by Meg Buchanan
“I have no choice.” He pulled his hand from hers.
Sophie bit her lip as she watched his hand come to rest on the tabletop. She hesitated like she would argue with him. But instead she gave in. To his relief, she stopped trying to be seductive. She stood again and looking only at what she was doing, straightened her skirts then sat on her own chair.
She planted her elbows on the table, her chin on her fist. “I’m still not going to Sydney.”
“That’s all right, but I’m still not marrying you.” The bed beckoned and he forgot his scruples. “Come to bed and get some sleep.” He’d figure out what the hell to do with her when he woke up.
Chapter 17
EARLY THE NEXT MORNING, Sophie stood in the middle of the room looking dejected. She was naked apart from the sheet she had wrapped around her. They’d slept for close to sixteen hours. Now there were things he had to do.
“Take me with you,” said Sophie.
“I can’t, I have to go to work. You need to stay here until I come back. I might be away most of the day.”
“But I’ll die of boredom if I have to stay in this room all day.”
“Have a bath, wash your hair, read a book, get dressed, the time will pass.”
Sophie waved at the pale silk dress lying forlornly at the end of the bed. “I’ve already worn that dress for three days, I can’t bear to wear it another day, it’s filthy.”
“Wash it.” He ran his spare hand through his hair in exasperation. He should have rescued someone with a few more domestic skills. “It’ ll dry quickly in front of the fire.”
“I could wear the coat and hat and come with you.”
“Someone might notice if you’re naked underneath the coat.”
Sophie giggled. “I do need clothes, Courtney. Otherwise, I really am stuck here.”
He nodded. “Yes, you do need clothes. I’ll work something out.”
He heard a knock on the door. He opened it, and the housekeeper was waiting in the passageway with the breakfast tray. He moved away from the doorway to let her into the room.
The housekeeper put the breakfast on the table. “I didn’t mean to listen, Mr Samuel, but I heard what you were talking about. May I suggest something?”
“Suggest away.”
“I could lend the young lady something to wear. We are much the same size.” He looked at the older woman. It was hard to compare her drooping breasts and flabby stomach to Sophie’s perfect body. But she was probably right, they were generally the same size.
He looked back at Sophie. “Would you be happy with that?”
Sophie nodded. “It would be wonderful. Thank you, Mrs Saunders.”
Mrs Saunders unloaded the food onto the table, a cup of tea, toast, porridge. “And my sister is a dressmaker.” She picked up the tray. “She has a small shop on Belmont Road. It is not far from here. I could send a message to her and arrange an appointment for you and the young lady. If you wanted to purchase clothes from her, I think she would have everything the young lady needs.”
That could work. He did need to get Sophie clothes. It should be safe for her to go outside as far as Belmont Road. So far there’ d been no sign of Charlotte’s men.
Well, he’d been asleep, but William would have sent someone to warn him if there were any suspicious strangers in town.
“Please, Courtney?” pleaded Sophie.
“All right. Thank you, Mrs Saunders, that would be very helpful.”
“I will bring the clothes up, and then let my sister know.” Mrs Saunders took the tray away and came back with the clothes.
Sophie put them on. She looked at herself in the mirror in a plain blue skirt, a white cotton blouse, and lace up brown boots.
She twirled. “It’s like being in fancy dress, Courtney.” She had a point, he had no idea what she usually wore, he’d only seen her in the concoctions Charlotte put her in, but he doubted she usually dressed like this. She looked like a nursemaid.
“You look fine,” he said. They sat down to the porridge and toast.
“Why won’t you marry me?”
He was getting sick of this. She asked it before he’d even had a single bite to eat.
“I don’t want to.”
“It’s a good idea. I could keep house for you and cook your meals.”
“You can cook?”
“I can learn.”
“You can learn to cook, sew, garden and housekeep, and anything else you want, and I’m still not going to marry you. There’s more to marriage than just cooking and cleaning,” he informed her.
“As if you would know. You said you live at home with your mother still. And it was you who ensured I know more about the other side of marriage than most girls of my age and class.” Now she blamed him for what had happened.
He ignored that comment and had another spoonful of porridge, and a brilliant idea. She looked like a children’s nursemaid! He’d seen them in Auckland and London. Eliza had children and needed help and Sophie needed somewhere to live.
He was sure Sophie could do it. He was sure she could walk around the parks and the shops, looking after Eliza’s children. For a while anyway.
The more he thought about it, the more brilliant the idea seemed. Charlotte would never think of looking for her in Waihi. Sophie could live with Declan and Eliza.
He looked over at her. “Sophie, I know of a family in need of someone to help with their children. Would you consider it?”
“Who?”
“My sister Eliza.”
She thought about it. “I’d be the governess?”
He was fine with it, if she wanted to see it that way. He nodded.
Then she nodded too. “I would consider that.”
He held out his hand. “Pleased to meet you, Miss Westmore.”
Sophie shook the hand.
“Can I go now?” he asked. “When I get back this afternoon, we’ll go and see Mrs Saunder’s sister.” By tomorrow Sophie would have suitable clothes, somewhere to live and Eliza would have someone other than his mother to help her with the children. He could go back to his normal life.
Sophie waved him away. “Yes, you’re dismissed.”
“Very funny. Now be good and stay here until I get back.”
“Yes, sir.” He was sure she saluted him again.
He found William, John, Seb and Finn working on the poppet head, John at the top, a massive spanner in his hand. Seb climbed up to him, dragging a light rope. William stood at the bottom and fed the rope out as Seb climbed.
“Everything sorted now?” William asked.
“Almost. Where’s Declan.”
“He’s been held up. He’s coming Friday. He forgot about Christmas Day. He felt obliged to spend some of it with his family.” That was a pity. He could have run the brilliant plan past him. He told William about it instead.
William shook his head. “Why don’t you just marry her?”
“She’s like a sister to me.”
William gave a snort. “That’s not what Eugene said. You like her, she likes you, so marry her.”
“That seems a bit extreme.” Eugene and his big mouth.
“So is dumping her on your sister. The trouble with you Courtney, you know women like you. It makes you feel safe about keeping your options open.”
“That’s a little unfair, with your record.”
“I’ve been married for years.”
“Considering why you can’t sell your claims, you don’t have a leg to stand on.”
William laughed. “You have a point.
Seb signalled for more rope. William went back to feeding it out. Seb climbed further up and finally got to the top. William tied the end to the heavy coil by his feet.
John’s voice came from the top of the poppet head. “Ready.” William started to feed the heavier rope from the coil while John and Seb hauled it up.
“The old team working together,” said Courtney.
“Yes. It’s a bit strange.” William carried on feeding out t
he rope. Courtney helped. They worked on until midday and then stopped to eat.
When Finn had finished the last piece of pie, he wiped his mouth with his sleeve. “Your wife is a good cook Mr Hennessey.”
“Wives have their uses,” said William.
Seb offered a refill of tea before he poured his own. Courtney shook his head at another cup of billy tea.
Seb leaned over, refilled his mug, then waved it in Courtney’s direction. “I must take my hat off to you, Mr Samuels.”
“Why? What have I done?”
“Stole one of Charlotte’s girls right out from under her nose I hear. Fought your way out of the club with her tucked under one arm. Left bodies strewn everywhere.” So, someone else knew. In fact, the way they were all looking at him, three more knew about Sophie. So much for keeping her a secret.
“It wasn’t quite that dramatic.”
“Pretty little thing too, I hear. You going to marry her?”
“Jesus.”
“Courts, you’ve been dodging the bullet for years,” said John from the other side of the fire. “Has someone finally got to you?”
“No, she needed help, I helped.” They were deliberately picking on him. They must have spent a while talking about him and Sophie before he arrived.
William joined in. “The original plan was to send her to Sydney, but when she refused to go, did he pick her up, stick her on a boat and wave goodbye? No, he kept her with him.”
He defended himself. “That’s a bit unfair. You haven’t met her. It would take more energy than I have to make her do anything she didn’t want to do.” When he was sure it was safe, he’d make sure she agreed to go to Sydney. In the meantime, Eliza could look after her.
“Feisty too?” asked Seb. “You’re a gonna.”
He’d had enough of this. He stood up. “Charlotte’ s looking for her. She mustn’t find her, the consequences of running away and getting caught are dreadful, so she needs somewhere to hide. End of story.”
Seb poured himself another cupful too. “What consequences?”
“Charlotte is depraved. I suspect most of those girls Charlotte has working for her are forced to work there, and you wouldn’t believe what is being done to them.” He told them about what happened to Lucy and Sophie being forced to watch. Then he described the orgy in detail. “I couldn’t leave Sophie to face any of that.”
They’d all gone quiet. He’d managed to shock even them.
“Charlotte was always a piece of work,” said Seb after a while.
“You should have warned me,” said William.
“You wouldn’t have listened, my friend. You were thinking with the wrong head then. That head has no ears.”
William shrugged. “You might be right.”
Courtney stood. “So, to move on. Do you need my help any longer?”
“No.” William stood. “Get Sophie to Waihi before Charlotte thinks of looking for her here.”
Courtney nodded. “When I get back, I’ll keep the office work going.”
“If you are still in one piece. Eliza’s not going to take this well.”
An hour later, arm around Sophie’s shoulders, he steered her towards the dressmaker’s shop. It turned out Mrs Saunder’s sister was the same dressmaker his mother and Eliza used. That’s the trouble with living in a small town, everyone knew everyone else. But she was probably still the best option as it was in her interest to be helpful and discrete.
The bell tinkled quietly as they went through the door. On the glass was written, Madam Eloise, Costumière. Though the woman was no more French than he was.
“My mother’s dressmaker is Madam Jeane, in Queen Street,” Sophie said. “She knows me, this one won’t.
“I think that is a good thing. We should stay as far away from people who know your parents as possible.”
The supercilious woman he remembered from his childhood appeared through a curtain behind the counter, just in time to hear the end of that remark. He decided to let her draw what conclusions she might from it.
“Mr Samuels?” the woman asked, flicking a glance at Sophie. “And how can I be of help?”
“We need a daytime outfit for Miss Westmore, right now, and everything else a young lady might need, underwear, hat.”
The woman was already measuring her up with her eyes. “Similar in style to what she’s wearing?” She had a sense of humour. He would never have suspected that.
“Let Miss Westmore choose.,” he said.
“Very good, come this way, Miss Westmore.” She led them through another curtain into a salon at the side of the store to a room filled with racks of everything. There was a screened off area in one corner, a full-length mirror on the wall, and a chair that looked comfortable.
“The chair is for you, Mr Samuels.” With a click of the fingers, Madame Eloise summoned a younger woman. “Annie will assist us.” “Do you have any thoughts about what you are looking for, Miss Westmore?”
Sophie shook her head.
“Something she can walk down the street in,” suggested Courtney.
“Annie, I think perhaps the pale blue skirt and top first.” Then Madam Eloise turned to Sophie. “Miss Westmore, the screen is for you, disrobe.”
Sophie looked at Courtney to see if she should follow that instruction.
He nodded, then settled into the chair. It was as comfortable as it looked. He had done this before with Millicent. Though she never bought off the rack, she tended to have everything made for her the way his mother and Eliza did. Millicent strutted and flirted in each outfit she showed him.
Was that the way Miss Westmore would act?
No idea.
The selecting and trying on started. Miss Westmore took it all more seriously than Millicent did. The first outfit was rejected. After several outfits were passed in, Madam picked a small jacket and a long skirt in a fine green cloth. The discarded outfits were returned to their hangers by Annie.
Sophie, just in her slip, held the skirt at her waist and the jacket against her breasts. “Do you like these, Courtney?” She swayed watching the effect in the mirror.
“They look fine, try them on.”
Sophie smiled and darted behind the screen.
“You will need a blouse,” said Annie, and took a bundle of white silk to her.
Courtney couldn’t quite hear the whispered conversation. Something happened behind the screen and both girls dissolved into giggles.
“Annie,” Madame Jeane’s voice held a warning.
“Yes, Madame,” came from the screen. “Almost ready.”
After a few minutes, Sophie emerged from the screen, dressed as a wealthy young lady. “Shopping is more interesting without my mother guiding every purchase,” Sophie observed.
The outfit looked like something the woman he met would have chosen. “I doubt you have strayed far from your mother’s advice.” But it also looked like something Alice would wear. It would do. He’d had enough of this, one outfit was starting to look like the next, and the price quoted for any of them seemed exorbitant. It turned out Miss Westmore had expensive tastes.
“Oh,” said Sophie. “Would you prefer something else?”
“It looks fine. If you like it, I’ll buy it. Decide now.”
“I like it very much. Can I keep it on?” Sophie asked.
“Yes, of course. Do you have everything you need?” he asked, and Sophie nodded.
“You suggested a hat,” said Madam Eloise. She had exactly the right one in her hand. Small, green felt, a black feather. It looked like it would complete the outfit.”
“That is so sweet,” said Sophie. Madam Eloise handed the hat to her and she put it on. She turned and admired herself in the mirror again, holding her hair up with both hands, stray curls tumbling around her cheeks and neck. She was breath-taking. “Can I have it, Courtney?”
“Yes. Get it.”
She held her head to one side. “This outfit would look lovely with an emerald brooch at the throat, do
n’t you think Courtney?” she asked.
“I don’t think I can run to emeralds.”
“You don’t need to buy the brooch, I have exactly the one….” Sophie stopped speaking, bit her lip and let her hair drop. She looked down at the sea of green.
Courtney turned to the Madam Eloise. “I’ll return in a few days to pay the account.”
The woman nodded and clicked her fingers again. Annie rushed to fold and wrap Mrs Saunder’s clothes.
As they walked down the street, a very subdued Sophie said, “I wasn’t hinting. I am just used to wearing jewellery and I forgot for a moment all of mine is still at the club.”
He put his arm over her shoulders the way he would with Alice if he knew she was upset.
“Do you think Charlotte will sell my jewellery?” Sophie asked.
“I don’t know.” He had the packages with Mrs Saunder’s clothes under his arm.
“Thank you for this, Courtney.” Sophie slid her arm around his waist and hugged him. “When I get my wages, I’ll reimburse you.” It made him wonder if Miss Westmore had any idea how much he’d just spent, or how little a nanny earned.
Chapter 18
THE TRANSFORMATION from the seductive Sophie, to the cool, confident and graceful Miss Westmore was completed at the Criterion. Then they walked together to the house. His mother’s horse was there, and her trap was in the barn.
As they went through the gate, his mother came out onto the back porch. So, hitching up the trap and disappearing to Waihi wasn’t an option. He might have a little explaining to do first. She watched as he latched the gate behind Sophie.
His mother glanced at Sophie, then back at him. “Courtney? Where have you been?”
He ignored the question. “Sophie, meet my mother.”
Puzzled, his mother came down the steps and shook hands.
Then he guided Sophie up the back steps. “Come inside, I’ve got something to tell you,” he said to his mother.
In the lounge, he explained the brilliant plan to his mother while Sophie listened.
His mother frowned a little as he was talking, and when he’d finished she stood without commenting and said she thought she should make a pot of tea. Courtney suspected his mother was giving herself time to think.
