Rand took a deep breath, as if to steel himself, and stepped out. As Kimi watched, the two white women threw their arms around him with glad cries.
“Rand, dear,” the older exclaimed, “you’re early! We weren’t expecting you for hours!”
Kimi watched him embrace the two awkwardly. “Sorry, mother, I was trying to avoid some huge ‘Welcome home’ gathering. How are you, Vanessa?”
The young, pretty one looked like Rand. Now she pouted. “Mercy me! I declare you’ve ruined our big greeting! Lenore will be upset that she wasn’t here....” Kimi realized that the girl’s eyes widened and her voice trailed off as she caught sight of Kimi in the carriage. “Who is that?”
Kimi saw the sudden hostility in his sister’s blue eyes, the sheer curiosity in his mother’s.
Rand turned. “Oh, this is Kimi.” He extended his hand to help her from the carriage.
She felt Mrs. Erikson’s cold stare. “We didn’t realize anyone would be coming with Rand. How do you do, my dear?”
“Very well, thank you,” Kimi tried to remember what little she’d been told about proper white behavior. Both Mrs. Erikson and Rand’s sister were looking at her almost open-mouthed. She glanced down, realized they were staring at her doeskin dress and moccasins. She felt suddenly as if she’d just walked into a gathering of enemy Crow or Pawnee.
“Kimi has spent most of her life among the Sioux,” Rand explained, “and when we were both found by that army patrol, she didn’t have any place to go, so I invited her to come with me.”
“How nice,” Vanessa said coolly, but her expression said she didn’t think it was so nice.
By now Rand had turned away and was shaking hands and greeting the black servants who were still running from every direction.
She saw Mrs. Erikson and Vanessa exchange looks.
“Kimi,” Mother said and while her mouth smiled, her eyes didn’t, “I don’t believe I caught your last name.”
She would not be bullied by this rich woman. She looked her straight in the eye. “Kimi will do.”
“Well, Kimi, will you be staying long?” Her tone said she certainly hoped not.
Kimi looked toward Rand, but he was busy shaking hands with the help and didn’t seem to hear what was being said. “No, as soon as I make some plans, I’ll be going on. Your son was kind enough to offer me the hospitality of Randolph Hall for a few days.”
Rose Erikson visibly relaxed, but his sister didn’t. “Oh, what a shame you won’t be staying. You know my brother and his fiancee will probably be getting married right away, and you’ll miss the biggest wedding this county ever saw.”
“Yes, I know. He told me.” Kimi forced herself to smile, determined not to make trouble for him.
Rand came back from the servants. “Let’s not stand out here all day, let’s go inside.” They went into the entry hall of the mansion.
Kimi stared. Even the hall was big enough for a family to live in. Evidently Rand’s family had much wealth and many ponies. In spite of her brave front, she felt very ill-at-ease in her primitive clothing in comparison with the two richly dressed women.
She was only thankful that Rand had helped her for hours every day to learn the English words and grammar on the trip back to Kentucky. Now she wished there had been more time for him to tutor her in proper manners, dress, and other small things these white women would take for granted.
Rand looked around. “Where’s Father?”
“Out in the east fields,” Mrs. Erikson said, “we weren’t expecting you for hours.”
“Rand,” his sister said, “of course you’ll be wanting to go over to Carstairs Oaks immediately.”
“I have a better idea,” his mother said brightly, “why don’t I send someone to let Lenore know you’ve arrived? That will give you a chance to rest and clean up and we can all have dinner here.”
He looked a little relieved. “That sounds fine; I am tired from the trip. Sister, I hear from the servants that you haven’t married Shelby yet.”
“Mercy me!” Vanessa said, looking at Kimi, “We decided to wait until you came home. In fact, Lenore and I have sort of planned a double wedding.”
Rand looked at Kimi, seemed about to say something, bit his lip instead. “I think I’ll go find Father. Vanessa, do you reckon you could find Kimi something to change into?”
“Certainly. I’m sure one of the servants–”
“I meant one of your lovely dresses,” he said with a slight edge to his voice. “As I remember, you always had wardrobes full of clothes.”
“Of course, dear boy.” His mother’s hands fluttered nervously and she wheezed when she talked as if she wore a tight corset to squeeze her generous flesh. “I’m sure Vanessa has something she’s not wearing anymore.”
Kimi said, “I don’t want to be any trouble. I’m awfully tired. If I could just rest awhile–”
“You’re probably exhausted,” Rand said. “Vanessa will find you a nice guest room, too.”
“And we’ll have a chance to get to know each other,” Vanessa said with a big smile, but like her mother, her pale eyes didn’t smile. “Come along with me, Kimi.”
She didn’t really want to go with Vanessa, but she didn’t want to seem impolite. They went up the big, circular stairway together.
They walked down the upstairs hall. Vanessa glanced at her curiously. “Your name was Kimi? Rather unusual, isn’t it?”
Kimi started to explain that it was really Kimimila, decided not to bother. “It’s Lakota for butterfly.”
“How very quaint!” Vanessa said. “Were you a captive of the savages, too?”
“They aren’t savages, they’re Sioux,” Kimi said, “I was raised by them.”
“So what happened to your relatives?”
Kimi tried to remember. “It’s been so long. I really don’t recall anything about my family.”
Vanessa paused with her hand on a doorknob. “Mercy me! How sad. You know, in this part of the country, family is very important. My brother is engaged to my best friend. The Carstairs are an old, quality family.” Her tone left no doubt what she thought about Kimi’s family background.
“Yes, I know about Miss Carstairs.” Although she was seething at the implied insult, Kimi decided she must not make trouble for Rand.
“There’s to be a family dinner here tonight and you’ll get to meet my fiancee and Rand’s. When you see her, you’ll know why Rand is so madly in love with her. Lenore Carstairs is considered a great beauty and a reigning belle.”
“How very nice for her,” Kimi said, wondering just what response Vanessa expected. Perhaps she suspected that there was more to the relationship between Rand and Kimi than met the eye and was probing for more information.
Vanessa led her into a bedroom that was large and beautiful by anyone’s standards. “You can have this room. I’ll see if I can find you a dress and send Millie to help you with your hair and bath.”
“I’m perfectly capable of doing that myself,” Kimi said.
Vanessa’s nose wrinkled in distaste. “Ladies of quality have maids.” She smiled sweetly, “but of course, I don’t suppose you’d know much about that, would you?”
Kimi smiled back just as sweetly. “I’ve been told ladies of quality are also polite and well-mannered. But I suppose you don’t know much about that, do you?”
Pretty Vanessa’s mouth opened and closed a couple of times. Then without saying anything else, she turned and flounced out.
Kimi’s pluck abandoned her, and she sat down morosely on the big bed. Any hope she might have had that Rand’s family would be warm, wonderful people, who would be kind and friendly to a white waif with no relatives or any place to go, vanished. Where would she go and what would she do? One thing was certain, she wouldn’t go whining to Rand about his sister’s hostility.
A black girl stuck her head in the door. “I’s Millie with clothes and things; bathwater on de way up.”
Kimi gestured her in.
&n
bsp; The girl entered with her arms full of hoops and lace petticoats. “It be a big dinner, ma‘am. Miss Lenore is comin’ and Miss Vanessa’s intended, Marse Shelby Merson.”
She pictured the gaiety and Lenore hanging on Rand’s arm. Kimi couldn’t bear to see that. “I don’t think I feel like going down to dinner. Perhaps I could just have a tray sent up here to my room.”
The girl looked at her a long moment. “I’s got orders, ma’am, to get you ready for dinner. Miz Vanessa said.”
Kimi had a sudden feeling that even though they’d been freed, the blacks here were not treated very well by Rand’s sister. “Millie, I–I won’t know what to do. I’ve never been to a fancy dinner before.”
“Is dat all?” she shrugged. “Jes’ watch and do what everyone else does. If’n you don’t know what to say, do what Miss Lenore and Miss Vanessa do, just flutter your eyelashes and fan and giggle.”
“Is that what belles do? They must look very shallow and silly!”
“I didn’t say dat, ma’am, you did. Wif’ your looks, you outshine dem both.”
Kimi saw the girl’s expression and realized she’d found an ally. She couldn’t imagine herself giggling, but she didn’t want to get Millie in trouble, either. Kimi stood up slowly. Was Rand really expecting her to attend this intimate family dinner or had it been Vanessa’s idea to show him how barbaric Kimi looked next to the elegant Lenore?
Was there any possibility that she could compete with the lovely Southern belles? She decided suddenly that she wasn’t going to give Rand up without a fight. “Millie, do you think you can make me look like those other two girls?”
“Shore. I been doin’ ladies’ hair for years and you is got pretty green eyes ma’am.”
She might not know how to read or what fork to use, but maybe she could learn, Kimi decided. She looked at the hoops and corset and Florida Water fragrance that Millie carried. “Do your best, Millie, I’m going for a big win.”
Millie’s white teeth gleamed in her black face. “I don’t like those two spoiled white gals, Miss; neither does the rest of the help. It’s gonna be my pleasure to make you look better than both of them put together!”
Eighteen
Even as Kimi dressed for dinner, her nerve began to fail her. Millie assured her she looked “purtier than a speckled pup” but still Kimi stared at herself in the full-length mirror although she knew everyone else must be ready.
Even Rand knocked on her door. “Kimi, are you coming?”
He must have known she was uneasy. The image staring back at her looked unfamiliar. Millie had laced her into a tight corset and big hoop skirts. The dress Vanessa had lent her was willow green cotton, which Vanessa had said she was about to give the maid anyway because it wasn’t Vanessa’s best color. Kimi’s ebony braids had been redone into an elegant French twist with little ringlets about her face. While the pointy shoes pinched and she could scarcely breathe in the tight corset, she felt as if most of her bosom was bare in the low-cut bodice. Her medicine object looked rather out of place on its rawhide thong.
Millie shook her head. “Ma’am, why don’t you let me find a gold chain for your doodad? Until I do, you can wear some of dese pearls tonight.”
She was reluctant to take it off, but she substituted pearls after Millie promised again to replace the thong with a gold chain by tomorrow.
She heard a buggy drive up outside in the twilight and ran to the window. A beautiful black-haired girl in an expensive autumn russet-colored velvet dress, and a distinguished older man with a gray mustache and goatee were alighting. The black-haired girl moved with a mincing, ladylike step. Was that the fabled Lenore? She was so beautiful, she took Kimi’s breath away. There was also something vaguely familiar about her. Of course Kimi was certain it was because Rand had described Lenore so often, she knew what she would look like. How could Kimi compete with a sophisticated beauty like that? Her nerve failed her.
Rand knocked again. “Kimi, are you coming?”
“I’m not quite ready,” Kimi lied. “Go on down. I’ll be there in a minute.”
“Are you all right?”
“Of course. I’m just not quite ready, that’s all.”
About that time, Kimi heard Mrs. Erikson’s voice floating up the stairs. “Yoo hoo, dear boy, come down. Our guests have arrived.”
“Kimi,” he said again.
“Go on, I’ll be along in a moment.”
She listened to him leave, heaved a sigh of relief. How could she go down and face the girl who was going to marry Rand? Having seen Lenore out the window, Kimi thought her more beautiful than any girl she had ever seen. No wonder Rand was attracted to me, Kimi thought miserably. I must have reminded him of her–about the same height with ebony hair.
Millie handed her a small, lace object. “Here’s your fan, Miss. Just flutter it and flirts with de gentlemen.”
“I’ll feel silly. It seems so stupid.”
“Fancy white ladies wouldn’t be caught dead without a fan, ma‘am. You be prettier than her, miss. Don’t let her outdo you none now. ’Course, we got to try to soak you down wif’ buttermilk, get that tan off your skin.”
That gave Kimi one more thing to worry about. Very pale white skin denoted beauty among these people. “I don’t know where–”
“Dey be in de library first.”
“What’s a library?”
The girl started to laugh, then seemed to realize Kimi wasn’t joking and her expression warmed with sympathy. “Look for de room full of books.”
Kimi opened her door a crack. Below her, she heard the front door open, then the sounds of laughter and greetings as Lenore Carstairs and the old family friend arrived. Maybe Kimi could suddenly be taken sick and have a tray sent up. But that was a cowardly way out, and she wasn’t a very good liar.
Kimi hesitated, finally built up her courage and went downstairs, walking carefully in the miserable, tight shoes. Kimi had very small feet, but evidently all ladies’ shoes were made to hurt. Dealing with the hoops was awkward. She began to feel a little sorry for white women. So this was what it felt like to be civilized. She followed the conversation and found everyone sitting or standing around in a big room filled with books. She paused in the doorway and all heads turned toward her.
Rand’s eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. Kimi waited uneasily. I must look ridiculous, she thought, from the expression on all the men’s faces.
Rand stared at Kimi a long moment, startled into complete silence. Dressed as a Southern lady, Kimi was more than pretty; she was a vision of beauty in pale green, a swan among awkward ducks. He tried to find words, but could only gape at her. By comparison, she made Lenore and his sister Vanessa look like dumpy servant girls. The other men apparently shared his assessment; they were both staring at Kimi as if a goddess had suddenly floated into the library.
Rand managed to pull himself together, cleared his throat, and smiled at Kimi reassuringly. “Everyone, this is my friend, Kimi, who returned with me from the Sioux camp. Kimi, this is Lenore Carstairs. You know my mother and sister.”
Lenore looked her up and down. “How do you do?” She said coldly as if she really hoped not very well.
“Fine and you?” Kimi could only be thankful Millie had coaxed her a little.
“Very well now that my fiancee is home again.”
Rand looked ill at ease, hurried on with the introductions. “May I present my father and Judge Hamilton?”
Jon Erikson had the saddest expression on his handsome face. He also appeared to be a bit drunk. This is exactly what Rand would look like in twenty-five years, Kimi thought, if he stayed in civilization; a bit paunchy, red veins in his nose from too much bourbon and rich food. Mr. Erikson staggered a little as he crossed the carpet, took her hand, and kissed it. “So pleased to have you here, Miss Kimi.”
Judge Hamilton smiled and stroked his gray mustache. “Great Caesar’s ghost, Rand, you didn’t tell us she was so lovely. Young lady, will you honor an old man b
y being his dinner partner?”
She liked him immediately. “Why, judge, I’d be delighted.”
She heard someone in the hall and turned as another man entered. He was handsome, older than Rand, but shorter and heavier. He walked with a slight limp. “Evenin’, y’all, sorry I’m a bit late.”
“Shelby, I was wondering where you were.” Vanessa took his arm possessively.
Introductions were made and Shelby bent over Kimi’s hand. “Well, I can see why anyone would want to run away to the Indians.”
He hung onto her fingers a long moment and his felt clammy, his kiss wet on the back of her hand. The lamp light reflected off his oiled hair.
Kimi took a deep breath and smelled perfumed hair tonic. “You are too kind, sir.” She managed to pull her fingers from his.
Vanessa pouted at her. “Shelby is my fiancee. We are planning a double wedding with Rand and Lenore.”
What did she expect Kimi to say? Kimi smiled. “So you’ve told me before. I hope you’ll all be very happy.”
There was an awkward pause. All three women were glaring at her, Rand looked discomforted, Shelby Merson leered and the judge gallantly offered her his arm. “Remember, my dear, you promised to be my dinner partner.”
She took his arm after seeing Lenore take Rand’s. “Certainly.” She wished she felt as confident as she forced herself to sound. Already she sensed that the three women saw her as an adversary. The judge seemed genuinely friendly.
The dining room had Victorian scarlet wallpaper and heavy velvet drapes. A chandelier glittered over the long ornate walnut table. She paused as they reached the table, not quite sure what to do next, even as the judge pulled her chair out. What was she supposed to do now? She watched Rand, Shelby and Mr. Erikson seat the other women. So that was the way it was done. Kimi lifted the yards of green skirt and smiled at the judge as he pulled her chair out, seated her.
Kimi looked up from the gold-rimmed dinner service she was contemplating to find the judge was staring at her. His face grew puzzled. “Miss Kimi, is there any possibility we’ve ever met before?”
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