Rose (Suitors of Seattle)

by Kirsten Osbourne

  “Not at all. I’ve heard so many good things about the man, I need to see for myself whether or not he walks on water.” Higgins laughed as he talked about the perfection of Rose’s current crush.

  Harriett’s eyes were twinkling as she sat down and wrote a quick note inviting the town’s newest dentist over for tea the following afternoon. It was Friday, so surely he would close his practice on a Saturday. She folded the note and handed it to Higgins. “Thank you.”

  Higgins nodded, getting to his feet. “You’re very welcome, Mrs. Farmer. Would you like me to be here for your initial meeting with him?” Although they’d been like father and daughter for over twelve years, Higgins still couldn’t bring himself to call Harriett by her first name.

  Harriett thought about it for a moment. She still hated to be alone with men if she didn’t know them. It was easier than it used to be, but she didn’t trust anyone automatically after all she’d been through. “That would be nice. I’ve invited him for tea tomorrow afternoon.”

  “At two?”

  Harriett nodded, pleased that Higgins remembered her schedule so well. “I’ll make sure to have the cook bake the lemon cookies you favor.”

  Higgins smiled at her before turning to leave her parlor. “I’ll be here.”

  Harriett watched him go wistfully. She missed the years they’d worked together matching up mail order brides with husbands in the West. Higgins had been such an integral part of her life for so long that it still felt odd when he wasn’t there, even though it had been two years.

  She was so busy with her son and helping at the shelter for women that she couldn’t run a business, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t miss her old life.

  *****

  Shawn stared down at the invitation on his desk. He’d put in a long day at the office. Seattle had not had a dentist before he came, and he was seeing all the people who were angry with the barber. It was overwhelming at times. He hoped to get to the point where he could do some preventative care instead of just pulling teeth, but for now he’d take what he could get.

  He read the invitation again slowly. “Dr. Shawn Henry, Please join me for tea at two in the afternoon at my house tomorrow. I have something I would like to discuss with you. Sincerely, Harriett Farmer.” She added her address to the bottom of the page.

  He’d heard of Mrs. Farmer, but her name was always mentioned in conjunction with a home for battered women. She didn’t think he was hurting anyone, did she? What could the invitation be about?

  It was late, and there was no time to send a messenger with a reply that night, so he wrote a quick reply and decided he’d send it over with a servant in the morning. “Mrs. Farmer, I would be pleased to accept your kind invitation. I will see you promptly at two. Sincerely, Dr. Shawn Henry.” He’d only had his license to practice dentistry for two months, and he loved writing doctor in conjunction with his name. Maybe he was a little vain, but he didn’t care. He’d worked hard to be able to write it, and he was going to do it at every opportunity.

  He turned down the kerosene lamp and headed up the stairs for bed, thinking again he needed to see about finding himself a wife. He had a good business. He had a huge house with servants. He needed a woman by his side to help him entertain and children to care for. Hopefully he’d meet someone soon. There were too many men in Seattle, and he was sure he’d have to settle for a woman beneath his class, but he didn’t care at that point. Just so he wasn’t always alone anymore.

  Before he’d come to Seattle, he’d had his school friends and had gone home at least once a month to see his family. Loneliness had never been a factor. He found that being alone in a city where he knew no one was wearing on him. He had his servants, who had all been with his family since he was a child, but that didn’t help. He was homesick plain and simple.

  *****

  At precisely two the following afternoon, Shawn stood on the doorstep of a large white home. He knocked once, and the door was answered immediately by a maid. “I’m here to see Mrs. Farmer,” he told the young woman and then followed her to a small parlor down the hallway.

  He’d heard quite a lot about Harriett Farmer and was surprised to see just how young she was. She couldn’t have been more than two or three years older than he was, and he was just twenty-four. She slowly got to her feet and walked across the room to shake his hand with a pronounced limp. She was not at all what he’d expected from a benefactress, but she had a sweet pretty smile. “I’m Harriett Farmer. Welcome.”

  Shawn nodded. “I’m Dr. Shawn Henry.” He stood awkwardly, wondering why she’d asked him there.

  “Won’t you please sit down?” She indicated a small couch and sat in a chair opposite it. There was a man, who looked to be in his fifties already sitting on the couch. The man looked very familiar to Shawn. He couldn’t quite place where he knew him from, but he’d definitely seen him around in the past week.

  He sat beside the man and smiled. “I’m Shawn Henry.” This man looked too old to be her husband. Her father perhaps?

  “John Higgins.” Higgins held his hand out for the other man to shake. “People just call me Higgins.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Higgins.” Shawn waited while Harriett took her seat, before turning to her. “Thank you for inviting me.” He wanted to come right out and ask why she had, but hopefully she’d take his not-so-subtle hint and tell him.

  Harriett smiled. “I’m sure you’re wondering why I have asked you to come. I can see your mind racing from here.” She leaned back in her chair. “I’m the proud aunt of eight nieces. They’re all very sweet girls and the oldest, Rose, is of an age where her parents feel as if she’s old enough to begin a courtship with the right man.” She watched his face carefully to see if he had any clue what she was talking about.

  “Really?” he asked. What did this have to do with him?

  “I spent some time as a marriage broker for mail order brides before I came to Seattle two years ago, so her parents have enlisted my help to make certain the man Rose chooses is suitable. She brought me a list a month ago, and Higgins and I have quietly investigated every man on her list. I was about to narrow the list down to the top three potential suitors when Rose came in and told me to add your name to the list.”

  Shawn was surprised. Where had he met someone named Rose? He had no patients by that name that he could recall. “What does she look like?” he asked.

  Harriett and Higgins exchanged a look. “She’s of average height. She has brown hair and grey eyes. She’s always immaculately dressed.” Mrs. Farmer watched his face carefully for signs of recognition.

  Shawn thought for a moment, and finally it clicked. “I think I may have met her in the park one day as I was returning to my office after lunch.” He thought of the young lady who had barred his path in the park. Yes, she would have been someone who would have someone match them up together. She was just that bold.

  “And?”

  How could he answer that? Was he interested in her? She hadn’t left much of an impression, but there were just too many men here to be picky. “She seemed nice, but we honestly only met for a moment.” He wasn’t about to commit to anything until he’d seen her again and talked to her. He was lonely, but he wasn’t one to jump with both feet into anything without investigating all his options.

  Harriett nodded, seeming to size him up. “Would you like to be formally introduced to see if you think you’d suit? I’d be happy to arrange dinner here with both of you so you could get to know her a bit better.”

  Shawn frowned. “Is this how courtships are usually carried out here?” He’d never had someone come right out and try to force him to get to know a young lady before, and the whole situation seemed extremely odd to him.

  Harriett laughed. “Not at all. Rose is just a special young lady, and I’m overly cautious.”

  His mind raced as he tried to figure out what he thought of her. “I think dinner would be a good idea. I can’t answer whether I think we’d suit, bec
ause honestly, I barely remember her. I am interested in marrying soon, though, so I’d be happy to get to know her.” Why not? It would certainly solve his loneliness problem if they suited well.

  Harriett nodded. She seemed surprised by his words, but she said nothing about it. “Would Monday night suit you?” She knew Rose would drop whatever she was doing if it gave her the chance to get to know Dr. Shawn better. Rose was set on marrying the man, and even Rose knew she had to have the man’s approval before it could happen.

  “That would be fine. What time?”

  “Seven?”

  “That would be perfect.” Forgetting about the tea that had yet to be served, Shawn got to his feet. “I look forward to seeing you then.” He nodded politely as he walked toward the door.

  Harriett got to hers. “Thank you for meeting with us.”

  As Harriett watched Shawn see himself out, she sat back down thoughtfully. “Do you think he had any inkling who Rose is?” Harriett’s eyes met Higgins’ with a worried frown.

  Higgins shook his head. “I’m really not certain. He didn’t know who she was at first. That much is certain.”

  “Are we making a mistake by introducing them?” Harriett was concerned that Rose would be hurt by the man.

  “I think Miss Rose is much too wrapped up in herself. Being rejected by a man would be good for her in a way it wouldn’t be for other young ladies. I don’t think we have much to worry about, though. I don’t think he’d ever hurt her.”

  Harriett nodded. “I hope not. She’s a sweet girl, and she doesn’t deserve that.”

  Chapter Two

  Rose stood in front of the looking glass in the bathroom at her house brushing her teeth. She’d bought a brand new toothbrush for the occasion and she was going to make sure her teeth sparkled. Normally when she got ready to go out somewhere, she spent most of her time on her hair, but he was a dentist. He wasn’t going to notice her hair. He’d only notice her teeth. Besides, her hair was already perfect as usual.

  Her mother had told her she had to take one of her sisters to dinner and she’d chosen Lily. Lily was always the easiest to take around men, because no one could ever be interested in Lily’s hoydenish attitude. You never knew if she was going to pick her nose or chew with her mouth open just to get a reaction. She’d been taught proper manners just as all her sisters had, but with Lily, they just didn’t seem to take.

  In a way, Rose felt sorry for Lily. In another year and a half, she’d be old enough to marry, but no men would be interested in her for anything other than their father’s wealth. Each of the sisters had a sizable dowry, and in a town like Seattle, that was common knowledge. No one had ever been interested in Rose for just her money, of course, but what else did Lily have to offer? A dinner she’d shot herself?

  Rose cringed slightly. Maybe after she and Dr. Shawn were married, she could take Lily under her wing and try to teach her to be more ladylike. Once Lily saw what a perfect life Rose had, she would surely want to have the same thing. Wouldn’t she? What woman wouldn’t want to be married to a handsome man and living a life of ease?

  She finally stopped brushing her teeth because her gums were starting to bleed and stepped into the hallway. Lily was leaning against the wall, waiting. Rose decided to be kind. “Lily, you should put your hair up tonight. The dress mother picked out for you is beautiful, but if you put your hair back, you’d look so much better.”

  Lily shook her head. “I like having my hair in braids. I don’t need to have some fancy hairstyle, because I’m not trying to catch a husband.” She walked past Rose into the bathroom and shut the door in her face.

  Rose just shrugged. She didn’t know why she even tried. Lily obviously was much too immature to be able to understand how important appearance was to a young lady.

  Rose felt like she had butterflies in her stomach the entire ride over to her uncle’s house. She knew she’d make a good impression, because she always did, but she needed to make the best impression she’d ever made. He was going to be her husband and the father of her children, after all. There wasn’t a more important man to her.

  He had just pulled up in his buggy and parked it in the street when their driver stopped in front of Uncle Max’s house. Lily jumped down quickly, but Rose waited for Dr. Shawn to come to the buggy and help her down. He did so like a true gentleman, holding her hand and smiling at her.

  He placed her hand on his arm and walked with her toward the house. She smiled up at him, her lashes mostly covering her eyes. She wanted him to see how ladylike and sweet she was. She’d perfected the moves when she was sixteen and all the boys in the area had fluttered around her like bees to honey before her aunt had married her uncle and ruined everything.

  “Were you busy at the office today?” she asked, her voice soft and sweet. He had to believe she was gentle in everything.

  He nodded. “No one in this area has ever seen a dentist. I’m pretty disgusted by the shape most people’s teeth are in. Has no one ever heard of a tooth brush?”

  Rose had a toothbrush at home, but truly had never used it more than once per month. She didn’t know how often you were supposed to use the thing. “I brush my teeth regularly,” she told him. Was regularly whenever she thought about it?

  He gave her an approving nod. “Brushing your teeth every day is important. More people should do that.”

  Every day? Rose vowed to start brushing her teeth as part of her morning routine. If it made Dr. Shawn happy, she’d do just about anything. “I agree.” The door was opened for them by a butler. Aunt Harriett didn’t usually have a butler, so she must have hired someone just for the evening. She did that when she was giving fancy parties.

  As annoyed with her aunt as Rose was that evening, she knew she’d worked hard to make sure Dr. Shawn was a good man, so she greeted her properly. She kissed her cheek and thanked her for the invitation. “How are you feeling, Aunt Harriett?”

  Harriett smiled, but looked a bit pale. “I’m okay. The morning sickness is hitting me all the time right now.”

  Rose shook her head in sympathy. “I’m sorry.” She sat down on the small sofa hoping Dr. Shawn would sit beside her, but instead, Lily took the spot. She was wearing a blue silk gown and had her hair in long braids. Why couldn’t she have put her hair up just once? And why on earth hadn’t she left the spot on the sofa open for Dr. Shawn?

  Shawn watched the two girls sitting together. Was that the girl who had been with Rose in the park? Had he even met Rose in the park? He waited for someone to introduce them, so he wouldn’t make the mistake of saying they’d met when he really wasn’t sure if they had.

  Rose smiled at him. “Do you remember my sister, Lily? She was with me in the park the day we met.”

  Shawn breathed a sigh of relief. She was the girl from the park, and he had met her sister. “Yes, of course. It’s good to see you again, Lily.” He smiled at the girl with the long braids, wondering how old she was. She looked to be at least sixteen, but by that age, most girls wore their hair up and not in braids. “Do you have any other sisters?” he asked politely.

  Rose nodded. “We have six younger sisters. I’m the oldest. I’ll be eighteen next week. Lily comes next. She’s sixteen and a half. Then Amaryllis is fifteen.”

  His brows drew together. “Are you all named after flowers?” He couldn’t remember when he’d met someone once. Give them all similar names and he was sunk. Maybe he could just shout out ‘flower’ and they’d all come running.

  Mrs. Farmer must have seen what was running through his head. She stood and limped to the corner of the room and picked up two small canvases. On each were miniature paintings of four girls, with their names painted beside them. “This was made for me when I married into the family two years ago.”

  He took the two canvases and smiled. The pictures were very well done and the names were written with careful lettering. “Is there a local artist who did this? This is beautiful.” His eyes skimmed through the names on the lists. Why
would anyone name their children after flowers?

  “My sister did it. She’s something of an artist.” Rose brought all the attention back to herself.

  “Which sister?” he asked, still studying the small portraits.

  “Violet. She’s the second to the youngest.”

  He looked through the faces and names until he came to Violet at the end. “She’s very talented.” He liked being able to put a face with the sister’s name so easily. Maybe she could paint something for his office.

  Rose nodded. “She is. She loves to paint so much, she spends all of her free time with a paintbrush in her hand.”

  He handed the canvases back to Mrs. Farmer. “Those are truly wonderful. I think they must have come in handy more than once.” He hoped if he married into the family someone would do something similar for him so he could learn all their names. Would Rose mind if he never figured out which of her sisters was which?

  Harriett nodded emphatically. “I think I’d still be calling each of them ‘flower’ if I hadn’t received those.”

  He looked back to Rose. “You don’t have any brothers?” He himself had two brothers, but no sisters. His mother had always lamented the fact that she had no daughters.

  “No. I do have a male cousin, though, but he’s just a baby.”

  Shawn’s eyes met Harriett’s. “Yours?” It was nice to know that males ran in the family. The idea of having a large number of daughters frightened him more than a little.

  She nodded. A man walked into the room then, obviously freshly bathed as his hair was still wet. He walked to Shawn and held his hand out to shake. “I’m Max Farmer.”

  Shawn nodded his head, gripping the other man’s hand tightly. “Dr. Shawn Henry.” He always used doctor when he introduced himself now. He loved the sound of the word when it was referring to him.