Regency Romance: Fallen Duchess (A Historical Victorian Murder Mystery Love Regency Romance)

by Tracey D Morgan

  “Miss Kelsey, Miss Kelsey, he’s comin’, he’s comin’!” This seemed to push everyone’s fast-forward button, as Ruby rushed out, urging everyone to finish their business and make an appearance in front of the house. As she had expected, her father was already standing there, in his best Sunday suit. He looked majestic, a mountain of a man about to be separated from the thing he cherished most in this life.

  A long row of servants stood in wait like soldiers before the most important battle of their lives. Ruby stood next to her father, grasping at his hand. On the other side, her mother made a special appearance, seeing that for the past few months, she was confined to her bed,at the request of her personal physician. However, she was utterly unwilling to miss being a part of this crucial moment in her daughter’s life, and as a result, she opted to be right there with her family where she belonged.

  Ruby smiled nervously, as the oncoming carriage drew nearer and nearer, shortening the distance between her and this mysterious man who was about to become her husband. It looked just like any other carriage, only in much better condition and obviously well-kept. She knew it was Bronson’s personal means of transportation that was housing him. She understood that the children would be left back home at the care of their current nanny, a job that Ruby was supposed to take over once back on the ranch.

  Everyone’s feelings verged on those of a cocked gun: nervous, yet exhilarated at the possibility that this stranger was bringing to their house and to their lives. Once the carriage pulled over, everyone held their breaths. Ruby’s eyes strained in an effort to be the first one to catch a glimpse of her future husband to be.

  Bronson exited his carriage slowly and gracefully. He was dressed immaculately in a suit that accentuated his stout, muscled body. Upon touching the ground, his boots rattled, making a noise. This made Ruby smile, and in response, Bronson cocked his hat, revealing a strong, masculine jaw and a set of pearly whites. His eyes were still shadowed by his hat, but she could see a glimmer, revealing itself from underneath.

  “It’s a real pleasure to meet all you folks.” He was the first one to speak out to the group of people that was standing before him. And then he motioned toward Ruby’s father. “And the biggest honor, sir, is shaking your hand in hopes that what we’ve discussed in our letters will be granted to me.”

  It was obvious that he wasn’t used to talking all high and mighty, and that overly long, formal and articulate words did not really come that naturally to him. Ruby doubted that there were many socialites back in Montana with whom Bronson shared common interests.

  But never mind. She would change that soon enough. Just as soon as she returns to her new home in Montana.

  Her father accepted the professed hand of friendship and shook the young man fervently with the other as a token of good will.

  “The pleasure is ours, Bronson. We welcome you not only to our home but also to our family.”

  A round of applause was heard, and it seemed to relax everyone, as they were ordered to return to their everyday duties.

  As customs dictate, Ruby and Bronson didn’t get to spend much time alone, as a chaperon was constantly needed. Still, she managed to find out more about this man, whom she liked more and more with each passing second. He, on the other hand, seemed to be a little inconvenienced by all the commotion he had caused and the attention the two of them were receiving, which made Ruby think that he wasn’t really used to such things.

  Although he wasn’t extremely talkative, when he spoke, he did so with clever intention and was obviously a good speaker, though a slightly reluctant one. It just never seemed to occur to him to start a conversation on his own. Rather, he would be waiting for a question to be asked, and then he was more than willing to reply.

  She asked him questions about his social life, which he tended to evade, claiming that his ranch was taking up too much of his time to be able to have a fully functional social life, leading him to focus all his attention and strengths on his ranch instead. But, he added, he was hoping that she would help him there and get him back among people.

  Everyone seemed to take this as a joke, and they laughed heartily. Ruby laughed, but somehow, a part of her felt uneasy knowing that she might not be able to socialize as much as she used to. After all, a social life was what a young woman, married or not, craved and needed to remain on a culturally as well as socially high position.

  No matter, she kept telling herself. I’ll take care of all this when I get there.

  The following few days passed pleasantly, and the wedding day, which was organized as well, went without any mistakes. For Ruby, it was the most important day of her life, and although Bronson did seem to enjoy himself, it also appeared that his entire heart wasn’t really in it. He was frequently absentminded, and when someone would talk to him, he would ask questions regarding things that were already mentioned.

  Ruby ascribed all this to the suddenness and rush of the entire affair. Plus, it was Bronson’s second wedding, and men usually didn’t enjoy all the commotion as much as women did.

  “Oh, a wedding is a female affair,” her mother would always say. “Men would avoid it altogether if they could. But fortunately, we always win out in the end.” She laughed heartily. Ruby knew now exactly what she meant.

  It was all picture-perfect, just like she imagined it would be. Yes, she wished Bronson was a little more social, but that was all fine. Nothing a clever and resourceful woman such as herself wouldn’t be able to handle.

  Immediately after the ceremony, the newlywed couple said their goodbyes to family and friends and set off back to Montana.

  The coach ride lasted longer than Ruby thought it would, mostly due to the fact that it was so difficult to talk to Bronson. He seemed to be brooding the entire time. He wouldn’t hear some of the questions he was asked, and even though he did smile every now and again, she realized that his natural disposition was to be silent and serious. This was in great contrast to her, seeing that she was a little chatterbox and was always smiling, even if something bad had happened. This was her natural defense against life: smile and be happy. And so, she did.

  But Bronson. He was a different sort altogether. He spent most of the trip dozing on and off, looking out the window, reading and occasionally answering her questions.

  “Did you like the ceremony?” she asked in hopes of getting him to talk more.

  “Yes.” He looked at her for a second, smiled as he replied and then continued gazing out the window.

  “My parents really wanted to make it perfect for us,” she added.

  “And they did.”

  Silence.

  She learned that if a person wanted to continue a conversation, they would answer with more than three words and would even ask follow up questions. No follow-up questions ever left Bronson’s lips.

  “What is your ranch like?”

  He paused before replying. Ruby saw a glimmer of hope, seeing that the topic of their conversation now was one of his most cherished things in the world. He was bound to open up a little and tell her about his ranch, no?

  “It’s big,” he replied finally and dashed all Ruby’s hope of a real conversation.

  “Is there a lot of work there?” She didn’t wish to admit defeat, even though she already started feeling clumsy, like a little child who had no idea how to skate on ice.

  “I reckon.” His voice was deep, yet he didn’t seem to be annoyed by any of her questions. Just tired.

  Yes, that must be it, she thought to herself. It must be all the commotion with the wedding and us rushing back to his children. He must be worried not having seen them in a while so that must be why he seems so moody.

  That eased Ruby’s heart, and she actually managed to enjoy the rest of the journey back to Bronson’s ranch in the heart of Montana. And when she noticed him looking in her direction and smiling a few times with that charming smile of his, she knew things were going to be all right.

  Once they arrived at the ranch, the
only people welcoming them were the two children. It seemed that everyone else was immersed in their own work and would greet them individually later on. Bronson didn’t mind, though Ruby did find it slightly insulting. After all, she was going to be the new mistress of the house. Didn’t propriety dictate that she should be welcomed appropriately? Greeted as it should be? Introduced to everyone?

  However, once she saw the happiness and excitement that the children showed upon seeing their father return, she forgot about her sulking and allowed herself to partake in their joy.

  “Eveline, Roy,” he addressed the children gently, “this is Ruby.”

  “She’s so pretty!” Roy exclaimed, looking at her new green dress and curls. He had eyes just like his father, though his general demeanor was much softer. Ruby guessed he took after his mother.

  “Why thank you, sweetheart. You are so kind.” Ruby placed her hand gently on Roy’s head.

  “Are you our new mommy?” Eveline asked straightforwardly.

  Ruby felt confused. She wasn’t really prepared for this question yet, so she looked at Bronson for help. He simply nodded, urging Ruby to agree, but somehow, she felt uneasy taking the place of someone who used to be so special in their lives. She didn’t want to be a mommy substitute. She wanted to be a new figure for them, one who possessed motherly traits but wasn’t just someone who tried to imitate and usurp their mother’s place. So she opted for something else instead.

  “Eveline sweetie, I promise to love you and take care of you, just like your mommy did. Would you like that?” This seemed to be exactly what Eveline wanted to hear. Being the older child, she must have had memories of their deceased mother and probably wouldn’t feel quite at ease with a new woman in the house who straightforwardly professed that her desire was to be their new mommy. Ruby knelt down, and the children happily welcomed her into the family by showering her with hugs and kisses.

  Bronson was watching the entire scene without participating as if he wasn’t certain where all this would leave, but he was interested to find out.

  The following day, Ruby woke up in an empty bed. It was 7 o’clock in the morning, which was the time she would usually get up back home. Having descended the stairs down into the kitchen, she could smell the pleasing aroma of eggs and fried bacon and a freshly brewed pot of coffee. It felt like paradise.

  “Ruby, Ruby, we made you breakfast!” The children yelled in unison, as they saw her enter the kitchen.

  “You did!” She was amazed, simply because the breakfast was not only made but also served immaculately. The plates were already on the table, served with bacon still steaming on one side and the eggs, yolks still standing, on the other. Hers was accompanied by a cup of coffee and a little flower pot with a bunch of freshly cut field flowers.

  “Do you like them? I picked them just for you,” Eveline said as she saw Ruby looking at the flowers.

  Ruby was moved beyond words. She could never have imagined that children could express their emotions in such affectionate ways and move her so much.

  “They are beautiful.” She held back a tear. “It’s all perfect. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.” She hugged each of them and kissed them tenderly.

  The breakfast was delicious, though one ingredient was missing at the breakfast table. Namely, Bronson. She wasn’t sure whether he would be joining them, but she didn’t want to ask the children. As the three of them spent a pleasant time having breakfast together, Ruby’s ears were constantly watching out for any sound of heavy boots or doors opening. Unfortunately, there was nothing. However, that did little to diminish the pleasure she had during breakfast.

  “Do you want to see where daddy is?” Roy suddenly asked, as if reading her mind.

  She pretended to be thinking about it, only to reply affirmatively. She fixed her hair a little before exiting to be certain that she looked pretty.

  The children took her out to the ranch, and as they walked past different structures, they competed with each other whom would get to explain things to Ruby.

  “This was where we kept bunnies last year,” Roy yelled, pointing his little finger at a barn. “But we sold them all when they got bigger,” he added sadly.

  “They were so warm and fluffy!” Eveline remembered fondly. “And they made a sweet sound, like this.” She tried to imitate bunny noises.

  “And that is where daddy is,” Roy added enthusiastically, pointing again at the stables. Ruby’s heart immediately started beating faster as she looked in that direction. All she could hear were horses neighing at first, but then she could also hear a soothing male voice. It was talking to the horses.

  “Whoa now, girl! What’s the matter?” The voice appeared to be talking to one of the mares in a soft, soothing tone, as if trying to calm down a crying child.

  “Daddy, daddy!” The children rushed inside, and Ruby followed shyly. She was wearing her new shoes, purchased especially for the occasion, and she was completely unwilling to soil them with anything, which is why she was careful where she stepped.

  There was the smell of horses, which she wasn’t used to, and without even wanting to, she frowned.

  “Good morning.” Bronson addressed her formally, though not without warmth.

  “Good morning,” she replied, still looking at the ground and checking whether her shoes were still clean. “I don’t think I’m dressed properly for this party.” She tried a joke, but all it did was make the children look bewilderingly at Bronson, trying to figure out if there was a party organized that they didn’t know about.

  “I think I need some fresh air,” she said and exited the stable. The children followed.

  “We have piggies! And little baby chicks! Do you want to see them, Ruby?” Roy asked heartily.

  Saying no would have certainly broken his little heart—Ruby could see that much—so without thinking twice, lest she changed her mind, she nodded.

  “Lead the way, captain!” Something told her that no matter what she did, her new shoes would be ruined anyway, so she might as well have some fun on her first day at her ranch.

  The piglets and the chicks were truly adorable. Ruby allowed herself to remember what it felt like to be a child and just to have fun without worrying about clothes or anything else. And she ended up having the time of her life.

  Later on during lunch, which all three of them made, she decided to ask Bronson something that was very important to her.

  “Are there any balls organized here?” she asked him.

  “Yes,” he answered, taking another bite of their delicious chicken pot pie.

  “Where are they held?”

  “In town.” Another bite.

  “Do you think we could go? I mean, we could get someone to watch the children, and you can introduce me to your friends … ” she started, but was cut off.

  “No.” His answer was abrupt, like a machete swing. Then it seemed, even to him, that this was too harsh. “No time, Ruby. I have to work.” He continued eating, thinking this was enough of an explanation.

  When he was done, he wiped his mouth dutifully with a napkin and smiled at everyone.

  “Wonderful dinner. Thank you.” As he left table, he passed by Ruby and kissed her gently on the forehead. Just like before, it made her heart melt, and she knew that she could also melt his. It was only a matter of time.

  The following day she decided to wear shoes and a dress that she didn’t care much about, allowing her yet another freedom-filled day during which she could frolic in the meadow with the children, picking flowers, playing with the puppies and even milking the cows. She thought the entire idea was quite ridiculous and felt like her friends from back home would have disowned her.

  But surprisingly, Ruby didn’t care what anyone else thought, which was actually the complete opposite of her previous self who relied heavily on other people’s opinion of herself. Here on this ranch she was finally free to be who she wanted to be, without any restraints, without any fear of ridicule or misunderstandings�
�and she loved every single minute of it.

  A few days later, she joined Bronson in the stables by herself. It felt awkward to impose upon him like this, on his territory, but she knew that she had to show interest in his affairs before he could reciprocate in the same manner.

  “Hello there.” She greeted him shyly, but with a smile. He seemed startled, but then relaxed as he saw it was only her.

  “Ruby,” he only mentioned her name in reply, continuing to groom the horse.

  “He’s lovely,” she said, referring to the horse.

  “It’s a she. Breeze.”

  “Breeze?”

  “That’s her name.” He nodded as he spoke.

  “Is she your best horse in the stable?”

  “She is.” He patted Breeze, and she neighed softly in response.

  “You two seem to have a special bond.” Ruby commented, almost jealously.

  “She was Violet’s horse.” Ruby knew this was slippery ground. Violet was his deceased wife. And discussing your deceased wife’s horse with your new wife wasn’t anyone’s idea of a good time.

  Maybe I should just quit for the day, Ruby thought, but something urged her to push on.

  “I’m sure Breeze loved Violet,” she said finally, hoping that she didn’t overstep. He looked at her for a second, then continued.

  “She did. She wouldn’t let anyone else ride her after Violet died. She still doesn’t,” he said sadly. “She is a marvelous mare. Such a pity to be just sitting around in the stable.”

  Suddenly, the mare moved away from Bronson and approached Ruby, who was standing just behind the safety bar. She could feel the mare’s warm breath on her hand.

  “She likes you.” He smiled. “Here,” he said, offering her a cut up apple. “Feed her this.”