?"
"So you already know who I am." The words he spoke were more of a comment than a question. He took a seat.
Amelia nodded. "I do. My lawyer keeps me abreast of all that is happening." She wanted to throw out the fact that her lawyer was involved so this man knew immediately who he was dealing with.
She eyed the man, waiting for his response. He was dressed as a lawman: vest, dark pants, gun in his holster on his hip, large-brimmed hat, and a silver badge that made him official.
A tingling started in her stomach while she sat there listening to him speak. She had not gotten that kind of fluttering when Alfred was near.
Ben leaned back in the chair, his leg extended, arm draped over the chair. He chewed on a stick, twirling it in his mouth.
"Good. Then we can just get right to it. Ms. Smith, my client hired me to locate your whereabouts. I have done so for him. My job is accomplished."
Amelia raised an eyebrow. It was not possible that he came here to meet with her just to let her know that.
"Is that it? Is there anything else that you would like me to know, Mr. Abbott?"
He sucked his teeth. "I would just simply tell you that there are going to be a few challenges ahead for you dealing with Mr. Smith."
She smiled. "Thank you. I was aware that dealing with Mr. Smith may be a challenge. But I am up for it."
"Are you really?"
/>
Amelia felt the heat rising out of her collar. The man was staring at her like he wanted to devour her. She could imagine him taking her in his arms and kissing her until she was breathless.
"I am," she replied, her mouth dry. She picked up her glass of water, hands shaking as she sipped the liquid.
"Are you all right, Ms. Smith?"
She was not sure if he was asking out of true concern or if he was toying with her because he recognized the immediate attraction between them.
"I am. Now what is it that you need from me, Mr. Abbott?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?" she asked.
He shook his head. "Not a thing. I just wanted to make sure that you understood you were dealing with a man who seems to be relentless."
"Mr. Abbott. When you are dealing with fortune and status, most people are relentless. But I do appreciate your concern. If I may ask, why are you so concerned?"
Abbott pulled the chewing stick out of his mouth and moved in closer to her.
"Women must always be protected, Ms. Smith."
Amelia sipped her tea and gently sat her cup down. "What makes you think I need protection?" She did not take her eyes off of his.
"I did not mean to offend you at all, Ma'am. I just mean that as you’re a woman, I would hate to have some man just come in and try to take what is yours."
She smiled. "I am not concerned about that at all. I have protection for my assets. Just because it is not you, does not mean that I do not have protection."
He nodded. "Duly noted."
"Mr. Abbott, if that is all, I would like to finish my lunch. I have someone coming to join me soon."
"I understand." He stood to leave, putting on his hat. "Thank you for your time, Ms. Smith. You have a wonderful day."
Amelia was happy that he was leaving. She would not have been able to sit there with him any longer. His very presence was driving her insane. She had never felt that way with any man before. She was not sure what had happened. Or why it happened. The only thing she knew was that she could not wait to see Mr. Abbott again.
*
Tonight was going to be wonderful. It was a night that Amelia had been looking forward to for the past few weeks. It was the grand opening of Ms. Amelia's Finishing School for Girls. It was the opportunity for the community to come out and see the fruits of Amelia and Mary's efforts. The girls would be doing a recital, and Amelia could not wait for everyone to see all that the girls had worked so hard for.
Opening the school to society would also allow for the community to come in and offer up sponsorship and increase enrollment.
Everything had to be just right. With all of the work that she and Mary put in, it was going to be without any doubt.
The string quartet had arrived and were setting up. The food was also ready and the champagne was set out as well. Amelia walked around making sure that the last of the finishing touches were completed.
It was a dream come true. All of the girls arrived, giggling and ready for their recital. Each had a talent that they wanted to display. Many were going to sing or play an instrument. They would all recite the oath of the finishing school and show off all of the etiquette they had learned. They would each get a chance to speak on what they learned thus far at the school, and how being enrolled had helped to enrich their lives.
The parents began to arrive and were led to the parlor where the women showed off their beautifully made garments and hair pieces and the men were like penguins, decked out in tuxedos with tails and top hats.
Amelia closed her eyes as she took it all in. Her mother would be happy to see her working so hard at something she loved. She would give anything to hear her mother tell her she was proud of her.
"Amelia, all of the girls have arrived. We are ready to get started."
"Thank you so much, Mary."
The butterflies swirled in her stomach. Amelia walked out to the parlor to a full crowd of parents and community members.
"Good evening and welcome to Ms. Amelia's Finishing School for Girls."
There was polite clapping from all of the attendees, and then Amelia began to discuss the night's agenda. She introduced the first girl, and stepped back behind the partition that had been set up.
"This is so very exciting!" Mary exclaimed.
"Yes it is," Amelia replied. She was much too nervous to be excited.
They listened as the young girl recited a poem by Emily Dickinson and then curtsied. She scurried back off of the stage and into Amelia's arms.
"Oh, Ms. Amelia! That was positively exhilarating." The young girl clasped her hands together in excitement.
Amelia gave her a comforting smile and a reassuring pat on the back. "Elizabeth, you did a wonderful job out there. You should be very proud of yourself."
They quieted as the next young girl took the stage.
Amelia explored the crowd. The one person she did not see was Alfred. As a matter of fact, she had not heard from him in a day or so. He knew the date and time of the grand opening, and she could not think of anything that would be keeping him tied up from being present. He knew how special this night was for her. She had spoken about it for months.
The next two girls went on stage, one playing piano and one playing violin. Each of them earned the applause of the crowd and the well-deserved accolades for Amelia. By the time the last girl had completed her presentation, Amelia knew that neither Alfred nor Mrs. Sharp would be present.
She straightened up and met the attendees with a smile and praise for her girls, and wished them all well in the rest of their matriculation. Amelia directed them all to go out into the garden for the reception. The string quartet had set up outside this time to play music while everyone enjoyed a dance or two and partook of the refreshments.
Amelia found a looking glass and smoothed her hair. She could not believe that Alfred would be so selfish as to not show up for her event. She imagined what he would say to her when he saw her, and what excuse he would come up with for not being there.
As far as she was concerned, there was nothing he could say that would make her feel better or make her feel okay with the fact that he had not come to support her on her biggest night. It was just another reason why she was having doubts about Alfred becoming her husband.
"Ms. Amelia. There is a note for you, Ma'am." Amelia had employed her own personal maid to be present at the grand opening to answer the door and guide the guests.
"Thank you, Olivia." Amelia took the small envelope and went to her office for a bit of privacy. Besides, she needed to take a breather from all of the night's events.
She took a seat and slid her letter opener across the seal, lifting it. It was probably someone wishing her well on her endeavors.
Amelia was completely floored by the words written on the paper.
My dearest Amelia,
I have decided that we are not well matched. I wish you all the best on everything. Mother and I will be moving out of town and should be gone by the time you get this.
All the best,
Alfred
Amelia flipped the card over two or three times as if some other words would appear with an explanation of what he was trying to tell her. He was moving out of town and wished her well? And most importantly, he felt that they were not well matched. Amelia was stunned. She had not seen that ending coming. She set the card down on the table and shook her head. None of this made sense.
What could have happened to make Alfred and his mother move out of town so suddenly? She sighed and thought about it for a moment. The more she ran it through her mind, the more she became comfortable with the idea of no longer courting Alfred Sharp. It appeared that he had done her a huge favor by leaving.
So much of this would work in her favor. She no longer had to endure his mother and her nagging and condescending nature and, most of all, she no longer had to pretend to be interested in Alfred Sharp. His ways had become extremely peculiar and the last thing she needed to do was to figu
re out what his motives were in marrying her.
Amelia folded the card and slid it in the back of her drawer. She was not quite sure why she decided to keep the card. Holding on to it would be a kind of insurance in case Alfred Sharp decided to return to her life. After all, it seemed that people popping up out of nowhere were becoming a recurring theme in her life, and she wanted to make sure she would be protected from any unnecessary dealings at all costs.
Chapter 9
Ben paced the floor of the hotel. His mind was supposed to be focused on getting back to his home base back east, but Amelia Smith ran rampant through his thoughts.
She was the wild card. The unexpected. He was not looking for love and certainly felt in no way, shape or form ready for any type of relationship. But he did not want to leave San Francisco and let Amelia become just a distant memory.
He had to figure out a way to tell her he had fallen for her. There was just no way he could tell her that his admiration had been from afar. It would sound too strange, and he did not want her to think he was anything short of a gentleman.
After meeting recently, Ben was not sure what Amelia thought of him. Of course he was the Pinkerton detective who brought Jonathan Montgomery Smith to her front door. He was not expecting her to roll out the red carpet in that case. Ben was not totally sure about Jonathan's motives or if his story could be verified as the truth. There did not seem to be any other people who could second his mother's story and William Smith, the only other person who could verify it, was deceased. Jonathan and Amelia did show a bit of resemblance, but there were no pictures of William Smith to compare, and the resemblance between the potential siblings could have been a coincidence.
What if Jonathan simply read the newspaper and decided for himself to make this story up to weasel his way into this woman's life? Smith was a pretty common last name, and Jonathan could have been related to a whole other clan of Smiths. Ben knew that there was nothing else that he could do about the situation. His work was done. He was just staying a bit longer to make sure that Jonathan left town and that Amelia would be safe. Being here was not a problem, because the more time he could spend in close proximity to Amelia the better.