“I can’t take all these books at one time. It wouldn’t be right.”
“I don’t mind.”
“But I do,” Madeline replied. “Besides, it’ll take me longer than a day to read one of these books.”
“Alright. One book at a time it is.” And maybe Rose could use that to her advantage. “You said you’re nineteen?”
“I didn’t say that. I think my grandfather did.” She smiled. “But he’s right. I turned nineteen a couple months ago.”
“I don’t suppose you make it a habit of going to the mercantile at all?”
“Actually, I don’t.”
“They have some dime novels there. The latest ones in fact.”
“Oh?”
Rose thought of how to word things so she wouldn’t seem obvious about what she was thinking of doing. It wasn’t likely that her plan would work anyway. Madeline was rich. She came from generations of wealth. What were the chances she’d consider someone like Jacob anyway? Sure, he owned the mercantile so he had some money. But was that good enough? Just because Kent married her, it didn’t mean all rich people ended up marrying someone without significant money. Then again, one never knew if one didn’t try.
Her smile growing wider, she said, “Oh yes. And new dime novels come in once a month. Do you read any?”
“I can’t say that I do.”
“You should try one. They have all sorts of stories to suit anything you’re interested in reading. My sister-in-law introduced me to them when I was twelve, and I’ve enjoyed them ever since. Let me take you to the mercantile some time so you can pick one out. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to read any more.”
Madeline let out a soft chuckle. “I’m not opposed to trying something new once in a while.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.” Maybe nothing would come from her introducing Madeline to Jacob, but it didn’t hurt to try. “Can I bring a carriage by your home next Tuesday?”
“Yes, that would be lovely.”
Pleased, she picked out the first book in the series and handed it to Madeline. “You can borrow this in the meantime.” After Madeline thanked her, she asked, “Would you like to join your grandparents in the parlor?”
She nodded so Rose led her out of the library.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Rose finished putting her cameo on and stepped back to study her reflection in the mirror in the entryway. Maybe it was a little bit vain, but she couldn’t stop admiring the beautiful clothes she now owned. In this case, it was a gorgeous hunter green afternoon outfit with a skirt that swirled around her feet.
Excited, she rang for the footman and picked up her finger purse from the small table. The front door opened and she smiled when she saw Kent. Hurrying over to him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. “I didn’t know you were going to be home so early,” she said then kissed him again.
Chuckling, he affectionately tightened his hold on her. “To what do I owe such a grand welcome?”
“I always kiss you when you come home.” Mindful that the footman would be coming at any moment, she released her hold on him. “I miss you terribly when you’re not here.”
“Thank you, Rose.”
Raising her eyebrow, she asked, “What are you thanking me for?”
“For caring about whether or not I come or go.” Before she could reply, he added, “As it turns out, I’m heading right back out. I forgot to take a contract with me this morning, and if I want to seal the account with a new client, I need to get it to him today. Are you going to the Fields’?”
“Yes. I promised Madeline I’d be by at two.”
“In that case, why don’t you join me? I’ll have the coachman drop me off at my office, and you and Madeline can go to the mercantile.”
“It’d be nice to spend some time with you.”
“I’ll be right back then we’ll leave.”
She nodded and turned her attention back to the mirror. As she was straightening the cameo, the footman arrived and asked her where she wanted to go. “Oh, I…I was going to have you take me to Miss Fields’, but then my husband came home and…well…” She cleared her throat, her face growing warm. She figured there was a graceful way to talk to the servants, but she hadn’t found it yet.
With an understanding smile, he finished, “You will be going with him in his carriage instead?”
“Yes.”
He nodded and wished her a good afternoon before leaving.
She released her breath. Maybe some day this whole thing wouldn’t seem so awkward.
Kent returned with a folder and placed his hand on the small of her back. “I think it’s nice that you’re going to see Madeline today.”
“Well, it’s not all innocent. I’m eager to introduce her to my brother. I think Jacob will be good for her. And it’s about time he got married. He’s twenty-two and owns a store. There’s not much else left but to have a wife and children.”
As they walked down the steps that led to the carriage, he asked, “Are you going to spend all your time playing matchmaker?”
“I didn’t intend to do that when I was talking to her while she was here, but as I talked to her, I couldn’t help but think she would enjoy someone who has a good sense of humor. Jacob is one of the funniest people I can think of. If anyone can make her laugh, it’s him.”
After they got into the carriage, he held her hand and squeezed it. “Rose, you have a good heart.”
Noting the hesitation in his tone, she waited for him to continue but he didn’t. “There’s no harm in two people meeting. I won’t push for anything. If they aren’t interested in each other, then that’s how it is. But I feel led to at least make the effort. And in the meantime, I certainly don’t mind Madeline’s company. She might be a bit on the quiet side, but I can tell she’s nice. If she gets to know someone well enough, I suspect she’ll be a loyal friend. In a lot of ways, she reminds me of Harriett.”
He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it, the action sending a thrill of delight through her. “There’s nothing wrong with doing it. I just wonder how you manage to figure out what someone is like by talking to them for a short period of time. You didn’t talk to Madeline for long.”
She shrugged, leaning against him as the carriage swayed from side to side. If nothing else, the gentle rocking was a good excuse to get close to him. On impulse, she kissed him then said, “I don’t need to talk to someone for a long time to know what they’re like. I just know.”
“You just know?”
She gave him another kiss. “Yes. It’s hard to explain, but it’s true.” Then, just for fun, she kissed him a third time.
“I’ll take your word for it.”
Grinning, she kissed him again, this time letting her lips linger on his. He didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he brought her into his arms and brushed his tongue along her lower lip. She sighed in contentment and opened her mouth to receive him. The kisses only got better, as did their nights in bed. Just thinking about the previous night made her body ache for him. She wiggled against him and brought her hand between his legs, satisfied when she noted how hard he was.
“You’re a seductress, Rose,” he murmured, his lips brushing her ear.
She shivered in delight and stroked him. “It’s a shame we’re not in bed.”
Groaning, he took her hand and held it so she was no longer fondling him. “I can’t leave this carriage letting everyone know how much I’d rather be in bed with you. You might not have any obvious indicators that show when you’re aroused but I do.”
Unable to stop her wicked grin, she said, “I like knowing when you’re aroused. It helps me know what you like and what you don’t like. And it seems to me, you like kissing me very much.”
“I do like kissing you very much.” She leaned toward him for another kiss, but he laughed and dodged her. “No more kisses until we’re home. I need to focus on the meeting I have to go to.”
“Alright, I’ll be
good.” She gave him a chaste kiss and stopped snuggling up to him. “You’re fun to tease, you know that?”
“It’s more fun when we can do something about it.”
“Oh, I don’t know. Half the fun is waiting.”
“Speak for yourself.”
Amused at his playful tone, she giggled. “You can’t deny it’s worth the wait.”
“Well, that’s true. It is.”
The carriage came to a stop and she couldn’t resist but give him another long kiss. “I’ll miss you.”
Though he rolled his eyes, he smiled. “I’ll miss you, too.”
After he got out of the carriage, she thought over how she would introduce Madeline and Jacob. She must have spent most of the morning thinking of what to say, changing her mind, and coming up with a new way of doing it. It was silly, of course, to worry so much about a simple matter. They’d either like each other or not. How things played out was up to fate.
When she got to Madeline’s, Mrs. Fields invited her to have a cup of tea first, so she accepted and enjoyed a nice hour with them. Afterwards, she and Madeline went to the mercantile.
“I know you’re not used to going to places like this,” Rose began, thinking that the mercantile was nothing like the nice shops Madeline was accustomed to, especially when she lived in Massachusetts. “The mercantile doesn’t have a whole lot—”
“Rose,” Madeline interrupted, “I may not have been there before, but I understand it won’t be that big. None of the stores, no matter how large, have as much as what I was used to back East. But what good are things unless you have the people you love with you? My grandparents are wonderful, of course, but I miss my parents. There’s an emptiness in my life now, and all the shops in the world won’t take care of it.”
Rose considered her words and wondered if Kent felt something similar to that about his past. She knew he went through something painful, something he even now didn’t want to discuss. And whatever that something was, it had nothing to do with a woman. It had to do with someone else. Turning her attention back to Madeline, she said, “I’ve been fortunate. I don’t know anything about the loss you’ve experienced. All I can do is say that I’m sorry you’ve had to go through it.”
“Thank you.” Brushing back a tear from her eye, she offered her a smile. “I don’t mean to be depressing.”
“You’re not. If you ever want to talk about your life while you were in Massachusetts or how much you miss your parents, I’m more than willing to listen. Sometimes we need to talk about things in order to feel better.”
“You’ll find it hard to believe, but you are the first person who has really listened to me instead of telling me what I should think or feel. Sometimes I get tired of being reminded that I need to look forward and consider the future of my family’s fortune. Sometimes I want to take time to miss my old life.”
“There’s nothing wrong with taking time to miss the things you lost.”
The carriage came to a stop and Rose saw that they had arrived at the mercantile. She glanced at her new friend and asked, “Do you feel up to going in there? I can take you somewhere else if you’d rather not be around people right now.”
“No, I’m fine.” She wiped another tear from her eye. “I want to see what dime novels are.”
“Alright, but if you want to leave, just say the word and we’ll go.”
Madeline nodded and they went into the store.
Rose saw her brother and waved to him. Since he was helping someone, she couldn’t introduce him to Madeline right away so she led her to the shelf where dime novels were displayed. “I see there are a couple new ones out.” She picked up one featuring a detective with a spyglass. “This is part of a series. Before he was a detective, Don Williams stumbled upon a dead body, and someone thought he committed the murder. So to clear his name, he had to solve the murder mystery. After that, he realized he wanted to become a detective and the series tells all of the cases he solves.”
“At least those stories have a happy ending,” a familiar voice called out from behind her.
She lowered the dime novel and turned to Jacob. “You’re a sneaky one. The least you could do was let me know you were listening.”
Her brother chuckled. “I don’t know why I thought you’d take your nose out of a book once you got married, but here you are, ready to buy more.”
“I like to read. There’s no harm in that.”
“There is when all you talk about is what you’ve read.”
Noting the teasing tone in his voice, she rolled her eyes then looked at Madeline. “This is my brother, Jacob. He thinks he’s funny but he’s not.”
“That’s not for you to decide.” He nodded to Madeline. “Nice to meet you.” After Madeline returned the greeting, he asked, “Is Rose on a crusade to get you to read dime novels?”
“It’s not a crusade. I merely offered to show some to her, and what better place to go to than your store? You should be thanking me for bringing you business.”
“In that case, I’ll stop giving you a difficult time. I can’t turn down the opportunity to make a profit.” He winked at Madeline then looked back at Rose. “Since you’re willing to part with your husband’s money, why don’t you take some of the new ones off my hands?”
“You don’t need help taking them off your hands. If I don’t get in here right after they arrive, you’ll be sold out.” Rose grabbed a copy of all the new ones.
“You read every dime novel there is?” Madeline asked.
“I don’t care what the story is about as long as it’s good,” she replied.
“It’s true. Rose will read anything,” Jacob added. “Though I have to admit, I had no idea so many stories had sad endings. I prefer the happier ones myself.”
“The sad ones make you appreciate the happy ones.”
“I suppose…”
Even if he didn’t seem convinced, Rose ignored him and asked Madeline, “What type of story do you like?”
“I’d like something with a happy ending,” Madeline replied.
“Smart girl,” Jacob said.
“Anything else?” Rose asked. “Did you like the book I lent you? The one where the young woman goes on an adventure?”
“Yes, that one was a good read.”
“Then we can start there. If it turns out you don’t like dime novels, there’s no sense in wasting money on others.” Selecting two novels that she thought Madeline might enjoy, she got an idea and turned to Jacob. “I should pick up some potholders for Ma. Why don’t you tell Madeline about the other stories here? Maybe she’ll find something else she’d like to try.”
Before he could respond, she hurried to the other side of the store where the potholders were on display. While her mother didn’t really need them, she figured there was no harm in getting a couple of matching ones. One thing she always fancied while growing up was getting her mother things for the kitchen that matched.
“Pardon me,” a man said as he approached her. “Are you Mrs. Kent Ashton?”
She turned to him and stiffened. He was the same man she and her sister saw that day when he was sitting on the bench, reading a newspaper. And if she was right, he was also there at the wedding for a brief period of time. “Are you following me?”
“You married Kent Ashton, didn’t you? He used to live in Virginia. After that, he was in Ireland with his uncle.”
She glanced at her brother who was talking to Madeline.
“I wouldn’t draw attention to myself if I were you.”
Noting the warning in his voice, she looked back at him and saw the gun he had pointed in her direction. “I’ve been careful to make sure I got the right twin. Rose Larson, daughter of Mary and Dave Larson.”
Her jaw dropped but she knew better than to say anything. The man didn’t seem to be someone she could trust. There was a desperation in his demeanor that bothered her, something that warned her not to take her chances.
“Now, if you want to see your hus
band and family again, I suggest you leave with me.” He gestured to the door. “Quietly.”
She offered a slight nod to tell him she understood then slowly walked to the door. Catching sight of a porcelain cup, she knocked into it so that it shattered on the floor. As she hoped, her brother and Madeline looked over at her. The man pressed his gun into her side, and from where she stood, she knew they didn’t see it. But they did see the man’s face and that was what she was aiming for.
“Is everything alright?” Jacob asked, taking a step toward her.
The gun went deeper into her side, so Rose held her hand up to stop her brother. “Everything’s fine. This gentleman has a meeting with my husband and can’t find his office. I’m going to take him there. I’ll be right back.”
Despite the grumbling under his breath, the man didn’t say anything or shoot her. She figured she could get away with that much but knew doing anything else would be pressing her luck.
“Alright,” her brother replied. “I’ll keep Madeline company until you return.”
Without another word, she left the mercantile. Though the man had slipped the gun in his pocket, he had a firm grasp on her elbow. He took her to an unfamiliar carriage as the driver hurried over to them.
“Take us to that place now,” the man told the driver and settled beside her.
She tried to scoot away from him, but there wasn’t much room in the carriage. After the driver shut the door, she asked, “Who are you?”
“The only person who needs to know my identity is your husband.”
The carriage jerked as the driver led the horses forward, jarring her for a moment. Why the hurry? Why the secretiveness? Why the gun? “Do you intend to kill me?” she managed to ask over the rapid beating of her heart.
“No. You’re worth more to me alive.”
She wondered what he meant by that but suspected asking more questions at the moment wasn’t the wisest move she could make. Whatever this man wanted, it wasn’t good. And she would find out what he wanted soon enough.
Catching Kent Page 18