Hopes and Brides: Regency and Mail Order Bride Historical Romance Collection

by Joyce Alec

  “Goodnight, Joseph,” she replied, as he walked to the door. “Thank you for trusting me with this.”

  His smile grew softer. “Of course,” he said, opening the door. “You’re a real blessing to me, Nora. I can’t think of what this place would be like without you.”

  And then, in a moment, he was gone.

  9

  Despite the thought that had tumbled through her head the previous night, Nora found that she slept remarkably well. She’d made breakfast, as she usually did, making sure she went back to her own sitting room to eat as she’d done ever since Mr. Arbuckle had arrived.

  Then, once she heard the front door close, she’d gone to lock it and had set about cleaning up the kitchen and then beginning baking and cooking for the rest of the day.

  She found herself humming quietly, a smile on her face for no particular reason. A smile that had lingered until well after lunchtime. A smile that was only because of one thing: Joseph.

  Nora sighed to herself as she finished the meat pie, knowing that whilst she’d done none of the cleaning she’d needed to get to, at least dinner was ready for when Mr. Arbuckle and Joseph came home. Although, she reminded herself, Joseph would be back a little earlier, so they could start looking in the study together.

  Shaking her head to herself, Nora placed a cloth over the meat pie and set it aside, ready to be cooked later in the day. Then, picking up her broom, she set about sweeping the kitchen floor, her thoughts twisting and turning in all directions.

  Joseph had been so open with her last night. He had told her more than she’d ever expected him to, and now here she was, helping him with what was beginning to become a bit of a mystery. The fact that he trusted her so much as to tell her everything that was going on meant so much to her. It gave her a feeling of belonging, a sense that, here at least, she had found companionship even if he was her employer.

  The only problem was, she realized that she felt more for him than she should.

  Pausing in her work, Nora rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, scrunching up her face. She shouldn’t be thinking of Joseph in any kind of affectionate way, and yet those feelings kept coming back to her, over and over again until she wasn’t able to deny them. When she’d taken his hands in what had meant to be a gesture of comfort, he’d lingered there, the warmth from his hands almost branding her skin. She’d felt blood roar in her ears, felt heat climb up her spine and up into her cheeks just from being so close to him, and yet now she knew that she was being entirely ridiculous.

  To be feeling anything for her employer was foolish indeed. She was here to do a job, that was all, and the fact that he did respect and trust her was all that she should be hoping for. To have any kind of affection for him, to notice just how blue his eyes were, or how much his fair hair shone like gold in the sunshine, was more than foolish. It would take her to her downfall.

  Shaking her head to herself, Nora began to sweep again in earnest, sending dust billowing up towards her as she moved to sweep her bedroom floor. Even though she’d done as much as she could to clean this place, it was still filled with dust every time she swept.

  Coughing, Nora made sure the door was open wide enough to let some air in before walking into her sitting room, bringing the broom with her. The fire still glowed hot with red embers from where she’d lit it this morning, the poker lying to one side. Sighing to herself, Nora set about sweeping around the fireplace, making sure to pick up as much ash as she could.

  Only for her to stumble, her broom banging hard against the tiled wall of the fireplace. Righting herself, Nora groaned as she saw a broken tile lying by the broom, clearly dislodged by her own clumsiness. She’d have to tell Joseph about it, unless she could fix it herself.

  Bending down, she picked up the tile and, to her delight, she saw that it was still in one piece. In fact, she realized, it slotted right back into the place it had once been, standing proudly in place as though it had never been dislodged in the first place.

  There appeared to be a small hollow behind the tile itself, but Nora ignored that entirely, pushing the tile back into place. Most likely this fireplace was fairly cheaply made, given that it was meant to be for a housekeeper and nothing more. Letting out a sigh of relief that she wouldn’t have to tell Joseph about what she’d accidentally done, Nora picked up her broom and began to sweep again, only for the sound of a door slamming tightly shut to meet her ears.

  Her heart raced for a moment, her hands tightening around the broom, only for her to remember that Joseph had said he’d be home early. Closing her eyes, she gave herself a slight shake and walked back to the kitchen, closing her bedroom door behind her.

  Her stomach tightened as Joseph walked into the kitchen, his eyes capturing hers almost at once, his smile spreading across his face as she greeted him.

  “Something smells delicious,” he commented, as she quickly set about brushing up the dirt and debris she’d only just swept up. “I haven’t eaten yet. Do you mind if I sit for a bite to eat, and then we can start looking in that study together?” His eyes grew warm as she nodded. “I’d be glad if you could sit with me.”

  She set the broom back in its place, hoping he wouldn’t notice her red cheeks. “Sure, Joseph. Can I get you some coffee?”

  “Just a glass of water will do me nicely,” he replied, sitting down. “It’s darn hot out today.”

  Quickly setting out a few things for them both to eat, Nora couldn’t stop her eyes from lingering on her employer, finding that she was feeling more and more comfortable around him. There wasn’t the same awkward tension that had been between them at the start. Instead, she was viewing him almost as a friend, as someone she could turn to with anything in the knowledge that he’d be able to help her.

  “Delicious as always,” Joseph murmured, his eyes alighting on her as a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so well fed.”

  Nora felt herself blush and ducked her head, going hot all over.

  “Are you happy here, Nora?”

  The question surprised her. “Of course I am,” she replied, the smile fading from her face. “You don’t think I’m unhappy, do you? I’m terribly sorry if I’ve given you that impression.”

  He smiled at her then, and Nora felt herself relax almost immediately.

  “You don’t really say anything,” he replied, his voice gentle. “I guess I was just hoping that you weren’t hiding a burden of homesickness underneath. I know there’s been a lot going on around this place, and I sure wouldn’t blame you if you had thoughts of going back.”

  She shook her head, her mind drifting to her sister. She hadn’t had a reply from her yet, which was no surprise given that it would take a long time for the post to get to Laura. “My sister and her husband are happy. Otherwise, I wouldn’t ever have left her,” she explained, her eyes suddenly misting as she thought of how Laura had waved her off so frantically. “She didn’t want me to leave, but I knew I had to. It was time to find my own life, I guess, instead of sharing Laura’s.”

  His smile softened, and he leaned forward a little more over the table, clearly intent on listening to every word she said.

  “And your parents?”

  Shaking her head, Nora tried to smile. “They’re both gone. I never really knew my mother, and my father died some years ago. He was a good man, hardworking and kind, and he made sure Laura and I had enough to live on until we got ourselves hitched.” Her smile slipped, mortification flooding her cheeks as she realized what he must think of her, knowing that Laura had found herself a husband in their hometown, whilst she’d had to become a mail order bride to a much older man.

  “There ain’t no shame in what you did, Nora.”

  Her breath caught, as he touched her fingers gently, his voice quiet and eyes filled with a tenderness that she couldn’t quite explain.

  “You came here to marry someone because you had to,” he continued, brushing his fingers over hers in a gesture of comfort.
“I think that takes a whole lot of courage.”

  “I never cared for your father, not in that way,” Nora found herself saying, her words tumbling over one another. “We just wrote a few letters, and I sent him a miniature of myself. I was sure relieved when he wrote back and told me to come on though.”

  There was a short silence, and Nora felt butterflies begin to beat their wings all through her.

  “Why were you relieved?” Joseph asked, sounding puzzled. “I’m sure there would have been plenty of other men looking for a bride like you.”

  She swallowed the sudden lump in her throat, feeling that old familiar ache.

  “I was never as pretty as Laura,” she whispered, her voice dying away as her emotions began to run high. “I was never jealous though, since Laura’s got such a sweet, gentle spirit. However, I sure wished I didn’t have to leave everything behind and hitch myself to someone I’d never met before.” She shrugged, pulling her fingers away from him as she sat back in her chair, not quite sure why she was telling him all this and yet finding it difficult to stop. “But no one was really interested in courting me back home. That’s why I came out here.”

  Another silence. The beat of her heart was the only thing Nora could hear, not able to lift her eyes to Joseph’s because of the embarrassment she felt.

  “You’re one of the most beautiful young ladies I’ve ever met.”

  A tear slipped from her eye and landed on her cheek.

  “You’ve got courage, fortitude, and more kindness in your heart than I’ve ever seen before,” Joseph continued, his voice a little thick. “The way you’ve taken care of Billy and his wife, it puts me to shame. I should have known that his wife was ill; I should have been the one sending him home to tend her, making sure that he got all he needed, but I didn’t. You did. Don’t ever think of yourself as less than others, Nora, cause that ain’t the truth. You’re more than you think you are. More beautiful than you can see.”

  She couldn’t speak. Tears were falling down her cheeks like the rain, dripping onto her clasped hands. Her emotions were tossing her back and forth like the waves of the sea, to the point that she shuddered violently in an attempt to keep her sobs buried deep within herself.

  “I’m sorry if I spoke out of turn,” she stammered, managing to turn away from him to wipe at her eyes. “I didn’t mean to say all of that.”

  He smiled at her, handing her a handkerchief from his pocket. “I’m sure glad you did, Nora. Like I said before, I’ve missed talking to you, and besides, you know a whole lot about me already. Maybe it’s time I knew more about you.”

  She managed to return his smile, glad that her tears had abated. “Thank you, Joseph.”

  Getting up from his chair, he gestured towards the door. “Do you feel ready to help me start searching then?”

  Nodding, she wiped at her eyes again and got to her feet, making her way towards him whilst looking down at the sodden handkerchief. “I’ll launder this for you.”

  “Don’t worry a bit about it,” he replied, taking it back from her with a gentle smile, before swooping down to kiss her on the cheek.

  Nora stared up at him, completely and utterly astonished. Joseph looked back at her, his eyes widening as he realized what he’d done. Nora guessed that it was completely on instinct, the imprint of his lips on her cheek burning into her. She couldn’t say anything, blood roaring in her ears.

  Then he smiled, his eyes glistening with something that she couldn’t quite make out. He didn’t apologize for kissing her. He didn’t step back and frown, but instead ran his finger lightly down her cheek where he’d kissed her, before dropping his hand.

  “I sure hope that makes you feel better,” he quipped, opening the door for her to walk through. “No more of those tears, Nora. I don’t really know what to do with them.”

  A bubble of laughter came up from her chest as she walked through the door, even though a blush burned at her cheeks. “Thank you, Joseph.”

  He closed the door behind them both, his smile drifting away as he looked at the locked study door. The moment of happiness between them was gone in an instant, the seriousness of what he was about to do hanging over them both.

  “You’ve not been inside since you found him?” Nora asked, boldly resting a hand on his arm as a gesture of support and comfort.

  Shaking his head, Joseph pulled a ring of keys from his pocket and began to go through them one at a time. He didn’t say a word until he’d found the one he was looking for, drawing in a long breath before stepping forward and pressing it into the lock.

  “Everything will be just as it was the day I found him,” he said hoarsely, as the door clicked. “Remember, we’re just looking for anything to do with Miss A. Waterstone, or that perfume she ordered.”

  Nora nodded, wondering just how painful this was going to be for him. She pressed her hands together in front of her, as he pushed the door open, standing framed in the doorway for a moment, before stepping inside.

  10

  Joseph turned away from Nora as she lifted another stack of papers, ready to go through them. They’d been busy searching for at least an hour already, and neither of them had found a single thing.

  He glanced at Nora over his shoulder, taking in the way she frowned, her tongue caught between her teeth as she read something. There was something about her that drew him towards her, even though he knew it was best that he didn’t linger on what that was exactly. He just couldn’t seem to help himself. Their conversation in the kitchen had revealed so much about her, and yet Joseph knew there was more he wanted to learn about her. To hear that she felt herself almost dull in contrast to her sister had torn at his heart, and the truth had sprung to his lips. What he’d said to her had been the complete and honest truth, and he didn’t regret saying a single word.

  Closing his eyes, Joseph tried to tug his thoughts away from Nora and back on to what he was doing, finding her nearness almost overpowering. The way he’d leaned in and kissed her, without even intending to do it, had caught him off guard. Not that he regretted that either. She’d looked up at him in surprise, her cheeks a beautiful, dusky pink and eyes that shone with the remnants of her tears. He’d found himself captivated.

  She is the housekeeper, he told himself sternly. You’re not meant to be having any kind of feelings for her.

  And yet, they lingered there in his heart regardless, growing steadily and with increasing strength. Sooner or later, he’d have to decide what to do about it. Although, for the time being, he had to focus on what he was trying to find out about his father.

  He still hadn’t been able to bring himself to move to the left-hand side of the study, where he’d found his father lying on the floor, his eyes wide and staring. Nora was over there now, unhindered by any troubled memories. It had been harder than he’d expected to step inside, but the first thing he’d done was to throw open the window, desperate for some fresh air instead of the smell of decay that clouded his nostrils.

  Nora had touched his arm and asked if he was alright, and he’d nodded and suggested they start looking. She’d looked up at him for another moment or two before getting on with what he’d asked, her concern for him evident in her eyes.

  “I don’t think there’s anything here.”

  Nora’s soft voice broke the quiet, and he turned around, seeing her smile gently. “Have you found anything over there?”

  He hadn’t even begun to look. “No, not yet,” he muttered, pushing one hand through his hair. “Do you mind staying over that way for a bit longer? I’ve got enough to sort through over here.”

  Understanding flashed into her eyes. “Of course. Whatever I can do to make things easier for you.”

  He swallowed, as his eyes drifted to the floor by Nora’s feet, the stab of pain slicing through him with such force that he lost his breath for a moment.

  “I’m sorry, Joseph. I’m sorry you lost him so suddenly.”

  Giving her a tight smile, he turned away, a feeling
of urgency taking over. He had to look through this study before Mr. Arbuckle returned from whatever he was doing, since he didn’t exactly want to have to answer a whole lot of questions from the persistent man. Picking up a sheaf of papers, he began to leaf through them, only for a sudden, startled sound to come from Nora’s direction.

  “What is it?”

  He spun around, putting his papers to one side whilst Nora held up a piece of paper, her face rather white.

  “What is it?” Joseph asked again, coming towards her. “What have you found?”

  She handed him the piece of paper, her eyes wide. “I think this might be something to do with what you’re looking for.”

  Taking the paper, Joseph read the lines quickly.

  “Mrs. Allan,” he said aloud, frowning. “Sister dead.”

  It made no sense to him whatsoever. Reading it again and again, he turned to look at Nora, who was still staring at him, wide-eyed.

  “Do you understand what it means?” he asked, feeling the spurt of hope he’d only just experienced disappear entirely. “What has Mrs. Allan got to do with Miss Waterstone?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t know,” she said quietly, “but it sure seems a coincidence that Mrs. Allan’s sister died at the same time as your father wrote ‘Death of her sister’ on an order page.”

  Joseph sighed, his brow furrowing. “It just means that Mrs. Allan had a sister that passed away,” he said slowly, his spirits dropping still further. “That’s all. Nothing more. This whole time, I’ve been chasing something that was just my father’s way of remembering to express condolences or something to Mrs. Allan.”

  He sighed again and rubbed a hand over his eyes, feeling entirely useless. “This is just ridiculous of me,” he said loudly, angry with himself for letting his mind come up with so many outrageous possibilities. “I thought this note might mean something. I thought it might be linked to Mr. Arbuckle and his strange questions about Mrs. Allan and his behavior towards you, but all this time, I’ve been wrong. My father merely wrote a note to remind himself to give condolences to Mrs. Allan and, perhaps, some time off to grieve.”