Bluegrass Blush

by Carolyn Bond

  Lord. I never would have made it on that tour.

  He pulled himself away from the window with all his might, he grabbed his bag and headed downstairs. He found Mr. Bransford coming into the lodge as he stepped off the staircase.

  “Heading out to the picnic, Mr. Steel?”

  “Uh, no. I was hoping to beg the cook for a sandwich on the back porch.”

  “Nice coincidence. So was I!” Mr. Bransford smiled a wide friendly grin and the two men made their way to the kitchen.

  As soon as the train whistle blew, he thanked Mr. Bransford for his company, picked up his bag and strode around the house to the platform. He had almost made it, stepping onto the step of the engine when a pulse hit him like a spear. Without even looking he would have known it was her. He couldn’t stop himself from looking, though. He turned and his eyes roamed across the grass, up the front of the hotel and centered on the window. At first he couldn’t make her out. The glare of the sun on the window obscured her. But then he saw her. What kind of power was this love? He could feel the pull of her as though the cord were wrapped around his very heart and she held the other end in her hand.

  Just as quickly as it came on him, the feeling released as she stepped away from the window. He took his leave before the ache consumed him.

  Chapter Four

  Everleigh was glad to be back at the Versailles Inn. It was beginning to feel like home away from home. She soaked in the warm water of the uncomfortable little tub.

  When were real bathtubs invented?

  Using a bar of the sandalwood soap the Inn provided, she lathered a washcloth and rubbed the bubbly silk over her arms. The spicy sandalwood scent tickled her nose. Cleanliness was hard to come by apparently. With no Suave deodorant or regular hot water-running showers, bathing was a must. However, with no indoor plumbing, bath water had to be brought upstairs for her and she hated to bother Angela. Sponge baths were the only saving grace from keeping her from not being able to stand herself.

  She did find a fairly nice assortment of powders and lotions in the trunk. She had found some scented oils to rub under her arms that helped mask the body odor. Her favorite powder had a gardenia scent. The paper over the cardboard container said it was from France. She wondered if it cost a fortune. Goods would have to come by sailing ships these days, not the cargo ships filled with rail containers that spread goods worldwide in her time. Once it did reach the coast, she thought, it would have to be transported by wagons. Of course trains were making great in-roads to connect the middle of the county to the east coast, but even that was a new development.

  She wondered if maybe the powder had been a gift from Everleigh’s parents. Or perhaps a suitor. She wondered why a girl this pretty didn’t already have a husband. From what she knew, girls were old maids if they were not married before their mid-twenties in this time. She had found papers for her carriage passage in the trunk that clearly showed she was a “Miss”. She was not a widow.

  What happened to this girl’s soul?

  She wondered if maybe something tragic had occurred and left an empty place for her soul to land. Maybe the Everleigh of 1888 had gone on to the Promised Land. She’d left behind all the mortal and worldly parts one doesn’t need any more in the afterlife.

  The answer was unfathomable to her. Sometimes there just are no answers and you just have to live life and make the most of it.

  Make the most of it.

  Such an interesting proposition. Here she was with the second chance. What would she do if anyone had ever told her she could go back to twenty and have another go at it?

  She lifted her knee and rubbed the delicate bubbles across her thigh.

  Would you just look at that leg? How beautiful!

  She wondered if this Everleigh ever felt self-conscience. Surely not, but then she remembered her bombshell sorority sisters saying they were fat or they hated their nose or their feet. It seemed that even the beautiful were not immune to the whispers in their head that can crush a girl.

  She lifted her foot out of the warm water sending a swirl of soap into a mini-typhoon. She held her leg up to look at the length of it.

  Wow! How many times had I dreamed of having legs like this?

  A thought occurred to her. A positively against-the-laws-of-nature thought: here she was and she loved the body she was in. By whatever magic that had put her here, even though it was not her body before, now it was and she could freely love it. All the guilt of her own deficiencies were evaporating like the steam rising out of her bath.

  How many times had she sabotaged her own efforts at weight-loss or exercise or just given up because she didn’t think she could do it. She hugged herself with the very arms she now delighted in. This precious body that she needed to protect and cherish changed how she saw herself and allowed her to love herself. She closed her eyes and breathed deep in the peaceful confidence. Gratitude welled up in her chest to the Everleigh before for sharing this gift even if she’d never known she did, perhaps would never have known it would have this affect. Wherever that Everleigh was, she wished she could thank her.

  The water cooled and she stepped out onto the soft rug covering the cold tile floor. She hugged a pressed piece of linen around her to dry off. Padding around the screen, she picked up a sleeping gown and pulled it over her head. The soft cotton stuck to her hips and legs where the moisture still clung to her. Her long flaxen hair resisted being brushed, instead preferring a wet tangle. Starting at the ends, she smoothed it all the way up to the crown of her head.

  She studied her face in the mirror. She looked kind, even sweet. Without having ever met the other Everleigh, she had no idea what personality she had. She softly caressed the face that now functioned as the focal point to all her human encounters. She loved every part of it. The small nose. The high delicate cheekbones. The long eyelashes.

  A strong urge filled her. She looked into the mirror and spoke to the body itself:

  “I will protect you. I love you.”

  With all the fierceness of a mother protecting a fragile babe, she resolved that she would protect this body and love it. She realized for the first time that she had taken her body for granted before. She’d acted like her body was hers to do with as she pleased. Now she’d discovered that we are passengers in our bodies which deserve to be cared for as our home.

  She crawled under the light summer bedspread and sank into the soft pillow. Feeling her arms, legs and back muscles give in to the lull of impending sleep, she smiled because she knew that this was what her body needed. She made a promise to listen more, be more aware, of the clues her body gave her about what it needed.

  The next morning, ambient light from the summer day already blaring outside gave the dining room a feeling of promise. She really hadn’t thought of what she would do today. She ate a good breakfast and leaned forward on her arms to watch guests come and go. The room got more crowded as the morning got into full swing. She hadn’t seen Suzanne yet.

  She remembered all the interesting “antique” things at the general store and decided to see what all they had. She got up and made her way outside and across the street, dodging horses and carriages that didn’t seem to abide by any rules of the road or pedestrian rights.

  Dusting her skirt and taking a deep breath she paused before opening the door. A carriage pulled up near her and a young woman was lifted down. She had a paper in her hand that looked like a shopping list.

  “Mr. Sloan, I won’t be long. Please wait here. I’ll need help loading the items in the wagon.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He went around her to tend to the horses.

  “Oh, and if Mr. Steel comes out of the law office, ask him if he would like a ride back with us to the house. I need to talk to him.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he acknowledged again.

  Everleigh fought the urge to stare the woman down as her skirt swished against her as she went on into the store. The words “back with us to the house” kept circling her brain.
<
br />   What is that supposed to mean?

  It sure sounded like this lady lived at the same house as Mr. Steel. Everleigh glanced at the man tending the horses. He seemed like a hired hand. The lady had on a light green day dress. She didn’t look like any maid or kitchen help.

  Heat rose up Everleigh’s chest and spread to her cheeks. The lady had said Mr. Steel was at the lawyer’s office. She glanced down the dusty road looking to see if she could see him anywhere. No Mr. Steel presented himself. Her forehead crunched in a scowl that went down to her lips and formed a frown. Who was this lady? Did he have a girlfriend? No. They didn’t ‘live’ together in this time. Surely he wasn’t married after all Suzanne had said. There was no explanation for this woman to be living at his home.

  Jealousy and curiosity twisted in her stomach. She turned and quietly stole into the store. The lady was at the counter talking to Mr. Adams going over her list. Everleigh dared not look their way and appeared keenly interested in some thimbles, hoping she could make out their conversation.

  Without turning her head, she glanced with the corner of her eye and saw that she had light brown hair and pale creamy skin. In a stab of jealousy, she imagined Mr. Steel nuzzling his mouth into her neck. The rise of heat on her face got hotter. She had to get a grip on herself.

  The woman asked for several herbs, lotions, and medical supplements for sleep. Then she asked if they had any tubing for enemas. Everleigh wondered what on earth she needed all this for. She got coffee and soap. She asked if they had gotten in any new spectacles. Mr. Steel seemed to have good vision and this woman didn’t wear glasses. Finally the woman asked for several bolts of linen and calico fabric.

  The stock boy loaded everything into their wagon outside and the woman asked Mr. Adams to add the purchases on Mr. Steel’s account. Mr. Adams didn’t give her any look when she asked so Everleigh surmised this must be a regular occurrence.

  The purposeful lady turned and left the store without ever glancing Everleigh’s way.

  “Can I help you find anything, Miss Addison? We have some new ribbons there.”

  Everleigh swung her head around at his voice, “Oh, no. No thank you. I was just looking.” Wanting to see what was happening now outside and if Mr. Steel had joined them, Everleigh moved closer to a window. The distorted glass made it hard to make out but it did appear Mr. Steel had joined them.

  Not daring to find herself in an awkward scene, she couldn’t go outside. She watched the smudged images move around to get up onto the seat of the wagon. Mr. Steel lifted the girl up by her waist and she sat between the two men as Mr. Steel agilely propelled himself up to the seat. In the blink of an eye, the horses were already trotting down the dusty road. The girl had pulled a bonnet up over her head obscuring her face.

  Everleigh stood there like she’d been hit with a wet blanket. What on earth could this mean? It was apparent a lady was living at his estate and charging to his account. She didn’t have on maid or cooks attire. Maybe she was a relative? But, he never mentioned this. Neither had Suzanne. Suzanne definitely would have known. A relative would have probably come around to eat at the Inn. She had suspected Mr. Steel was hiding something. Was this what he was hiding? A woman?

  That would certainly explain his odd behavior before at Mammoth Cave. He must have felt guilt after kissing her. He had betrayed this other woman. Fire scorched her cheeks. She decided she would make it easier for him so he didn’t feel guilty anymore. She would have nothing to do with the two-timer.

  With her mind reeling she pushed her way through the store doors and dashed across the road. A horse reared and she looked up just in time to see the whites of its eyes and its front hooves bicycling. She dashed out of the way and heard the man on the horse curse her.

  “Are you an idiot? Mind your way, girl!”

  Terrified at nearly being trampled, Everleigh never looked back and burst into the Inn foyer.

  “Everleigh, dear girl, you look perfectly ill. Come sit down. Edward, get her a glass of water!”

  Suzanne pulled her over to a velvet couch with dark wood scrolling around the edges of the back.

  “Now, tell me, dear, what is the matter?”

  “A horse! It was so big. And the hooves. The carriages! And Mr. Steel and that woman!”

  Suzanne gazed at her with her mouth open trying to make sense of what all that meant.

  “Hooves? Did you get trampled?” At this Suzanne started to take inventory of Everleigh’s arms and her gown looking evidence of injury.

  Calming a bit, “No. I ran. I ran away. Oh my word, Suzanne. How do you survive around here?”

  “Granted it isn’t Charleston, but surely the streets are just as dangerous. More so I would think”

  The stab of adrenaline subsiding, she could breathe a little better.

  “Oh! Yes. That’s true. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

  Mr. Clark came around the corner and handed her a glass of water. Apparently not wanting to wait to see what female drama she was having, he excused himself and darted away.

  Suzanne waited until he turned the corner back to the parlor before continuing.

  “What did you mean about Mr. Steel and the woman?”

  Everleigh regretted her senseless blabbering now.

  “I, uh, I am sure I just over reacted”

  “To what? Tell me, dear? Was he with a woman? This in interesting news.”

  All the color drained from Everleigh’s face now. The jealousy, then terror, and now humiliation at being caught being jealous made her stomach churn. Her breakfast threatened to return.

  She straightened and smoothed her skirt, “There was just a woman at the general store picking up some items, that’s all. I am sure she is part of the kitchen staff or maybe she supervises the maids.”

  Suzanne lowered her eye lids and furrowed her brows. She was quiet a minute as she pondered this new tidbit.

  “What was she wearing?”

  Suzanne was quick. “A day dress.”

  “Not a black or gray work dress?”

  “No. Oh, Suzanne, who was she? Could she be a relative?”

  “Not likely.” Suzanne tilted her head considering possible options. Then her face changed to a sympathetic motherly smile.

  “Don’t you worry, sweet girl. I’m certain I will find out who he has hiding out there. This would explain a great deal. You go upstairs and freshen up. I daresay you look like you have been in a tornado!” She chuckled a light laugh obviously intended to redirect Everleigh.

  Back in her room, Everleigh splashed water on her face and smoothed her hair back into the swirling bun. She chided herself for acting like a school girl. She was too old for such silly nonsense. But yet, she wasn’t now, was she? It was perfectly normal for her to have her insecure drama about a guy. That’s what inexperienced young women did, and she was inexperienced and now young, again.

  She grinned at herself in the mirror and enjoyed the feeling of being okay with her feelings. She felt true to herself. She was jealous. She had a right to. He had kissed her and she did have feelings for him. She closed her eyes and remembered the delirious dizziness of being in his arms.

  A knock made her jump as her eyes flew open.

  “Who is it?”

  “It’s me, Suzanne. May I come in?”

  Everleigh jumped from the stool and headed to the door.

  “Of course!” she said as she swung the door wide.

  “You look much better! Now, I have something to share.” She looked like the cat who had swallowed the canary as her mouth twitch up in a curl on one side.

  They sat at the settee of chairs.

  “What is it? Do you know something?”

  “No.” she paused for dramatic effect. “But we will. I just had a messenger take out an invitation inviting Mr. Steel and his ‘house guest’ to dinner.”

  “You didn’t!” Everleigh’s eyes bulged and she covered her mouth. “Suzanne, you didn’t!” she breathed the words like it was all
a secret.

  “Oh, I did!” she crossed her legs under her skirt and draped her arm across the back of the chair proud of herself. “That ought to blow his little secret wide open.”

  ***

  The butler brought in a letter on a silver platter while Malcolm was reviewing a ledger in his library.

  “A letter arrived, sir.”

  “Thank you, Jones. That will be all.” The butler silently disappeared through the door.

  Malcolm looked at the delicate cursive handwritten name. No doubt another matron trying to arrange a marriage. He sighed, tearing open the envelope. He read the short note on the white parchment and sat frozen. Mrs. Clark. She had seen Bethann, apparently. He knew it was a bad idea to ride home with them. He usually tried to not ride with her for fear of wagging tongues. No one ever thought anything of a woman and a man servant coming to town to buy goods. She could have been from anywhere.

  Why had he not told her he would talk to her when they got home? Blast it all anyway. How was he going to explain this? There was no way in the world to explain it without everyone finding out. His world would be torn apart if it got out.

  He raked his hand through his hair and rubbed his face.

  Damn!

  He read the note again:

  Dear Mr. Steel,

  Please accept our invitation to dinner this evening at the Inn. Please bring your lady guest at your home. We would love to show her how friendly Versailles can be. Dinner is at 7:00.

  Until then,

  Mrs. Clark

  He threw the parchment on his desk with a violent flick and sprawled his legs out and threw his head back. There was no way around this. He simply could not deny there was a lady in his home, and that was the tip of the ice burg. He turned his head toward the ceiling and looked as if he had x-ray vision and could see the hidden reason why this was so difficult.

  He picked up a stack of legal papers bound in a folder and sighed again. As if it couldn’t get worse, he had to figure out a way to keep the house. The government was trying to seize his estate saying there was no blood relative to inherit his aunt and uncle’s estate. The estate had been a part of a land grant to his uncle’s great grandfather after the Revolutionary War. It had been passed down from one generation to the next. Unfortunately, Malcolm was his Aunt Cecelia’s kin, not his Uncle Jasper. Legally, Malcom was not a blood heir. Normally this wouldn’t be an issue, explained the lawyer, except that Jasper’s great grandfather was a patriot that was off the deep end with conspiracy beliefs. He swore the Red Coats would never get his land by hook or crook and added into the title that only blood heirs could inherit the estate. He was certain the Red Coats would secretly marry American’s and kill them to inherit their land and take over again. At least he could insure that only his Rebel blood would control the estate.