“Do you know her?” Minnie asked.
The baby gave a small squawk as if she also wished to know the answer. Hugh turned red.
“We’re... acquainted…” He said.
Minnie frowned. “So long as you choose not to continue that acquaintance upon our marriage.”
Margaret’s mother had told her that it was best to turn a blind eye to a husband’s indiscretions. That advice had come after Margaret had seen Lord Milliken leave a place similar to this, a scantily clad woman waving to him out the window.
Both Margaret and Minnie had agreed that if a man could not honor his marriage vows, he was not an honorable man at all. One more reason the idea of marrying Lord Milliken had seemed insufferable.
But once again, Margaret had to wonder if marrying a man whose character she knew so little about would only be inviting more of the same that she had left.
Hugh closed his eyes and squeezed the bridge of his nose as he thought about how to handle the situation. While it was true that he had visited some of Madame’s girls in the past, he’d found the experience lacking. And Angelique, who had just passed, was less of a lover and more of a friend. He paid for her time because it was the gentlemanly thing to do, but mostly, talking to Angelique was better than talking to a priest. He could tell her anything, and rather than being bound by a vague promise to a God that Hugh had no trust in, Angelique would keep his secrets because she couldn’t speak. Besides, Angelique was barely older than a child, and Hugh could not see himself pressing a man’s needs upon one.
“I can assure you that I believe in being faithful to one’s marriage vows,” he said. “However, Angelique is a dear friend, and while I understand that in a larger town, status and social class being what they are, such an acquaintance is frowned upon. Here in Noelle, there are few opportunities for friendship. I would think, given that in your previous life, your status created a similar division in opportunities for friendship, you would be more inclined to giving Angelique a chance.”
The other women in the room gasped, and Hugh fought the urge to groan. He’d left England precisely to rid himself of the chains of class division. A man’s worth came from his accomplishments in life, not the manor he was or was not born to. At least that was how things worked in Noelle, which was why Hugh had been willing to stay and help this town fulfill Charlie Hardt’s vision.
He’d hoped, by marrying a maid, he could once and for all be done with the judgments that came with one’s position in society.
Unfortunately, he’d somehow ended up with a maid whose snobbishness nearly matched that of his highly-esteemed, titled, family he’d deliberately left behind in England in search of a new life. Not that any of them cared that he’d gone to the wilds of America. As the third son of a Duke, the family was delighted to have him out of the way. Every good nobleman needs an heir and a spare, but when one was as fertile as his parents, the additional sons were more of a burden.
At least Minnie appeared to be embarrassed. “You are right, of course. It will take time to get used to this new way of living. I hope I did not cause too much offense.”
“Why should you be worried about what some low-class woman of the night thinks of you? True, you’re just a maid. At least you’re able to better your position by marrying up.” One of the woman, Maybelle, he believed, turned and gave Hugh a disgusted look before looking at Minnie again. “Fortunately for you, moving up doesn’t take much.”
Hopefully, the women hadn’t become friends on the journey. He wasn’t sure he could enjoy having such a woman in his home as a guest.
The baby fussed in Minnie’s arms, and she worked to console her. For someone who didn’t have experience with babies, He had to admit that she was a natural. Perhaps in time, they could work out their personality differences enough to create a happy family of their own.
Kezia returned to the room and took the baby. “It is past time she eats. Thank you for your help.”
Minnie gave her a smile that stirred something inside Hugh. Like there were qualities deep within her worth getting to know.
“Of course. I’m willing to help anytime. As my future husband says, we are in a new place, with limited resources. We should do what we can to help one another as we are able.”
Perhaps he had been too hasty to judge her. He’d mostly been excited to draw the straw for her because on paper, she seemed very qualified to do the job. A maid would be familiar with a rougher lifestyle, knowing how to cook, clean, and take care of things around their home. But he hadn’t thought about what kind of person she might be. Silly, considering the whole reason he had embarked on his adventure was to focus more on a person’s character than on a person’s status. He was just as guilty of the snobbery which he seemed so intent on turning his back upon. He’d seen the word, maid, in the description of the bride, and assumed she’d be exactly what he wanted.
The other women murmured like they agreed with her statement. Minnie looked around, then sat upon one of the velvet sofas, like she was expecting to be waited upon. An odd gesture for a servant.
“I could so use a cup of tea,” she said. “I don’t suppose there’s anyone here to get it for us.”
With a sigh, she stood. “If someone could direct me to the kitchen, I’ll see about getting us some refreshment.”
He liked that she had included everyone in the offer of tea. And, that once she rightly assumed that there was no one to wait on them, that she was willing to do it. That had to be a good sign, because this was what her life was going to be like. If Noelle returned to its boom status, then there might be additional money to get her some help around the house. But as the assayer, he knew that was unlikely.
As much as Hugh hated to dash Charlie’s dreams, the rock from the mine that had been brought to him for inspection was diminishing in value. He’d heard from other assayers across Colorado that the gold in their mines was also petering out. The riches of the mountains would not be found in gold, at least not as far as Hugh could tell. Still, he patiently examined every specimen brought to him, hoping that if not gold, there would be something valuable left in these hills.
Otherwise, Noelle would have to find a new source of wealth. And Hugh feared that even the railroad would not be enough to save them.
But as he looked across the room at all the excited faces, he could not give voice to that fear. It was Christmas Eve. On a night such as this, these good people deserved hope. And until the railroad came, Hugh would keep his fears to himself, standing by his friends and praying he was wrong about his suspicion that all the gold was gone.
When he’d been matched with his bride, he’d thought that her name, Minnie Gold, was a sign that good fortune was heading their way. But so far, Minnie wasn’t what he had expected, and Hugh had to wonder if his hopes of being wrong about the gold were also founded on unrealistic expectations.
Chapter 2
The First Day of Christmas
December 25, 1876
The next morning, Hugh invited Minnie to spend some time walking around the town. It would be a good chance for them to get to know one another, and for her to see her new home. Even though she knew she would be alone with him at some point, her stomach was in knots at the prospect.
Now that they were in a warm home instead of bouncing around a wagon, she had hoped to become friends with some of the women. But conversing with them was awkward and stilted. They all seemed to know what she felt inside. Minnie was a fraud. Mostly, they ignored her, except for Maybelle, the horrible snob who seemed to think she was better than everyone else because she came from a good family. Maybelle seemed to think Minnie was her new personal maid.
Ha! If only Minnie dared to tell the truth about who she was. Though Maybelle bragged about how important she was, Minnie knew she was barely tolerated among the better families in Denver. Margaret’s mother had often told her not to pursue the acquaintance.
Even if Minnie shared the family she worked for, it might lead to questions. Q
uestions she wasn’t sure she should answer.
As they walked down the street, a gust of wind hit, pushing her into Hugh.
“Pardon me,” she said, stepping away.
He smiled at her as he patted her arm. “It’s no trouble. The wind is strong, and it couldn’t be helped. Besides, we are to be married soon.”
The dreaded marriage talk. He was a rather large man, not in a grotesque sort of way, but in the sense that she wondered if he would crush her to death on their wedding night. At least Lord Milliken was slight of build and didn’t look like he had the strength to crush a fly. But clearly, he’d been strong enough to make Minnie fearful.
If only she could make friends with the other ladies, enough to get their advice. But it was such a personal topic that to become good enough friends to share such intimate details in such a short time seemed almost impossible.
“Not too soon, I hope? I thought we were to be given time to get to know one another.”
He looked taken aback at her words. “Of course not,” he said hastily. “But I did promise the Reverend that we’d make quick work of things.”
Quick work of things? Like it was a simple task to be checked off the list?
“I see,” she said, trying not to sound disappointed. “Will there be wine at our wedding?”
From the way he looked at her, she wished she hadn’t been so open in her question. But if she couldn’t get advice on how to make the wedding night tolerable, she would have to take her mother’s advice.
“I don’t believe the saloon has wine, just spirits.”
A lady never drank spirits, according to Margaret’s mother. But perhaps if it were an emergency, such indiscretion could be excused. After all, her mother did put a nip of brandy in her tea when Margaret was ill. Surely one’s wedding night could also be an exception.
“I see. Do you indulge in spirits? Is that what we shall toast with?”
He looked at her as if she had asked an extremely improper question. “Why are you so curious about the drink?”
Most young ladies wouldn’t ask these questions, but she wasn’t asking as a young lady. What were maids supposed to talk about? She wasn’t sure, because she had never been with Minnie and her peers. Only the two of them, and they generally talked of things of interest to Margaret. She’d thought those were also Minnie’s interests, but none of the women here seemed to talk about any of the things familiar to Margaret. She’d asked Birdie, the seamstress, about her embroidery, but the woman had been too focused on getting her cloth in order. Perhaps in time, when they were settled, they could spend an afternoon working on a sampler.
Hugh was still looking at her as if he expected an answer.
“I heard that was a way of life in towns like these,” she said. “I’m just trying to see what I should expect.”
He wore the same look of disgust that seemed to be permanently present when they were together. The whole point in Minnie coming here was for him to have someone as a helper, not someone who was obviously such a burden. Why had she thought she could so easily take her maid’s place?
Then he gave a long-suffering sigh. “I’m sure there are many tales about the lawlessness and drunken antics in mining towns. However, Sheriff Draven runs a tight ship, and you needn’t worry about those things in Noelle.”
His expression softened, and for a moment she thought she might have detected a hint of kindness in it. “If you are worried about my own proclivities, I can assure that while I do indulge occasionally, I’ve never been prone to drunkenness.”
A question she hadn’t considered. But she was grateful for the answer.
“Thank you. I find that reassuring.”
Except she wasn’t entirely reassured. True, she wouldn’t have to fear him having too much drink, but would there be something to numb the horrible experience that was to come?
He led her across the street to one of the nearby buildings. While Noelle lacked proper sidewalks, someone had at least shoveled the snow to create a path and spread ashes to keep people from slipping as they walked. Her mother had often looked down upon households that didn’t have proper porches and walkways, and were therefore forced to use even more ashes to make the way clear. However, Margaret was grateful Hugh had been so thoughtful for her safety.
The building appeared to be well-built, with a neat sign that said, “Assayer.”
He led her through the door, and she was pleased by the tidy appearance of the shop. While she couldn’t say what any of the items were used for, everything seemed to have its place. Dominating the room was a rather large stove-looking apparatus. The fire was burning, and Hugh immediately went over to put more wood in it.
“I like to keep the fire hot, in case Charlie brings me something to examine. I have to heat the ore to separate it into the various metals and measure their properties.”
She had absolutely no idea why he’d need a fire to do so, but she smiled pleasantly. “Well, I know I will never be cold then.”
“Indeed not. I hope you won’t be too warm, but we do have windows that open, just in case.” He smiled at her, almost indulgently. “You see, we aren’t entirely devoid of luxuries. Even though it was a tremendous expense, I see it as a good investment for comfort. During busy times, it gets quite hot in here, so I hope it will make your life here more bearable.”
His words were meant to show his hospitality, but they only made her feel more uncomfortable.
“Bearable?” she asked. “You make it sound quite like a prison. Are you trying to talk me out of marrying you? If you don’t wish to marry me, you should just say so.”
At least he had the courtesy to look embarrassed. “No!” He shook his head. “Not at all. That is, I do wish to marry you. I’m an honorable man. I keep my word. I just…”
Hugh let out a long sigh. “I will admit that when I thought I was marrying a maid, I assumed she would be used to a more difficult life. Knowing that you come from a more… sheltered background, I was hoping to reassure you that there are some comforts here.”
She gave a slight nod to indicate she acknowledged his words, but she couldn’t find appropriate speech to give an answer. He might say he wanted her, but his every action made her think he’d just as soon have her get on the next wagon out of town.
She was too impertinent. Hugh wasn’t a betting man, but he’d wager his entire savings on the fact that Minnie Gold was not who she said she was. A maid, even one no longer employed, would not speak so directly or boldly. Not that he expected her to bow to him and polish his boots, but her demeanor lacked a humbleness that spoke of a more elevated station than she claimed to have come from. Even his mother’s ladies’ maid, who had been a gentleman’s by-blow, wouldn’t have questioned his intentions.
Would he still marry Minnie? As he’d told her, he’d given his word as a man of honor. Did he like it? Not one bit. Of all the things he could not abide, it was a liar.
Which, of course, made him a hypocrite in a sense. Hugh was well-aware that he’d been hiding his own identity. Though he’d never lied, sometimes it felt like a lie, denying his birthright. But it wasn’t as though he’d ever inherit, or that there was any future for him back in England. And, he’d never pretended to be anyone he was not.
But Minnie?
He watched as she ran a gloved finger over his desk, like she was inspecting it. Maid, his foot. She was no more a maid than he’d been a stable boy.
The question was, who was she really, and why had she lied? He could only assume she was running from something. But what? An abusive father or husband? A crime? Perhaps he should have a word with Sheriff Draven to use his skills to look into this Minnie Gold, or whoever she was.
Then he let out a long sigh. Reverend Chase Hammond was counting on them all to get married. However, it would also be a snag in Chase’s plans to have one of the brides be a fugitive. Though a lot of people used towns like Noelle to hide from the law, that was not the sort of attention they wanted if the railroad w
as going to come through here. And, knowing what he knew about the ore Charlie kept bringing him, if Noelle was going to survive, they had to get the railroad to stop here. There would be nothing else to keep the town alive. Charlie might be hoping for a new gold strike, but each day made it look more and more impossible.
Minnie looked at him expectantly. She’d heard his sigh and probably thought he’d meant to speak to her. Which he should be doing, instead of worrying about the fate of the town. With his skill, he could go almost anywhere and find work. But he liked Noelle, liked the feeling of being settled. Which meant he’d do what he could to court his intended and hope he wasn’t making a terrible mistake.
“Would you like to see where you’ll be living?” he asked, gesturing to the door that led to his quarters. They weren’t much, as he’d told her, but it was a far sight better than what many in this town had. Hopefully, come spring, he’d have the means to build a house on the edge of town.
Minnie looked relieved, like she’d been trying to think of conversation and was lost for words. This awkwardness didn’t bode well for their future together. Would they ever have anything to talk about? He’d always hated the strained silence in the drawing room between his parents. In coming to America, he’d hoped to avoid that fate for himself. And here he was, getting trapped in a marriage to save a town because it was the right thing to do.
He led her inside the small space. What fault would she find with it? He hadn’t been able to tell from her inspection of his workspace if it had met with her approval. But as they entered the room, she took off her cloak, then her hat and gloves.
“This is a pleasant place,” she said. “Very cozy.”
As he took her belongings, he realized that he hadn’t given enough thought to providing a wife enough space for her things. He’d need to add another hook by the door to hang her cloak. For now, he could put it over his own.
The Lord_The Tenth Day Page 2