Dorothy (Orlan Orphans Book 7)

by Kirsten Osbourne

  At this, Edna Petunia and Cletus both bristled, and a few of the girls did as well. Edna and Cletus could have moved anywhere when they’d gotten married, but they’d specifically chosen their country town—and Cletus’s parents’ home—to settle down and raise their family.

  “Well, if he gives you any trouble, you tell him that he’ll need to deal with me.” Cletus couldn’t help but feel like an overprotective father whenever he felt one of his girls was threatened. But Dorothy laughed.

  “I don’t think that will be necessary, but I’ll let you know if anything changes. Now, what’s for dessert? I think I smell something delicious.” Minnie, one of the sisters who loved making people smile, stood up and brought over a chocolate cake to the table. As Dorothy tasted the fudgy dessert, she thanked her lucky stars that God had brought her and her sisters to the Sanders’.

  The following morning, Dorothy left extra early to make sure she arrived at Carter’s house on time. She was still tired and sore from the day before, but she was even more determined to show Carter that she could handle whatever he dished out.

  When she found him in his study, he was still wearing the same suit from the day before, but now it was wrinkled instead of crisp. His eyes were red-rimmed, and he looked as if he hadn’t gotten any sleep.

  “Were you working all night?” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop herself.

  “That’s none of your concern, Miss Sanders. I’d like you to start with these logs from Mr. Drake’s house. He kept a record of all his visitors from the year 1881 until his death last year. You’re looking for mention of a woman named Louise. That was Mr. Parrish’s mother.”

  Dorothy stared at Carter in disbelief. That was nearly three decades! But she bit her lip and took a deep breath.

  “Yes, sir.”

  Dorothy began to sift through the papers, still a bit wrinkled and messy from their previous disarray, and put them into some semblance of order. She briefly looked over at Carter, sitting in an armchair in the corner, reading through a thick legal book. She saw his eyes flutter shut and reopen a few times. A lock of hair had fallen into his face, and Dorothy suppressed the urge to walk over to him and push it back into place.

  “Excuse me, sir?”

  Carter blinked and rubbed his eyes. “Yes?”

  “Would you like me to make you some coffee?”

  “Yes, Miss Sanders. That would be appreciated. Make sure it doesn’t take too much time away from the logs, though. I have a busy afternoon planned.”

  Dorothy smiled to herself as she walked into the kitchen to make coffee. The man was obsessed with efficiency and work. She wished they had a little more time for pleasantries. She felt she knew next to nothing about the man she’d be spending so many hours alongside.

  That afternoon, Carter told her he needed to visit the town library, so Dorothy showed him the way there. When they entered the small library, Dorothy heard Carter raise his voice for the first time since she’d met him.

  “Where’s the rest of it?”

  “Shh!” Dorothy’s older sister, Gertrude, the town librarian, hushed them with a stern glare. Dorothy leaned closer to Carter.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, whispering

  “This can’t be the only library you have in town. Take me to the real library.”

  “This is the real library.” Dorothy was confused. Sure, the library was small, but what was he expecting? The library’s most popular visitors were school children and elderly people who had nothing better to do. Gertie kept a small collection that usually satisfied anyone who came in. An old man with a long, gray beard looked up from a newspaper he was reading, trying to hear what Carter and Dorothy were talking about.

  “I can’t wait to get back to the city. I hate it here.”

  Gertie marched over to them, an angry look on her face. She wasn’t Dorothy’s favorite sister, but she had a right to be mad. Carter was causing a fuss in the library.

  “How may I help you?” Gertie’s tone was polite but brisk. “I must remind you that there are children in this library.”

  “I need the latest legal journal from New York City. Where can I find it?”

  “We don’t have any of those. Is there anything else you need?”

  Carter let out a sigh of frustration, and his eyes blazed for a second. Dorothy glanced from her sister to her employer nervously.

  “How can you call this place a—”

  “We’ll be going now. We can send away for a copy of the journal by mail.” Dorothy interrupted Carter, then gently grabbed his arm and steered him out of the library. She knew it might get her in trouble, but she did not want to give Gertie further cause to be mad at her. Gertie was bossy and cranky, and when people upset her, she just acted even bossier and crankier. She was not pleasant to live with under those circumstances.

  Outside, Dorothy felt she needed to give Carter a piece of her mind. “Please keep your opinions to yourself. I’m sorry that our library didn’t have what you needed, but you have to understand, we’re a small town, and we don’t have all the same resources you do in a big city!”

  Carter was upset, but found himself suppressing a smile at Dorothy’s impassioned plea. She was lovely when she was angry, and despite it all, he enjoyed seeing her all riled up. Ordinarily, he would have been furious and unable to concentrate for hours over the issue, but now, he found himself lightening up.

  Dorothy wasn’t done yet, though. “Also, that was one of my sisters! I’d appreciate it if you showed some respect to my family.”

  Carter laughed, and Dorothy’s face grew even redder. But as he laughed, she felt the corners of her lips start to turn upward, and she wasn’t able to stop herself from bursting into laughter, too. She forgot what she was mad about, and just let herself enjoy the moment.

  Carter fought the urge to wrap his arms around Dorothy and pull her in for a kiss. His thought shocked him. He had never been attracted to any of the women he’d worked with before—then again, most of them had been old enough to be his mother! Dorothy was lovely, but he was her employer, and he needed to keep it professional. Still, he wondered more about her life and the seemingly-infinite number of sisters she seemed to have.

  He spoke again once the laughter had died down. “I think we’ve gotten off on the wrong foot.”

  “I think we have.”

  “Instead of complaining about everything, maybe I should have you show me around town. Take me to your favorite places. Show me what you see in Nowhere. I think that might help me…adjust to the surroundings better. And then I’d be able to focus on my work.”

  Dorothy shook her head, but she wore a silly grin. This man could not stop talking about work. She was thrilled at the chance to show him around the small town she had grown to call home. There was no way he wouldn’t fall in love with it too, once he saw what she saw.

  She certainly had her work cut out for her, but it was a job she couldn’t wait to start.

  Carter cleared his throat. He had gotten a bit carried away, and he needed to get back on track.

  “After the work day is done, of course.”

  “Of course, sir.”

  The rest of the afternoon passed quickly, as Dorothy thought about all her favorite places while she continued to search the logs for any record of Mr. Parrish’s mother. She was so preoccupied in her daydreams that she kept working past four o’clock, until Carter noticed the time and reminded her that he wasn’t paying overtime. “I do admire your work ethic, though.”

  “You never stop talking about work, do you?”

  Carter looked puzzled. “Outside of work, what is there to talk about?”

  Dorothy laughed out loud. “Just about everything! Family. Food. Places you’ve never been. Books you’re reading. Why, you’re the very definition of ‘all work and no play’.”

  “I suppose that’s true. But it’s important to me to do good work. That’s why I became a lawyer. To help people.”

  “I see. A
nd there’s a reason I became your secretary. To help you.”

  “And I am very grateful for that.” Carter stepped closer to Dorothy and took her hand.

  A shiver ran down her spine when Carter touched her. She felt nervous and exhilarated at the same time. “I’ll be back after supper.”

  “I’ll be waiting.”

  That evening, Dorothy shoveled her salt pork and beans into her mouth as fast as she could. She barely spoke to her family as they discussed the day’s events. Cletus was discussing his plans to run for town judge. He wanted Edna Petunia to sit for a portrait with him. He felt it would help establish his image as a candidate.

  “I don’t have any desire to be tormented for hours in a hot studio while some failed artist attempts to draw us.” Edna Petunia was not afraid to make her positions clear, something Dorothy loved about her adoptive mother. Cletus just grinned. The two were still as in love as they’d been when they’d married, and they never let the girls forget it.

  “Oh, snickerdoodle, it won’t be that awful. Why, there’s an artist traveling through town from Austin! He’d be perfect.”

  “What is it that makes people from the city think they’re so much better than everyone else?” Dorothy asked, causing everyone to stop eating and stare at her. It was the first thing she’d said all evening.

  “Something on your mind, darlin’?” Cletus could always sniff out trouble with his girls.

  Dorothy shook her head. “It’s nothing. I need to be excused, though, as I have plans this evening.”

  “Where are you going at this hour?” Alice was the most uptight of the sisters. She didn’t approve of fooling around or shenanigans of any sort, and she knew it was odd for Dorothy to have plans in the evening.

  “I’m showing Mr. Reeves around town to help him get to know it better. To show him all the things I like about Nowhere.”

  Edna Petunia clucked her tongue. “I don’t want to see you getting hurt, dear Dorothy. You’re so generous and loving to everyone. That’s mighty nice of you, but you let us know the instant that boy misbehaves.”

  “I will, Edna Petunia. I promise you that.”

  Dorothy cleared her plate and put her shoes on. As she rushed out the door, Cletus called out one final warning.

  “If it turns out well, just remember…Edna Petunia needs to be able to plan the wedding!”

  Dorothy laughed to herself. She knew there was no chance of that happening. At the same time, she found herself hoping it would. There was something special about her new employer—something that made her heart race.

  Chapter 3

  When Dorothy arrived at Carter’s house, she was pleased to see he had finally changed out of his rumpled clothes, and now wore a slightly less fancy suit. At least he’d tried to dress more like the locals.

  She wore the same dress she’d worn earlier, but she’d taken out her hairpins for the evening, allowing her hair to flow down her back.

  “You look lovely.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Are you going to tell me where we’re going first?” Carter seemed nervous and unsure.

  “No…it will be a surprise!” Dorothy grabbed his arm to guide him out the door. Carter turned to put his key into the lock.

  “Carter, you can’t be serious.”

  “What? What’s wrong?” Carter seemed even more nervous now. Dorothy laughed to put him at ease.

  “We’re in Nowhere, Texas. No one is going to break into your house. We have almost no crime here. No one locks their doors.”

  “That can’t be true.” Carter couldn’t imagine that all of the town’s residents would be so foolish. “That’s too dangerous.”

  “It’s very safe here. It’s one of the reasons I love Texas so much. In New York, we were kept safe because our matron watched over us, but our town wasn’t the best. I never felt truly safe until I came here and started living with Edna Petunia and Cletus.”

  Carter frowned. “I suppose, just this once, I could leave the door unlocked.”

  “Glad to hear it. Now, you follow me. Look straight ahead, don’t pay attention to any of the street signs or buildings, all right?”

  A few minutes later, Dorothy led Carter into town, her hand on his arm, guiding him gently. “Now close your eyes,” she whispered softly.

  Carter sighed but followed Dorothy’s instructions. “You’d better hope I don’t trip, because if I fall, I’m taking you down with me.”

  “Is that a threat, or a promise?” Dorothy grinned. She didn’t care that she was likely flirting with her boss. It was nighttime, and she was about to show Carter one of her favorite spots in the world.

  “Okay, now you can open them.” Dorothy watched eagerly as Carter opened his eyes and took in the surroundings. She had taken him to a spot in the back of the mercantile that overlooked a huge meadow. Dorothy had spent many a night sitting with Ruby, Lewis, and their children, talking and laughing after the store was closed for the day. She knew from those nights that the sunset hour was the best time to visit.

  She saw that she’d been right in bringing Carter there. His eyes were full of curiosity and light as he watched the sun set over the green pastures.

  “This is incredible.” It was the first truly positive thing Dorothy had heard Carter say. She liked hearing it.

  “This is just the start. I really do love it here.”

  “It’s so…peaceful.”

  “Exactly. That’s what I love about Nowhere. People may say it’s a small town and nothing ever happens here, but I disagree. There are plenty of people who keep things interesting around here.”

  “It’s great you’ve found a place to call home that you truly enjoy.”

  “Are you saying you haven’t found that?” Dorothy was surprised, because every time Carter talked about Austin, it seemed like he thought it was the best place in the world.

  Carter paused and looked deep into Dorothy’s eyes. “I love my home in Austin. I could never leave the city. But I’ve never had the experience you’re talking about. Where you feel like a place is home because of the people with you.”

  Dorothy’s breath caught in her throat. She wasn’t sure what to say.

  “I’m sorry. I’m getting ahead of myself. I’m probably just tired.” Carter mumbled excuses as he walked down a small embankment to get a better view of the meadow. Dorothy was disappointed, but knew better than to say anything. She reminded herself that this man was her employer.

  Carter struggled to get a hold of his feelings. He didn’t understand what was happening, but he felt like he was leading Dorothy on. She was such a sweet and wholesome girl—he had no intention of hurting her. Yes, he’d have to keep it professional for the duration of their working relationship. The problem was, he couldn’t keep his eyes off her.

  “No, I liked what you were saying before. I think one day, you’ll find someone who makes you want to be in the place they are. And then you’ll see what I mean.”

  “Maybe. In the city, unfortunately, I find when I call on women, I don’t care to call on them a second time.”

  Dorothy sucked in a breath. She felt pained when she heard Carter talk about other women. Was it jealousy? How could she be jealous of women she’d never met? “Well…what’s your ideal woman like? I bet you’ll find her.”

  Carter thought about this a moment as they stood outside, staring off into the distance of the meadow. The sun was setting, and it was getting cooler. Dorothy shivered a bit in her light dress, and Carter slipped off his suit jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. He stood behind her, holding the jacket in place.

  Dorothy felt a fluttery sensation in her stomach and loved feeling Carter’s strong arms wrapped around her body. She wished they could stand like that forever.

  “I suppose my perfect woman would work in an office, most likely, but she’d stop working when we married so she could keep my home. She’d probably love to go to the theater, and she’d like to read some of the same books and journals that I
like. That’s about as close as I can imagine.” Dorothy listened to Carter give his description with a sinking feeling of despair in the pit of her stomach. He had described a woman that couldn’t be further from who she was. Yet he was still holding onto her, keeping her warm…that had to count for something, right?

  They stood in silence for a while as the sun continued to retreat. Dorothy could see a few faint lights burning in farmhouses in the distance. Soon, it was almost black, save a few spots in the sky.

  “This is my favorite part.” Dorothy’s tone was hushed as she gazed at the beautiful stars. “I’ve heard that there are some cities where you can’t see the stars, because of the streetlights. Is that true?”

  Carter ran his hands up and down Dorothy’s arms, sending a tingle down her body. “I suppose in Austin, the street lamps do cause the stars to fade a bit. I’ve never really noticed. I love street lamps, though. How else do you see what’s going on? For example, how are we going to make our way back tonight?”

  “I think we’ll manage.” Dorothy’s heart was beating faster and faster by the minute. She’d never had a man’s arms around her before, and she was craving more.

  “Your turn to answer the question.” Carter gently spun Dorothy around so she was facing him.

  “What question?”

  “Who’s your perfect man? What’s he like?” Now it was Carter’s turn to look uncomfortable. He wanted to know, but he also didn’t want to know.

  “I have a better idea of how to have this conversation.” Dorothy walked toward the back of the mercantile, bent down near a table and some chairs by the back door, and grabbed a large blanket. She came back over to where Carter stood and spread the blanket out, then sat down and patted the ground next to her.

  They both laid down on the blanket and looked up at the stars. Dorothy couldn’t remember the last time she had been as relaxed, or at peace. She lost her train of thought as she enjoyed her surroundings…and Carter’s warm body next to her.

  “Hello? Did you forget the question?” Carter found himself anxious to hear what she had to say. It made no sense—but there he was, in the middle of Nowhere, Texas, staring at a pretty girl and waiting for her answer.