Hyacinth (Suitors of Seattle)

by Kirsten Osbourne

  Hyacinth nodded, biting her lip. "I made him a small gift. I had no idea what to do for a man who has just started courting me." She didn't mention the pen she'd purchased. She wanted to give that to him privately, from one writer to another.

  "Oh, I would just paint him a landscape or something. It's too bad you don't have any talents." Violet left the room, the door clicking closed behind her.

  Hyacinth felt tears come to her eyes. She was so overlooked in her own family they didn't even know she was a good writer. Of course, she'd worked hard to be that overlooked, but they should think she was talented in some ways, shouldn't they? They shouldn't dismiss her out of hand.

  She put her head on the pillow and closed her eyes, but sleep was a long time coming. She was going to have to tell them all eventually.

  *****

  Lawrence met them at Aunt Harriett and Uncle Max's house just before noon on Christmas day. Hyacinth clutched the scarf she'd knitted for him, all wrapped in brown paper. She only hoped he wasn't disappointed by it. The pen was in her coat pocket to give him when they had a private moment.

  He saw her come in from across the room where he was talking with Amaryllis, who had been surprised to see him, and her surprisingly jealous husband, Alex. "I'm here at your aunt's invitation," he explained to Amaryllis and Alex. "I'm courting Hyacinth, and she's in the process of investigating me."

  Amaryllis had smiled and nodded happily. "I think you two make a lovely couple."

  Alex had simply glared at him.

  As soon as Lawrence spotted Hyacinth, he rushed across the room to her side, kissing her cheek lightly. "Merry Christmas."

  Hyacinth smiled, still clutching his gift to her chest. "Merry Christmas!" She thrust the gift at him. "I didn't know what to get you."

  He carefully removed the string she'd tied around the paper and unwrapped the package. He smiled down at the scarf as he ran his hand over it. She'd chosen a sky blue to match the color of his eyes. The scarf was soft and long, and he knew immediately she had made it with her own hands. "It's lovely. I had no idea you could...make things from yarn."

  She laughed. "It's called knitting."

  "Thank you for spending your time making something special for me." He looked uncomfortable for a moment, before sticking his hand into his pocket and pulling out a small package, looking like it could hold nothing bigger than a thimble. "I feel bad that I just purchased something for you."

  She accepted the gift, toying with the string he'd used to tie the paper. "I didn't expect anything from you."

  "Open it," he urged.

  She slowly unwrapped it, savoring the surprise. Inside was a tiny purple dragon made of glass, its wings spread wide as if about to take off in flight. "Oh, it's beautiful! Where did you find it?"

  "I was in a little glass shop last week, and I saw this. It made me think of you."

  Her eyes met his in surprise. "It did? Why?"

  He shrugged, looking a bit sheepish. "Well, you're writing a romantic novel, and this looked romantic to me. It just seemed like something you would like."

  "I do! I absolutely adore it. I don't know that I would have looked at it and thought that it suited me, but it does. It suits me very well." Hyacinth glanced around the room, making certain no one was watching before she went up on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

  Lawrence hugged her briefly. "You're welcome. I'm glad you like it." He looked around the room, crowded with laughing people. "You're going to have to introduce me. I know Amaryllis and Alex, of course. I know your parents and Violet and Iris. I don't know your other two sisters and their husbands, and I haven't met the older couple over there yet, or your uncle."

  Hyacinth took his arm and led him around the room, introducing him. "This is John Higgins and his wife Mildred. Higgins is the one who will be investigating you, and Mrs. Higgins is Alex's mother."

  Higgins nodded briefly. "I've already begun. I'm just waiting for the reports from the investigator I hired back East."

  Lawrence smiled. "I'm glad Hyacinth has someone watching out for her."

  "Hyacinth has many people watching out for her. She's well-loved."

  "She certainly should be." Lawrence draped an arm around her shoulders before they walked away. He met her sisters, finding Rose too perfect for his tastes, and Lily too...well, boisterous.

  He watched the six sisters throughout the meal wondering what it would be like if the missing two were added in. Probably chaos. There were many children present, the older ones eating together at a small table, while the younger children sat on their mother's laps and were fed at the table. It was odd for Lawrence to see Amaryllis as a mother, having gotten used to only seeing her in the library setting.

  He left quickly after lunch, feeling as if he were imposing on family time. He was truly surprised at how close-knit her family seemed. His own family had consisted of only him and his mother, so he had never been around anything like it. He found himself more than a little overwhelmed by the whole situation.

  As he kissed Hyacinth's cheek before leaving, she pressed something into his hand. "Open it when you're alone," she whispered.

  Walking through the cold, empty street alone, he arrived home to silence. He'd given his two servants the day off to spend time with their families. He went to his office to work, not really caring that it was Christmas Day. He wondered if his mother was happy for a moment, but he knew she was. He'd sent her a gift weeks before to insure that it arrived on time.

  He remembered the gift Hyacinth had given him as he left her aunt's house, removing it from his pocket and opening it. He smiled when he saw the pen with his name engraved on it. It was beautiful. He dipped it in ink and began his writing for the day.

  Chapter Five

  Every woman feels like she has attributes that men don't really appreciate. Does she have a perfect smile? Are her eyes the color of violets? Tell her about it. Women love to be complimented. Tell her she's smart, or that you like how she does some little thing in a way that fascinates you. Remember, you love her, and if you don't compliment her, she'll never know, and some other man may swoop in and marry her instead of you. William Livingston, Advice Column to Lonely Men published in The Seattle Times, December 29, 1896.

  Lawrence reread his mentor's words before thinking about what he liked especially about Hyacinth that he didn't think other men thought to compliment her about. He thought she was perfect in every way, of course, but that didn't mean that she felt the same or even that other men did.

  He knew she must be complimented all the time on her beautiful brown eyes and her lovely long dark hair. He didn't think other men would compliment her on her body, though, so that's exactly what he would do. He would make it clear to her how utterly irresistible she was.

  *****

  Hyacinth went to the door to respond to the insistent knocking the following Tuesday just before lunch time. She'd spent the morning with her mother, as she did every Tuesday, but since her conversation with Violet the week before, she had been waiting for Lawrence to show up and do something crazy. She took a deep breath as she turned the knob, knowing who would be there. "Lawrence. What a surprise!"

  "Come for a walk with me."

  Hyacinth peered out the door. There was snow covering the ground, but it wasn't too terribly cold. She could probably walk with him. "I suppose so." She was reluctant to leave the house, though, because she knew he would do something odd. It was Tuesday after all.

  "I'll take you to lunch at the diner if you haven't eaten yet." He waited as she got her coat, wondering why she'd seemed hesitant to accompany him.

  "Let me just tell my mother." Hyacinth rushed to the parlor where she'd been working on piecing a quilt with her mother. She hated quilting and felt that she was all thumbs at it, so she was pleased to have the distraction. "Mama, Lawrence is here. He wants to take me for a walk and to the diner for lunch. Would that be all right?"

  Mary nodded, her eyes twinkling. "That would be fine. You sure
are seeing a lot of Lawrence lately."

  Hyacinth blushed. "Hush, Mama! He'll hear you!" Why did her family always have to say things to embarrass her?

  Mary laughed softly. "It's a good thing your sister Jasmine was already out of the house before you started courting. She'd have mortified you."

  Hyacinth nodded emphatically. "I'm so glad she lives in Montana now! I'd probably have been the one to actually follow through on my threat and strangle her." She wasn't easily bothered, but thinking back to some of the things Jasmine had said to their sisters made her cringe for them.

  Mary grinned. "Have a good time."

  Hyacinth hurried back to the door, getting her coat from the closet. As Lawrence helped her into it, he whispered into her ear. "It's a pity to cover up those pretty breasts, but I suppose we can't make you stay cold all day."

  Hyacinth blinked a couple of times before she decided she must have misheard him. She chose not to say anything else, because she really didn't want to know if she hadn't misheard him. Her mother would forbid her to ever see him again if he started talking to her about her breasts, but it was Tuesday. Lawrence went a little crazy every Tuesday.

  She pulled her gloves on and took the arm he offered, walking with him down the front walk to the street. She wore her winter boots, so she didn't mind walking in the slush that the streets had become from the snowfall that morning. "It's a pretty day," she said.

  "A day could never be as pretty as you are." He was watching her as he said the words, waiting for her reaction.

  She shook her head. "Oh, I'm not pretty. Rose is pretty." How could anyone even think to call her pretty when there were women like her sisters around?

  Lawrence was surprised by her words. "You really don't think you're pretty? Yes, Rose is pretty but in a different way than you are. Rose is...well, obvious, I guess. I mean, a man would look at her and say, 'Wow, she's pretty.' You're different, but I definitely like you more. Rose is someone I'd like to look at. You're someone I want to hold against me and make love with." He watched her face to see if she liked the compliment.

  Hyacinth's cheeks pinked. "You can't talk to me that way, Lawrence! My mother would never let me see you again if she heard you." What was it about Tuesdays that turned him into a raving lunatic?

  "I'm just complimenting you. What's wrong with that?"

  Hyacinth couldn't believe he really didn't understand. "You compliment a woman on her eyes or her hair, but not on her body. It just isn't done." Well, maybe if they were married it would be all right, but she wasn't sure if it would be even then.

  "Well, I don't know why not! You have a beautiful body! I love your breasts, just enough for a man to cup in the palm of his hand. And your bottom? I fantasize about that bottom rubbing against me." He was a little embarrassed about complimenting her this way, but he wanted to make sure he took the advice he'd been given.

  "Enough! If you don't stop talking that way, I'm going to go right back home!" Secretly, Hyacinth was thrilled to hear him talking that way. She loved that he found her attractive, but was scandalized at his words.

  He sighed. "I had no idea you'd be offended. I just wanted to compliment you and let you know that I find you beautiful. I didn't think there was anything wrong with that." He slipped his arm around her waist, wishing he could feel her curves through her heavy coat. "What are you doing for New Year's Eve? I've heard some people like to stay up until midnight and ring in the new year."

  "I've never done that, but I'm certain my parents wouldn't mind if I did. You should have a party at your house and invite some friends." She liked the idea of playing hostess for him, even though they were simply courting. It could be fun to get to know him in a different environment that way.

  He shrugged. "I really don't know anyone here. Who would I invite?"

  Hyacinth frowned. She hadn't really thought of that. "I'm not really sure. I don't know very many people. I didn't get to know very many of my school mates. I guess we could invite my sisters and their husbands?" She knew she was grasping at straws, but really, she'd never bothered to get to know anyone but family, and she didn't feel like she knew any of them very well at all.

  He thought about it for a moment. "You know what? That's a fine idea. I could get to know the older sisters who are here better." He grinned at her. "If you'll invite everyone, I'll arrange it with my servants." He stopped and looked down at her for a moment. "Will you be my hostess?"

  She nodded slowly, nervous at the idea. She'd never hosted a party before. All of her sisters had begged for birthday parties, but she'd never wanted them, because she was afraid of being the one who had to entertain everyone. But this would just be her family, so that couldn't be too difficult, could it? "I think I can do that."

  He grinned. "Will your sisters bring their babies or will they leave them with nurses?"

  "Oh, Mama will keep them all if they don't want to leave them with nurses. That's just how my family does things. Mama would like all the grandchildren to move in with her anyway. She loves children."

  "I think my mother would kiss the feet of any woman who presented her with a grandchild." He looked down at her with a wink. "You up for the challenge?" He loved the idea of seeing her swollen with his child, but even more, he loved the idea of making her that way.

  Hyacinth blushed. "I told you that you can't keep talking to me about intimate things. It would infuriate my mother."

  "But why? I thought she liked me." He opened the door to the diner and when the waitress waved at them, he took her to a corner table, holding her chair out for her.

  "You really don't know that it's inappropriate for us to be talking about having babies when we're not even married?" How could he not know that?

  "It's not like I'm asking you to...fornicate with me." He blushed as he said the word. "I'm just saying I'd like to see you have my child. Someday. Preferably after we've been married at least nine months."

  She sighed. "Mama wouldn't see it that way. She would think that this conversation would be about you trying to convince me to have relations with you before marriage."

  Lawrence leaned back in his chair. "Is that what you think I'm trying to do?"

  Hyacinth shook her head. "Surprisingly, it's really not. I know you're just talking. I just...well, I want to honor my parents and what I know would be their wishes, even when they can't see me or hear me."

  He nodded. "I guess we should talk about the party then. What time should we start it?"

  She smiled, picking up her menu from where it lay on the table. "I guess nine or so. Let's decide what we want to eat, and then we'll plan the party."

  *****

  Lawrence picked her up at eight on New Year's Eve, knowing the guests would start arriving at his house around nine. They'd decided that three hours before midnight would be just the right time to start the party. Hyacinth had planned a few games to play with the group and was excited to get started. She wondered if her sisters would enjoy the games or if they'd merely humor her. Sometimes it didn't seem to matter as long as they went along with it.

  Hyacinth had never been to his house before and was surprised to see the size of it. He was a more successful writer than she'd realized to live in a place this grand. The whole house was lit up; he'd obviously converted to electricity already, something she was constantly trying to convince her parents to do. "It's beautiful," she told him, standing and staring at the house for a moment.

  He smiled. "Thank you. I'll make any changes to it you want as soon as you're my wife."

  Hyacinth looked at him for a moment. "Are you really that convinced I'm going to marry you?"

  He frowned for a moment, looking at her. "I hope so. There's nothing that would make me happier."

  He led the way to the door and opened it wide, inviting her inside. He had uniformed staff milling around the house setting up a huge room that looked as if it were created just for parties. It had pillows arranged on the floor, and there were tables around the room with a punch bow
l filled with a fruity liquid and various types of snacks. "Do you think this will work for refreshments?" he asked.

  She'd left refreshments up to him, but looking around, she thought he'd done well. There were tiny finger sandwiches as well as several different types of cookies and some small cakes. "I think this is perfect." She knew her sisters all enjoyed sweets. She didn't want to think about what her brother-in-law, Dr. Shawn, would think about it.

  Hyacinth glanced at the clock on the mantle and saw it was fifteen minutes before nine. Their guests should be there at any moment. It felt so odd to be hosting a party with him before they were even engaged, but it's what he wanted, and who was she to complain?

  Lawrence had watched her face as she looked around the room, pleased by the different emotions that seemed to be washing over it. He was glad she was happy with the preparations he'd made. "Do you want to see the house?" he asked. He hadn't known her when he picked out the house, and he would gladly move or have another house built if necessary to make her happy.

  She nodded. "I would, if you don't mind."

  He led her through the house, first to the large kitchen where a portly woman was pulling another tray of fresh baked cookies from the oven. She turned and saw them, grinning. "It's nice to meet you. You must be Miss Sullivan." Her Irish lilt sounded like music to Hyacinth's ears.

  Hyacinth nodded. "Yes, I'm Hyacinth Sullivan." She was a little embarrassed that the woman knew who she was when they hadn't met yet. Lawrence must have been talking about her.

  "It's nice to meet you. I hope you'll be pleased with the selection of foods I chose for your evening. I'm Mrs. O'Reilly, by the way." She was a large, round woman with gray streaked red hair, and green eyes.

  Hyacinth looked at Lawrence. "I thought you were going to choose the food for the evening." She shook her head. Sometimes it seemed no one did as they said and only pushed things off on others.

  Lawrence blushed. "I...well, I tried, but I knew that Mrs. O knew more about it than I do, so I let her decide." He hoped she wasn't angry with him for not doing as he'd said he'd do.