by Jenna Brandt
They arrived outside a freshly built brick house with four pillars at the entry and two rows of stacked windows.
“What do you think? We just had the final section on the side finished last month,” Harrison said with pride.
“At least it’s large and modern, though I don’t know why you picked such a remote location.”
“I wanted Willa to be close to her family. This is at the end of their farm, on a piece of the land I bought along with the brickyard property.”
“She made you move all the way out here?” Elizabeth inquired with disbelief. “Never would I have thought my brother would turn into a country bumpkin.”
“Miss Elizabeth, I think you should lay down. You don’t seem to be yourself since we’ve arrived,” Kate said, giving both Harrison and Willa a sympathetic look.
“Don’t make excuses for me. I stand by what I said. All of this seems out of character for my brother. Someone has to call attention to it,” Elizabeth declared, climbing down from the wagon.
Harrison and the rest of the group followed her out of the wagon.
“Lizzy, I understand that all of this has been a lot for you: the incident in Boston, traveling out West, and now being in an unfamiliar place. That, however, doesn’t give you the right to scrutinize my choices. I think your maid is right, you should go lay down while I have your things brought inside,” Harrison stated firmly.
Elizabeth realized from the angry look from her brother and the disappointed one from Willa, she had overstepped with her unsolicited opinions. She decided it would be better to wait to talk with her brother further when they didn’t have an audience. While she was forced to stay in Silverpines, Elizabeth was going to make it her mission to help her brother see the error of his ways.
As George Caldwell entered Silverpines’ white, wooden church, which had been spared from the fire that destroyed half the town, he was grateful for the reprieve. It had been a long week working at the livery. Several horses needed extra attention after a sickness had moved through the stalls. It had resulted in several long nights staying up with them, since his boss, Jake Winters, expected him to handle the night shifts. The only good thing about being busy at work, it kept him from thinking about Evelyn. He had been so certain she was the woman he would marry that he had been caught unaware when she up and married another man from New Harbor. What he didn’t understand was why every time he started to care for someone, she ended up falling for another man. If it had only been isolated to Evelyn, it would be one thing, but the same thing happened with Willa Brown, who was now Willa Holt.
He’d met and gotten to know Willa when she became best friends with his sister, Lydia. Willa had moved to Rockwood Springs, Texas, to live with her aunt and uncle while she trained in dress making with her aunt, who happened to be a renowned dressmaker. Willa was so sweet and vivacious; he had fallen for her right away. He thought they might end up getting married until she suddenly had to move home to Silverpines to help her family.
George had tried to push Willa from his mind, but he couldn’t. He kept wondering if she was the one and he had let her leave without fighting for her. He decided to make the trip out to Silverpines to declare his love. When he arrived, she was set to marry another man and George was devastated. He did his best to convince her to pick him, but the longer he stayed in town, the more it was clear she was in love with Harrison Holt.
George wasn’t sure what was wrong with him that caused every woman he cared about to pick another man over him. He considered himself decent looking, with sandy-blond hair, brown eyes, and an average height for men. Women often commented that his dimples were adorable, and he stayed fit due to his physical work with the horses. Beyond looks, he also made an effort to be attentive, kind, and supportive. He just didn’t understand why he wasn’t enough.
“How are you doing, George?” Mallet Thorne, the town stonemason inquired, as he came up beside the other man.
“Faring well, Mallet. Thank you for asking,” George replied out of habit. The townsfolk had gotten in the habit of asking him ever since Evelyn took off to be with the lawyer in New Harbor. He knew his paltry wages working at the livery couldn’t compete with the income a lawyer could provide. Though he was hurt by her decision, he understood it.
“You want to sit with me and my wife today,” Mallet offered, gesturing to the pretty dark-haired woman with cocoa-colored skin sitting a couple of rows away.
“That’s mighty kind of you to extend the invite, but I’m more comfortable in the back.”
The truth was, George wasn’t even sure how much longer he was going to stay in Silverpines. If he wasn’t staying, there wasn’t a point in continuing to invest in friendships in the town. He had come here for Willa, and when that didn’t work out, Evelyn immediately latched onto him. As a widow, she wanted a man—as it turned out she wasn’t overly particular as long as he could provide—and George had been available. Now that she had ended things and married the New Harbor lawyer, he wasn’t sure if there was a reason to stay. He might be better off returning home and taking over the Rockwood Springs Livery from his father rather than staying here with little chance to better his position. He was saving up what he could from his wages in order to start his own horse ranch, but he wasn’t a fool. It would take a couple of years before he would have the necessary funds.
“If you change your mind, the invitation is always open,” Mallet said before turning around and heading to his seat next to his wife.
George made his way to the back of the church and took a seat. He bowed his head and sent up a silent prayer for God to show him what to do. He also prayed God would bring him a woman to love, one that would stick with him forever.
Several more townspeople arrived and took seats in various pews. Pastor James came to the front of the church and asked everyone to stand and take out the hymnals. They turned to the first song and started to sing. The sound of harmonizing voices from the church members soothed George Caldwell’s spirit. By the time the worship had finished, he felt better about his situation.
That was, until he saw Willa sitting with Harrison towards the middle of the church. He had made peace with the fact that she had chosen the businessman over him, but it still bothered him to see how happy they were together. Not because he didn’t want that for his friends—because he did—but rather because he wanted to have it for himself as well.
George recognized the rest of Willa’s family sitting along with the Holts including her father, Cyrus Brown, her brother, Arthur, and her grandmother. Who he didn’t recognize was a curly, brown-haired young woman sitting next to Harrison who had on a very fetching blue dress.
She seemed to be covertly examining the occupants in the room, which allowed him to every-once-in-awhile get a glimpse of her profile. She was quite extraordinarily pretty with a heart-shaped face, pink, full lips, and giant round eyes. Who was she? He was sure he never saw her around town. George would have remembered such a looker for certain.
He tried to focus on the sermon, but he couldn’t help but watch the newcomer. He wanted to find a reason to introduce himself, but nothing came to mind. He was on good terms with Willa and Harrison, but it would seem odd if he simply went up and imposed himself on them after church.
As it turned out, coming up with a plan didn’t matter. When the service ended, Willa’s friends, Mrs. Tonya Watts, Mrs. Maude Henderson, and Mrs. Betsy Sewell surrounded Willa and the other woman, engaging them in conversation. There was no way he was penetrating that hen’s nest to talk to the newest chick that joined them.
Letting out a heavy sigh, George turned around and decided to head back to the livery. He needed to check on the horses anyway, to make sure they were recovering well. There was no reason to stick around hoping for a chance to talk to the pretty brunette. That opportunity was never going to come.
Chapter Two
A loud crashing sound jerked Elizabeth to attention while in her bed. Who on earth was causing all that racket? Jump
ing up from her bed, she quickly got dressed, placed her hair up in a twist, and marched downstairs.
To her surprise, it was Willa’s younger brother, Arthur. He was sitting at the kitchen table, stuffing bite after bite of a piece of pie into his mouth.
“Should you be eating pie this early in the morning? How did you get it, anyway?” Elizabeth reprimanded with a look of disapproval.
“I gave it to him since it’s no longer morning. It’s one in the afternoon. You missed breakfast, and I was about to assume you were skipping lunch as well, since I haven’t seen hide nor hair of you all day,” Willa pointed out. “I made the pie as a surprise for you. Your brother told me that peach was your favorite. I had some preserved from this past harvest and used them to bake one for you. Harrison insists that I turn all my chores over to the servants, but I still like to do a few special things for others when I can.”
Elizabeth felt like a heel. Here she was coming downstairs with a chip on her shoulder, and Willa had simply tried to do something nice for her.
“Thank you, that was kind of you,” Elizabeth said, sitting down in one of the chairs around the table.
“You can have a piece now if you would like,” Willa offered.
“That sounds lovely,” Elizabeth admitted. “Could I trouble you for a cup of coffee, too?”
Willa nodded as she went to fetch the drink.
“You look tired, Miss Elizabeth,” Arthur observed between bites of pie. “You not sleeping well?”
“Arthur, that isn’t polite to say,” Willa rebuked with embarrassment placing the cup in front of her sister-in-law.
Elizabeth noticed she didn’t contradict the boy’s opinion though, which made Elizabeth realize that her restlessness over her current situation was becoming apparent.
“He’s just keenly aware of his surroundings. No reason to fault a boy for being smart,” Elizabeth countered. “He isn’t wrong. I’m having a hard time adjusting.”
Willa tilted her head to the side as she looked at Elizabeth. “I’m sorry to hear that. I so looked forward to you coming. I’ve always wanted a sister and hoped we might become fast friends.”
Elizabeth remained quiet when she didn’t know how to respond. Did the other woman not understand, she didn’t want to be there? This wasn’t a vacation for her, but rather an exile. All she wanted to do was return to Boston and her old life. Perhaps if she was contrary enough, her brother would send her back to her aunt.
“I don’t see the point. I won’t be here long enough for it to matter,” Elizabeth stated bluntly. “As soon as I can return home, I will do so.”
Willa pressed her lips together and averted her eyes. The fact she wouldn’t make eye contact with Elizabeth made her wonder if Willa knew something she didn’t. “Out with it. What aren’t you saying?” Elizabeth demanded.
“You should discuss the matter with your brother,” Willa deferred. “It’s not my place to say anything.”
“If it has to do with me, I think it’s my business.”
Willa picked up her purse and coat, turning towards the back door. “I’m taking the carriage into town. A couple of the women need to still pick up their dresses for the holidays since I will be closed for Christmas.”
“Can I come with you?” Elizabeth asked, jumping to her feet with excitement. Visiting town seemed exactly what she needed to take her mind off of her wretched situation. “I can shop and lunch at the inn while you work.”
Willa shook her head. “Your brother wants you to stay here at the house. He’s worried you’ll get into trouble like you did back in Boston.”
“That was an isolated incident,” Elizabeth defended.
“Not according to your aunt. She wrote in her letter that it was just the first time you got caught. She advised us to keep you from going anywhere without a chaperone.”
“I can bring Kate with me. She’s upstairs doing some mending on a few of my dresses, but she can put that off if it means a trip into town.”
“Your aunt mentioned that your maid accommodates you and can’t be trusted as an effective chaperone. She didn’t even like sending her with you for the trip, but she was the only one willing to go.”
“You can’t do that,” Elizabeth whined, slamming her fist on the table in front of her. “I’m not a prisoner. I demand you let me go to town at once.”
“That won’t work here, Elizabeth. Throwing fits will get you nowhere with me or your brother.”
“What if I give you my word, nothing like the incident in Boston will happen again.”
“It’s not up to me; it’s up to Harrison. You’ll have to talk to him once he gets back from the brickyard tonight.”
Elizabeth threw herself back into her chair and folded her arms across her chest in anger. “This is so unfair.”
“You’re entitled to your feelings, but for now, this is how it must be. Do you want Arthur to stay and keep you company? He’s on break from school,” Willa offered.
“No, thank you. I’m quite capable of keeping myself entertained,” Elizabeth stated tartly, not wanting to admit she was bored stiff staying in such a remote place. It had only been two days, but she was already getting stir crazy. She wasn’t going to admit that to Willa though. What’s more, she didn’t want an annoying child underfoot pestering her to play games or read to him.
A hurt look crossed the boy’s face, and for a moment Elizabeth regretted her quick dismissal. Before she could apologize though, Willa sent him on his way home. “I’ll see you tomorrow for Christmas Eve, Arthur. Make sure to be a good boy and help Papa until then.”
The boy nodded before scurrying out the door.
“You should really think about why you are here and how you treat people, Elizabeth,” Willa said as she affixed her hat on her head. “Everyone here is on your side, but you’re treating us like the enemy.” With that final gentle scolding, Willa glided out the back door and disappeared out of sight.
Elizabeth didn’t want to admit it, but Willa had a point. Ever since she arrived in Silverpines, she had been behaving abhorrently. She didn’t even recognize herself. She had always prided herself as being friendly and liked by everyone. She hated that she was letting this situation make her into a bitterly hostile shrew.
In a huff, she stood from the table and made her way through the house, looking for anything to take her mind off being irritated and angry. She perused the library, glancing at several titles, but decided she had done far more reading than she ever cared for while in finishing school. She wasn’t about to cook or clean. She supposed she could talk with Kate, but the other woman had become rather quiet as of late. She wondered if her maid hated being here as much as she did.
Elizabeth had been trapped in the house for the past two days, but surely there was more to do outside on the property. Surely there was a stable; she could at least go visit the horses. That wasn’t out of the question, was it? And if she happened to take a horse for a ride, that wouldn’t be a crime, would it? She hadn’t had a good ride in over a month. Surely the exercise would be good for her.
Deciding she had every right to go spend time with the horses, she went upstairs. She finished getting ready for the day, putting on a jacket and hat, then grabbed her purse when Kate wasn’t looking. The last thing she needed was her maid tattling on her to her brother. She hurried from the bedroom and made her way out of the house.
She entered the stable and found that her brother kept a good stock of horses. There were four healthy mares and a stallion still left, even with Willa taking the carriage into town. Elizabeth made her way through the stable, putting out her hand to let each horse smell her as she watched them react to her. She settled on a white mare who seemed like she was a good mix of spirit and strength, a lot like herself. It would be fun to ride.
A quick glance around the area established there wasn’t a groom present. Perhaps it was for the best that whoever took care of the horses wasn’t there right now. She wouldn’t be surprised if her brother le
ft instructions she wasn’t allowed to go riding. The latch came undone and she brought the horse out with little effort. She wasn’t used to having to put on her own tack, but after a few minutes of struggle, she secured the necessities on the mare.
With ease, Elizabeth mounted, adjusted herself in the side-saddle, and headed out. She could ride around the farm, which would be what her brother wanted, but since when did Elizabeth do what other people wanted? She was more obliged to meander into town.
She took the horse from a slow trot, to a fast gait, and finally really let her run free at a full sprint. It was invigorating feeling the magnificent beast’s muscles flex underneath her. She leaned forward, letting her frame enfold with the mares, pulling tighter on the reins to encourage the horse to go faster.
As Elizabeth reached the edge of town, she slowed the mare down, knowing that it wouldn’t be proper to enter at a full gallop. She noticed at the edge of Silverpines was the livery, and made the decision to store the mare there until she was done shopping.
Just as she brought her horse to the edge of the wooden building, she felt her saddle slipping. She thought she had secured it properly, but now she wondered whether through the course of her ride, it had become loose. She shifted in her seat, trying to regain balance in her mount. Her movement only made it worse. The saddle started to falter further, and before she knew what was happening, the saddle slipped to the side.
Elizabeth went tumbling to the ground, knocking the wind out of her. On top of the pain, she had the added humiliation that the bottom of her skirt flew up and jumbled around her waist, exposing her petti-skirt and knickers underneath. She must have landed in the nearby mud as well, because she felt the cold, wet substance all over her, not to mention the deplorable smell.
“Are you all right, ma’am?” she heard a deep, husky voice inquire.
Her eyes snapped up to find a young man staring down at her with a bewildered look on his face.
Elizabeth’s cheeks flamed red with embarrassment as she started to push her skirt down over her undergarments. Could this moment get any worse? To have a witness of her indignity was horrible on its own, but for it to be a man, and a handsome one at that, was more than she thought she could bare.
