Butterfly Palace

by Colleen Coble

  “Hello?” She waited, but there was no answer.

  She finally headed down the hall again to the back stairs to the kitchen. She took the tray that had already been prepared for Drew up the stairs to the second floor. She had never been in the guest wing, and she got turned around once before she found the sitting room. It was attractively decorated with a small navy rug and a fringed lamp on an end table by the settee. The dining table was in the corner.

  Drew was seated at the table with a book open in front of him. When she neared, she realized it was his Bible. The same one she’d seen many times over the years. His grandmother had given it to him. It made her heart soften toward him to see the pages so thumbed and yellowed with use.

  He looked up. His eyes were as warm and brown as a puppy’s and just as eager. “Lily! I was just thinking about you.” He rose and took the tray from her.

  Why did he have to still be so handsome and solicitous? A black lock of hair fell boyishly over his high forehead. Her gaze drifted to his lips, and she found herself remembering the taste of him. It was not something she was ever likely to forget.

  She backed away with her hands behind her back. “Well, you have your breakfast. If there’s nothing else you need, I’ll leave you to eat in peace.”

  “Don’t go.” His mouth twisted. “I want to listen to your voice and just look at you. I’m like a man lost in the desert who sees a pond ahead of him. I’m not quite sure if you’re real or a mirage.”

  “I never went anywhere, Andy. You’re the one who left.”

  “Tell me about Larson.” He put a forkful of eggs in his mouth and looked up at her expectantly.

  “You probably know all about it from your cousin. Let’s not make small talk.”

  His smile flattened. “How did you end up here, of all places?”

  She told him about the job offer she’d received through a friend who was Belle’s cousin. It gave her the opportunity to drink in everything about him. There were tiny new lines at the edges of his eyes and a new maturity in his face. He’d been handsome in his teens. He took her breath away in his full adulthood. No wonder the rest of the servants mooned over him. No wonder Belle wanted him too. His broad shoulders filled out his white shirt. The planes and angles of his face spoke of strength, and even his neck was muscular. Where had he been all this time? Had there been other women? What woman could look at him and not want him for her own?

  She realized she’d been staring and dropped her gaze to the carpet. “I should go.”

  He sprang to his feet and crossed the rug in three steps to block her escape. His hands came down on her arms. Her skin warmed from his touch, and the heat moved to her belly. She swallowed hard as the familiar desire enveloped her.

  “Don’t go,” he said softly. “We’re finally alone for a moment.”

  He bent his head, and without thinking, she tipped her face up and closed her eyes. She was nearly shaking from the desire to touch him, to feel his kiss. The sweet scent of his breath was so dear, so familiar.

  A door slammed somewhere and brought her to her senses. She allowed herself to inhale one last taste of him before stepping away. “I must go.”

  He gave a grave nod, and his hands fell away. “I swore I’d treat you with more respect this time, and then I see you and all sense leaves me. I hope you can forgive me f-for losing my head when we were young. I want to be a better man than I was.”

  Heat flooded her cheeks. “There’s nothing for me to forgive. I was as much at fault as you.”

  She turned and raced off. Hearing he regretted their love so deeply brought hot tears to her eyes. If only she could erase every memory.

  Hyde Park was a streetcar suburb about a mile outside Austin’s city limits. Belle sat in the back of the automobile with Vesters. Her uncle, driving cap crushed to his ears, drove the vehicle with a maniacal grin on his face. He rarely got the chance to drive, but he’d told Henry he could handle the driving himself. The automobile rumbled down streets lined by double rows of hackberry trees. Their destination, the pavilion, was just ahead.

  “What a wonderful idea to watch the balloon ascension this afternoon,” Belle said, forcing gaiety to her voice.

  She’d hoped to spend the afternoon with Drew, but he’d been called away “on business,” or so he said. Much to her dismay, her uncle had immediately invited Vesters to join them. He sat much too close to her on the leather seat, and there was no room for her to edge away.

  The driver parked in a grassy lot next to the pavilion, and Vesters helped her down. She had to leave her gloved hand on his jacketed forearm, but as soon as they reached their seats on the third row, she removed it, ostensibly to smooth her skirt.

  “I’ll leave you two for a moment,” her uncle said. “I see a man I need to speak with before we begin.”

  Her spirits sank as her uncle left her alone with Vesters. Out on the field men scurried around getting the balloon ready to launch. The balloon was brightly colored, but the basket where the balloonist would ride looked flimsy and unsafe.

  “I’ve gone up in a balloon a time or two,” Vesters said. “I surveyed storm damage to my castle last year. It was quite exhilarating.”

  She pulled her wrap around her arms. “I can’t imagine.”

  “Would you like some punch?” Vesters nodded to the refreshment table set up along one side of the pavilion.

  “That would be lovely.” She looked around the seats as he left and hurried to the table. Several here she recognized.

  A man and woman settled on Belle’s other side. “Hello.” The woman’s friendly smile matched her comfortable blue dress that was rather worn.

  “Good afternoon.” Belle put warmth into her smile. Chatting with someone else might keep her from a distasteful conversation with Vesters. “Haven’t we met?” She was sure she’d seen the woman’s round face and rosy cheeks somewhere.

  “I’m Molly Adams, and this is my husband, the Reverend Joshua Adams.”

  “Ah, you’re at St. David’s. I’m Belle Castle.”

  Her uncle interrupted. “I thought you’d save me a seat, Belle.” He muscled his way into the row. “I’d thank you to move over a bit.”

  Belle barely managed to hide her shock. Her uncle was never rude or abrupt. She smiled apologetically at the minister and his wife as they shifted over one seat. Her uncle settled his girth onto the vacated seat without a word. He kept his gaze straight forward. In another minute, the displaced couple rose and moved over to another aisle.

  “I don’t want you fraternizing with them,” he said as soon as they were out of earshot.

  “It’s a minister and his wife!”

  “He’s been working against my election.”

  She frowned. “That’s hardly cause for such rudeness.”

  Her uncle pressed his lips together, and she knew she was getting no more information out of him. What could the minister possibly have said that upset Uncle Everett so much?

  It had been Drew’s good luck Nathan wasn’t home when he stopped to talk to Miss White about the butterfly globe. She’d readily handed it over, and he went straightaway to the police station.

  The officer he’d been ushered in to see turned the globe over in his hands. The man was in his fifties with a handlebar mustache that had more gray hairs than brown. “This is like the others. She received it two days before the attack?”

  “So it would seem. The butterfly was alive when she got it. It had been left in a box at her door.”

  “I need to keep this.” When Drew nodded, the officer put the globe down on his desk. “With one of the victims, it had been left on her bed beside her. The butterfly was still alive, but she wasn’t. The other victim had found hers on the kitchen table.”

  “Was it found before the attack?”

  The officer nodded. “About a week before. So the circumstances are slightly different. They might not be connected. All the women were single, and these globes are popular gifts.”

  Drew di
dn’t buy it. “Surely not as anonymous gifts.”

  The officer shrugged. “I sent one to my girl without a card attached. She knew who sent it. We don’t know if the other women knew who sent the gifts. Miss White doesn’t know who sent this?”

  “She has no idea. At first she thought it was a gift from her brother, but he denied knowing anything about it.”

  The officer leaned back in his chair. “I’ll question her, but it’s likely a coincidence.” The man rose and opened his door with a finality that told Drew the conversation was at an end.

  Drew stepped into the doorway. “Are you looking at Marshall? He makes those.”

  “We checked him out. Like I said, likely a coincidence.”

  Drew pressed his lips together and made his way out into the morning sunshine. The police had dismissed this all too quickly for his peace of mind. He liked Everett Marshall, but he still loved Lily. What if she was working for a killer?

  TWELVE

  Lily’s day off hadn’t come too soon. Holding her hat in the breeze, she inhaled and looked at the ramshackle house behind a nicer two-story home. This shack was practically falling down. Peeling paint and missing shingles told the story of years of neglect. The smell of onions wafted out one of the ill-fitting windows. Somewhere inside, a baby wailed. Jane’s little one? The owner should have kept it in better repair since it was part of his property. Perhaps he thought no one would notice it along the back side of the property past the orchard.

  Lily rapped her gloved knuckles on the rotting wood of the door. “Hello?”

  Did Jane live with her brother, or was it just her and the baby? And what about the child’s father? The child wailed behind the door again, and the crying grew louder.

  The door opened, and Jane’s eyes widened. She shifted the infant to her other shoulder. “Miss Lily, what are you doing here?”

  Lily lifted the basket in her hand. “I brought some things for you. I wasn’t sure if you’d been able to work with your injury, and I was worried perhaps your baby needed a few items.”

  A shutter came down over Jane’s expression. “I can care for my own.”

  “Of course you can. Friends help one another out. You’d do the same for me, I think. May I come in?”

  Jane’s eyes softened. “I’m forgetting my manners.” She stood aside. “I’ll get tea.”

  Lily followed her into a parlor. Though small, there was not a speck of lint or dirt anywhere. The sofa and chair were worn, but it was clear Jane took pride in her home.

  Jane pointed at the sofa. “Please, make yourself comfortable. I’ll prepare some tea.”

  “Could I hold your little one while you get it? I adore babies.”

  Jane hesitated, then passed Hannah to Lily. “She’s sleepy and won’t give up. She likes to be sung to.”

  Lily cradled the baby in one arm. “I can manage that. Here, you can put the food away. There’s ham and a few other items. And some nappies for Hannah.”

  Jane’s smile was shy. “Thank you, Miss Lily.” She hurried toward the kitchen.

  Lily settled the baby against her shoulder and began to sing “Amazing Grace” to her in a soft voice. The sweet smell of the infant grew stronger as the little one nuzzled against her. She kissed the baby’s soft, downy head. For just a moment she let herself imagine holding her own baby—hers and Drew’s. What a ridiculous dream. He’d made it perfectly clear how little he thought of her when he deserted her without a word.

  Jane returned with a tray holding a chipped teapot and two cups. “I hope you don’t mind your tea black. I’m out of sugar.” She bit her lip and shot Lily an apologetic glance.

  “That’s exactly how I like it.” Lily accepted the tea with her free hand. “Hannah’s very sweet.” She managed not to grimace at the bitter tea.

  A tender smile lifted Jane’s lips. “She’s my world. I’d do anything for her.” She glanced around the room. “I wish I could give her more than this.”

  “You work at the big house here? Are they good to you?”

  Jane took a sip of her tea. “My mistress isn’t the most understanding lady. When I had Hannah, she let me go but allows me to live here with my brother until I find another position. He works nights in the master’s tavern. They don’t want to lose him. I—I am having some problems finding another position. Most employers don’t want to deal with an infant.”

  “How are you living?”

  “My brother is helping me. I don’t know what we would have done without Nathan.” She let out a heavy sigh. “It’s impossible to work right now anyway. Hannah needs to be fed and cared for. Nathan says he can watch her during the day while I work, but if he does that, he’ll only get a few hours of sleep every day.” She shook her head. “He says he doesn’t need much sleep. We could use the money though.”

  “I’ll ask around and see if the Marshalls need any help,” Lily promised.

  Jane’s lips trembled. “Why are you being so good to me, Miss Lily? You hardly know me.”

  “I feel a connection to you, Jane. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “I’m grateful for it. I could use a friend.”

  The back door slammed, and heavy footsteps came down the hall. Nathan stepped into the tiny parlor. His smile faded when he saw Lily. “What are you doing here? We don’t want any trouble. You sent the police by.”

  She shook her head. “Miss Belle, my mistress, saw the fellow with you and thought he looked like the man who shot at her uncle. We all assured her it wasn’t the same man, but she insisted her uncle report the incident. The police weren’t worrisome, were they?”

  Nathan shook his head. “I told them the truth about who we were and what we were doing there. They spoke with my friend, and he was exonerated. Your fellow came by this afternoon too. He took the butterfly globe to the police.”

  “Mr. Hawkes, you mean? I didn’t know.”

  Nathan scowled. “We just want to be left alone.”

  Jane rose and extended her hand toward her brother. “Miss Lily brought some things by for the baby and me.”

  Nathan’s fingers curled into his palms. “We don’t need charity. I’m taking care of you, aren’t I?”

  Lily rose quickly. “Of course you are, Nathan. I like Jane though, and I could use a friend here. I’m new to town.”

  The tension in his shoulders eased. “You’re not here to try to coax more information out of me about Vesters?” An edge of hostility still lined his words.

  She shook her head and smiled. “That wasn’t my reason for coming. If you’d like to tell me more, I will listen, but I care about Jane and little Hannah. Surely we can be friends?”

  Nathan eyed her. “I don’t think so.”

  She watched him stalk away. “I think I upset your brother.”

  Jane sank back onto the chair. “Most things upset him these days. Ever since he got involved with Mr. Vesters.”

  Lily shifted the baby to her other arm. “He’s working for Mr. Vesters?”

  Jane nodded. “Don’t say anything though. I think Mr. Vesters is forcing Nathan to do things he doesn’t want to do.”

  “What kinds of things?”

  Jane bit her lip. “I wonder if your man friend could help Nathan. What if Nathan were to give him information? With Mr. Vesters in jail, maybe Nathan and I could start over somewhere else.”

  “Mr. Hawkes is not my man friend. But he might be able to help you. I can ask. Do you think Nathan would cooperate?”

  Jane nodded. “I smell the fear on him every time he comes home. And he’s afraid Mr. Vesters will do something to Hannah and me.”

  “Why would he bother with you and Hannah?”

  Tears swam in Jane’s eyes. “He’s Hannah’s father.”

  Lily left Jane’s house and hurried down the sidewalk toward the trolley stop. She slowed outside Lammes Candies. A few dollars were safely tucked inside her bag. A bit of sweet might soothe the hurt that resided somewhere in the region of her heart.

  She bought o
ne chocolate, then took it to the café tables outside. A familiar figure waved to her, and she went to join Emily.

  Emily smiled as Lily sat in one of the iron chairs. “What was your indulgence today?”

  “Chocolate. I thought about ice cream.”

  Emily scooped up some. “It’s very good.” She eyed Lily. “You look rather glum. What’s wrong? Is it Mr. Hawkes?”

  Lily straightened. “What an odd thing to say.” Her laugh sounded forced to her ears.

  Emily lifted a brow. “I know there’s something between you two. You already admitted you knew him before you came here. You can tell me the rest of it. I won’t say anything.”

  Relief coursed through Lily. If she’d been back in Larson, she could have discussed everything with Lucy, but she’d felt so alone here. She exhaled and sat back in the chair. “We were engaged once.”

  Emily’s jaw dropped. “To a swank like him?”

  She wanted to tell Emily Drew’s real last name wasn’t even Hawkes, but she clamped her teeth against the revelation. Though she trusted Emily, the other woman might inadvertently let something slip. She took a bite of her chocolate.

  “My, my.” Emily’s eyes sparkled. “You just might put Miss Belle’s nose out of joint. This is far more than just knowing him from your old hometown.”

  The pressure in Lily’s chest intensified, and she swallowed hard. “I don’t think he’ll put up much resistance. She’s quite beautiful.”

  Emily studied Lily’s face. “You still care about him, don’t you?”

  A breeze cooled her heated cheeks. “It was long ago. We were so young.”

  “Yet you never married. You’re a lovely girl, Lily. You never got over him, did you?”

  “I was perfectly happy in Larson with my mother. I didn’t need a man.”

  Emily inclined her head. “There they are now.”

  A carriage rattled past, and Lily spared a quick look to her left. Her gaze met Belle’s, but only her uncle and Mr. Vesters accompanied her. “He didn’t go with them after all. Listen, Emily, how well do you know Mr. Vesters?”