Imogene's Ingenuity (The Alphabet Mail-Order Brides Book 9)

by Reina Torres

  “You made her sleep on the floor?”

  Silas felt his collar tightened around his neck.

  “I offered-” his collar tightened further.

  “Now, Mr. Winslet.”

  Silas watched as the Pastor tried to interject himself between them. It was well meant but it closed his collar tighter more than it released it and he felt his lungs tighten in his chest.

  He just looked across the room at Imogene and watched her struggle against Mr. Hampton’s restraining hold.

  “Let him go, Mr. Winslet. Don’t hurt him!” Imogene’s voice was tight, higher than her normal contralto. “He was a gentleman! He kept me safe and warm, please stop!”

  “Mr. Hampton,” Silas heard the thin quality of his voice and the rough scratch as it was forced from his throat, “please take Miss Wigg back to Hampton House, she shouldn’t have to bear witness to this.”

  “Bear witness?” Imogene pulled her arm free, but Mr. Hampton kept a hold of her waist. “There would be nothing to bear witness to if everyone stopped to think! There was nothing untoward in his behavior and nothing in mine. I stayed here because the snow was impassable. Please, let him go and we can discuss this in a calm fashion.”

  Silas admired her for trying to help him.

  For standing up for him.

  But what Imogene didn’t understand was that when the snow had fallen like a thick blanket over Bower, locking them away in his shop, it had set things in motion that neither of them had control over.

  The problem, more than the lack of air in his starved lungs was that he couldn’t help the feeling that he was almost glad that they’d been found.

  It meant that Imogene could go back to Hampton House and have a good rest in her own bed and the gentler company of Mrs. Hampton and the rest of the women who were likely to descend on her during the day if the snow melted enough.

  Mr. Hampton asked Mr. Laughlin and one of the other gentlemen to escort Imogene back to the boarding house and they agreed, but she would only leave if the other men left behind would assure her that they would keep watch over him, and that Appleton would ease some of the strain from his collar.

  Silas was sure that Appleton only agreed to remove some of the ire in her gaze when she looked at him across the room.

  Soon enough, reality would set in and Imogene would realize that the monumental snowfall in Bower wasn’t the only unstoppable force she was going to face.

  And sadly enough for him, it was the angry twist of Appleton’s hand around his collar that was going to be what he was facing until Pastor Clement and Mr. Hampton could talk him into letting go.

  Imogene sat at the Hampton’s kitchen table in a daze.

  Just a few minutes before, Mr. Laughlin had delivered her to his front door where Mrs. Hampton and Mrs. Clement took her into their arms and squeezed her within an inch of her life. From there it was a non-stop barrage of questions and even a few tears until they’d settled her at the table and piled a plate full of a breakfast so hearty she would likely not be able to have a bite of the midday meal or the evening either.

  More than half of it remained on her plate and the cup of coffee they’d pressed into her hands was cooling on the table top.

  “My dear,” Mrs. Hampton leaned closer and covered her hand with her own, “should we send someone for Doctor Kittredge?”

  “The doctor?” Imogene shook her head. “I’m fine, really. I was surprisingly warm beside the stove.”

  “We should have sent someone looking for you when it began to snow.”

  Imogene felt guilty to hear the genuine worry in Gwen’s voice. “I should have known better than to let myself be distracted. I’ve never seen snow fall so fast!”

  Mrs. Hampton sighed and sipped at her tea. “Some winters we never see the end of snow. Some hardly a bit on the ground. Yesterday’s snow came out of nowhere. If the Clements hadn’t already been here for tea in the afternoon they would have been snowed in at home.”

  Gwen nodded. “We were stuck at home for four days once. The snow fell all night while we were sleeping. By the time we woke up for morning chores the snow was above the window!”

  Imogene watched as the two women took each other’s hands and shared a wistful smile. It made her a little jealous and her thoughts filled with memories of her sisters.

  Lifting up her hand she dashed away tears that had suddenly sprung up on her lashes.

  “Oh no, sweetheart,” Mrs. Hampton was up and out of her chair and rounding the table before Imogene knew what she was about. “Come here.” She took Imogene’s hand and pulled her to her feet and into a gentle embrace. “Don’t cry. You’re fine. Everything will be fine.”

  Imogene was at a loss for words. She was suddenly bone tired and she didn’t understand why.

  If it wasn’t for Mrs. Hampton’s sweet embrace she might have sunk down to the floor in a heap.

  There was a knock at the door and Gwen bustled over to the door and peered out.

  Imogene heard a murmuring outside the door and then Gwen pulled the door in and stepped back.

  Her husband, the pastor, leaned in and pressed a little kiss to her cheek.

  Imogene stepped back from Mrs. Hampton and watched the exchange with a sweet longing in her chest. Walking in after the pastor was Mr. Hampton and finally, Silas Hix, who very nearly had to duck his head through the doorway.

  Silas had such a worried look on his face that Imogene had to keep herself in place, force her feet to remain rooted to the ground instead of going to his side.

  There was a strange pall in the room and she knew what it must be. While she’d spent most of her life in the safety of her family and the school she understood the hesitant look, the averted eyes that meant there was a storm coming and it wasn’t necessarily of her own intent or making… but like the snow storm the other ladies spoke of from the past, it was likely done and past and all that was left for her to do was dig her way out of it.

  Pastor Clement cleared his throat and looked at Imogene and then Silas in turn. “I’m sorry you had to wait, Miss Wigg, but Mr. Hampton and I took some time to speak to Silas before we came back to the house to join the ladies.” He looked at his wife again and Imogene saw his gentle smile at Gwen before he turned back to her. “Were you able to have something to eat?”

  Imogene nodded. “Thank you, Pastor. I did.” She looked up at Silas. “While I can’t say that I didn’t enjoy our little feast of crackers beside the stove, I am quite sure that my stomach is full and happy. Have you had a chance to eat something?”

  He shook his head but didn’t avert his eyes from her.

  Imogene had hoped for some kind of a smile from him, some kind of hint that he wasn’t upset at her.

  He’d been so kind and gracious, but she knew that once they’d been discovered, it would be Silas that would suffer for his good deeds.

  “If you’re hungry, -”

  “I’m fine, Miss Wigg, please.” Silas turned his head to look at the pastor. “Could we continue please?”

  Imogene tried to ignore the sudden ache in her chest at the soft plea. What had happened in the time that she’d returned to the house from the print shop.

  Pastor Clement shrugged and looked at Mr. Hampton for a moment before speaking. “Silas. Miss Wigg.”

  They both acknowledged him and Imogene felt the agonizing tension of waiting.

  “I’ve spoken to Silas and he’s acknowledged the situation we have before us.”

  Imogene darted a look at the man beside her but he didn’t meet her gaze.

  “Given the sensitive nature of this situation, Miss Wigg, surely you must understand the… delicate predicament that you find yourself in the middle of after this morning’s discovery.”

  Her mind was swimming with worry and the words that the pastor spoke swirled about with the rest of her thoughts.

  Imogene’s hands tingled, her breathing sped up and the pinch of her corset which had loosened through the night was now managing to twis
t against her ribs and scrape at her waist.

  “…and so, we believe that this is the best recourse.”

  When the room went silent around her, Imogene looked up at Silas. “What did he say?”

  Silas met her gaze, but she could see that he was worried. About what, she couldn’t say, but she saw the pinch between his brow, the nervous bob of his Adam’s Apple as the seconds ticked by.

  She reached out her hand and touched his arm and felt the twitch of his muscles beneath the cotton of his shirt. “Mr. Hix?”

  He made a quick, deep, indrawn breath and looked at her with what she believed was a struggle of emotions.

  A moment later his hand settled down over hers, holding it against his arm, and she felt the warmth of his skin against hers.

  It nearly stole her breath away.

  “We’re going to marry, Miss Wigg. We’re going to marry and make sure that no one can disparage you or your reputation. I’ll make sure of it.”

  She heard the vehement tone of his voice.

  She saw the determined clench of his jaw.

  She knew he meant every word he said… it just made her ache even more. The one thing she hadn’t intended to do, was about to be done, and yet… there was no joy in it.

  Chapter 10

  Imogene couldn’t seem to move from the chair that Mrs. Hampton had set her in when they’d returned from the church. Mrs. Hampton was a woman on a mission and it didn’t escape Imogene that she was the focus of the little maelstrom her friend had created.

  Shaking out one of Imogene’s gowns, Mrs. Hampton tilted her head to the side to look at the garment thoughtfully. It was a soft violet hue. The style was simple even though it would never be considered fashionable, it wouldn’t embarrass Imogene to be seen in it. The garments were mostly sewn by the girls at the school and had come from the pages torn from one of the many magazines for ladies. The problem was, when they’d torn out the pages, no one had though to date the images.

  “This one is quite nice.” She spared a glance over her shoulder at Imogene. “With your coloring it will do nicely. Very nicely.”

  Still, after the praise that she’d given the garment, Mrs. Hampton pulled out the next gown, one of moss green with just the barest hint of lace at the cuffs. Imogene had sewn in the trim before she’d worn the garment last and had sadly forgotten to remove the lace before she’d laundered it. Some of the threads had been warped and twisted, but if one didn’t look too closely, it would suit.

  “I’m not sure,” Mrs. Hampton murmured to no one in particular. “The color is lovely if one was to have the ceremony outside under the trees, but I believe both Mr. Hampton and your Mr. Hix would think us daft if I made the suggestion.”

  Imogene felt a wave of sorrow rise up within her as if it had been waiting just for that moment to unleash itself on her and flood her until it gathered on her lashes.

  “Oh, Mrs. Hampton,” she tried to lift her hands to cover her face, but her arms had suddenly become lead, “I’ve made such a mess of this.”

  Quickly setting the dress aside, Mrs. Hampton sat down on the edge of the bed as close as she could to Imogene. Encapsulating Imogene’s hands in her own, Mrs. Hampton gave a start.

  “Your hands are like ice, Imogene! Are you ill?”

  “Sick to my stomach perhaps,” a gasping sob burst from her lips, “how will he ever forgive me?”

  “He?” Mrs. Hampton tried her best to warm Imogene’s hands. “What’s wrong, Imogene?”

  “Mr. Hix.” Her heart twisted up in her chest, making her ache something terrible. “I’ve ruined his life!”

  Mrs. Hampton gave her hand a gentle pat. “Nonsense, my dear. I’m sure he doesn’t think anything of the kind.”

  “I’m sure he does!” Imogene knew her tone had risen and she was likely to become hysterical if she didn’t calm herself down. Taking in a long and shuddering breath, she couldn’t stop it from rushing out again. “I’ve trapped the poor man.”

  “Now, that’s not true.”

  “But it is,” Imogene nodded emphatically. “Mr. Winslet said such horrible things to Mr. Hix. He could ruin him and his business here in Bower.”

  Again, Mrs. Hampton gave her hands a pat. “Mr. Winslet will do no such thing.”

  Imogene felt her stomach twist and lurch inside her. “You didn’t see the look in his eyes. The contempt in his gaze. Mr. Winslet said that no one of good character would ever do business with Mr. Hix ever again after his conduct.

  “But it wasn’t any kind of conduct. I can assure you, Mrs. Hampton, Mr. Hix was the picture of a gentleman. This whole situation isn’t his fault in the least. When I came to Bower, I was hoping to work in the print shop as an employee but Mr. Hix explained the simple truth that a woman could not work alone with a bachelor. I understood what he had to say but I was trying to get him to see what a help I could be especially with the type.” Imogene looked at Mrs. Hampton and she saw a hint of confusion in her eyes. “Each letter is a tiny piece of metal and each mark of punctuation is the same. And it’s not as simple as just reading the text and inserting the letters in order. The text goes in as a kind of mirrored order. When the ink is pressed to the letters and then to the paper it will finally be read in the order in which they are intended. It’s exciting to see the process through from beginning to end.” Imogene took in a gasp of air and continued. “Mr. Hix has such a hard time with the type,” she explained, “his hands, like the rest of his form, are quite large and the type is tiny, as I explained, so it made sense that I would help him. My fingers are thin and I have a much easier time setting the pieces in the chase.”

  “But, my dear-”

  “When I realized that I couldn’t work for him the way I intended to, I still wanted to help. He showed me kindness and friendship and a man that takes time from his day to help another feel welcome in a new town should be rewarded.

  “I found ways to help him. Setting text from time to time when he was busy with the new orders.”

  “Orders that you helped connect to him,” Mrs. Hampton nodded.

  “Well, it was a simple matter of talking to people and finding out what they needed for their businesses.”

  “And then when he came to supper and he spoke of his love for the town and the surrounding area, the moment affected me greatly and it also had an effect on him as well.” She leaned closer and whispered. “He wrote about it in such eloquent words that I couldn’t be torn away. I read them over and over and couldn’t help but marvel at the beautiful words that came from his heart. And I dallied, hesitant to leave, and that was the cause of this.

  “I should have gone. But I didn’t. I should have remembered who I was and where I was. But I didn’t. It made no sense at the moment and still doesn’t. And yet I felt as though if I was given the chance to do it over again,” she shook her head, “I’m not sure I would be strong enough to do anything different.”

  When she took a breath and sat back for a moment, she saw Mrs. Hampton smiling at her.

  “Does any of this make sense?”

  “Of course it does, dear. Things rarely happen by a plan. Even when you spent a long time drawing one up. There are always things that happen. Things that are thrown in your path that no one expects. When I moved here to Bower, I had plans of my own. And every day seemed to be the world’s opportunity to cast my plans into the air like dust. Even when I first met Miles, he wanted nothing to do with me. He would have been happy to see me go, but things progressed as all things do,” she smiled a secretive smile, “in their own time and manner, and years later, here I am with you, planning your unplanned wedding.”

  “I find it hard to believe that you and Mr. Hampton were anything but perfectly matched from the first. You’re such a lovely couple. Mr. Hix didn’t even know me a few days ago, and while I’m sure our friendship might serve as a foundation for a time, I have so many worries about a marriage. I’m likely to disappoint him in so many ways, but I don’t see how there’s anything that c
an be done. The announcement has been made and even without Pastor Clement making the event known, the information would have filtered through the town by now.”

  “Don’t borrow trouble, Imogene. You have a quick mind and a ready smile. You bring joy to others. And I daresay that in your presence, Silas Hix has come into his own.” She sighed softly. “There will be issues, I’m sure. Miles and I have had our share over the years, but I’ve never been more grateful for him as I’ve been these last few years,” she told Imogene. “There’s a life that we’ve built together. We’ve struggled and we’ve toiled,” she sighed, “but when the day is done and we retire to our rooms, I am proud to say that the man who lays his head on the pillow beside mine is the finest man of my acquaintance and the rock of my life.”

  Tears were in Imogene’s eyes and there were thoughts twisting about in the back of her mind, but there were no words that she could grasp at the moment, nor could she even begin to understand what they meant.

  “Don’t worry too much, my dear,” Mrs. Hampton squeezed their hands together, “I know everything looks so very bleak right now. I know you think that everything is doomed. No doubt you had a very different life planned here in Bower, but I can tell you one thing that I know for certain.”

  Nodding with a bit of desperation in the speed of her movements, Imogene waited for Mrs. Hampton to speak.

  “I have a good feeling about you, Imogene. I’ve had it a few times before and I’ve never been wrong. You’re going to make a home here in Bower and the town and its people will accept you as one of their own... if you allow it.”

  Imogene’s lips quivered and a soft sorrowful sound came from her throat.

  “You’re so worried about Mr. Hix and that bodes well for you both. If you both treat each other with kindness and show concern for the other, I believe that you will be greatly happy here in Bower and with your soon-to-be husband.”

  Imogene felt a little shiver down her spine, but it wasn’t the cold arc of fear this time. There was a measure of anticipation in the sensation. A hint of challenge.