“Yes, sir.” Billy nodded his head and looked at Braxton with stormy gray eyes so like his. “Will you come, too?”
“I’ll join you later, but I have some things I must attend to first.” Braxton set the child on a chair beside him and pulled it close to his. He smiled at the boy’s mother as she took a seat across the table from him. “You’re looking lovely this morning, Charlotte.”
“Thank you, Brax. I appreciate the compliment.” The beautiful woman winked at him. “Please, sugar, won’t you join us? It’s been so long since we’ve had a good visit.”
“I really must see to a few matters, but I’ll do my best to join you this afternoon,” Braxton said. He buttered a piece of toast for Billy and set it on his plate. Affectionately, he ruffled the child’s hair before filling his own plate.
Charlotte offered him a becoming pout as she stirred sugar into her tea. “We hardly see you, Braxton. Billy and I miss spending time with you.”
“I know, and for that I’m sorry. I really will try to get to Greenville with more frequency in the future.”
From her hiding spot in the hall, Dacey watched as Braxton gave the woman named Charlotte a tender glance across the table. An undeniable look of pure love was on his face as he smiled at the child.
Tears stung her eyes as she backed away from the door and ran upstairs.
Arising early that morning, she thought perhaps she had overreacted the previous evening.
After going out to check on the horses and riding one of her favorites, she decided to give Braxton a chance to explain what Miranda had said, especially about him having a son.
She’d hurried to wash and change before joining the family in the breakfast room. The sight of Braxton tending to the child as he conversed with the dark-haired woman he’d been with last night caused her to hide just outside the door.
Swiftly concluding she hadn’t overreacted, she hastened to her room and began stuffing her belongings into the trunk on the floor of the closet. As she packed, she formulated a plan.
With Braxton’s mistress and son there, she couldn’t stay. She wouldn’t stay.
No one with a speck of sense or an ounce of pride would want to reside under the same roof as a man like that.
Thoughts of all his kindnesses, of all the entire family had done to make her feel welcome and loved poked at her heart, but she shoved the memories aside.
Fury added speed to her movements as she filled her valise with a change of clothes and her most necessary items.
Careful not to take anything Beatrice or Braxton had given her, she glanced around the room and made sure she hadn’t left anything of hers behind.
Resolute, she sat at the writing desk. She penned a note to Beatrice, another to Cornelia, then copied a forwarding address from a slip of paper she’d tucked into her coat pocket.
Three men interested in purchasing horses from Braxton had stopped by the previous week while Dacey worked with one of the colts in a pen near the barn.
One of the men had been quite taken with her ability and offered her a position on his horse farm if she ever needed one.
As Dacey once again found herself without a place to call home, she decided to take him up on the offer. If she could get into town, she’d send him a telegram then purchase a train ticket to his farm near Hendersonville. Cornelia would see that her trunk arrived at the farm.
Dacey opened her reticule and counted out the exact amount she thought it would take to send the trunk. She placed the money with the address on top of the trunk. Carefully setting her reticule inside her valise, she buckled the top closed.
Rather than risk anyone noticing her leaving, she stepped onto the balcony and surveyed the lawn below. No one was in sight, so she dropped her valise into the shrubs two stories down. She’d fish it out later when she was ready to leave.
Back inside the warmth of her room, Dacey experienced a moment of regret. She’d never had such a fine room, especially one with a bathroom. She’d miss the conveniences Bramble Hall offered, but most of all she’d miss the people.
Cornelia and Caroline were her friends.
Beatrice, and even Daniel, had become like parents to her.
Her heart skipped a beat as she thought about Braxton. Oh, how she loved him, loved everything about him.
And that was why she had to leave, immediately.
If she didn’t, she might be the next girl to succumb to his considerable charms. No matter how bad things seemed at the present, they’d be far worse when he tired of her and sent her away.
No, she’d leave now while nothing was wounded except her broken heart and a little piece of her pride for not realizing his true character sooner.
Still, it was hard to reconcile the Braxton she’d come to know with the womanizing rake Miss Beaudry described.
Regardless, the proof of his actions sat at the breakfast table next to him.
Determined to move forward and not look back at the wonderful weeks she spent at Bramble Hall, Dacey studied her room one last time then walked out the door, shutting it behind her.
Quietly, she crept along the hall to the servant’s stairs and made her way to the kitchen where she talked Cook into giving her bread slathered with apple butter.
That was one more thing she’d sorely miss. Although she’d never tasted apple butter before arriving in Asheville, it took no time at all for her develop a fondness for the autumn-flavored treat.
“The family is still eating breakfast, miss. You should join them,” Cook said as she handed Dacey two slices of warm bread spread with a thick layer of apple butter.
“No. I want to get to work early this morning.” Dacey smiled fondly at the cook. “Thank you for being so kind to me and for making such delicious food.”
“You’re most welcome, Miss Butler.” Cook gave her a baffled glance. “Is there something…”
“Have a wonderful morning. I’ll see you later.” Impulsively, Dacey hugged the woman and hustled outside, munching on the bread as she hurried around the house and retrieved her valise from the bushes.
She kept to the shadows and crept toward the river. From riding horses all over the property with Braxton, she knew she could follow it then cut through the apple orchard to take a mile off her walk into town.
Although the sun shone overhead, it was cold out. By the time she reached town, her fingers felt numb even through her gloves.
The extra pair of socks she’d donned to keep her feet warm caused her boots to pinch her toes. Convinced she’d developed at least one blister, she didn’t have time to worry about it as she headed directly to the train depot.
The station office was open, so she walked inside and smiled at Mr. Jones when he glanced up at her.
“Miss Butler. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit this morning?” he asked, straightening the papers in front of him as he spoke.
Dacey almost giggled at the gesture that had to be a habit. She stepped up to the counter and gave him her most charming smile. “I need a ticket to Hendersonville, if you please, Mr. Jones.”
“Round trip?” he asked.
“No, sir. A one-way ticket. I’m not sure how long I’ll be there.” Dacey glanced around, glad no one else was in the room. The fewer witnesses who saw her run away from Bramble Hall, the better.
Mr. Jones gave her a curious look. “Are you taking your trunk?”
“No, sir. Only my valise.”
“I see,” the man said cryptically. “And you want to leave on today’s train. One ticket. To Hendersonville.”
Dacey wanted to stamp her foot. Were all agents so reluctant to sell a potential passenger a ticket? On the other hand, did Mr. Jones suspect she was running away? Either way, it really wasn’t any of his concern.
“There is a train heading there today, isn’t there?” she asked.
“Yes, indeed. It will pull out of the station at a few minutes past noon.”
Relieved she’d only have to wait a few hours, she smiled at him a
gain. “Then I’d like one ticket to be on it when it leaves.”
“Are you sure, Miss Butler? I thought you were staying at Bramble Hall. In fact, you were at the Harvest Ball last evening, weren’t you? I thought I caught a glimpse of you dancing with young Mr. Douglas.”
“Yes, I did dance with him and it was a grand ball. The grandest I’ve ever seen.” Dacey realized if she didn’t have a good reason to be on that train, Mr. Jones would refuse to sell her a ticket. “The Douglas family is still entertaining visiting guests, so I’m traveling to Hendersonville to meet with one of Braxton’s horse buyers.”
Word of Dacey’s talent with horses and her work with them at Bramble Hall had spread quickly through town. Based on that, it wouldn’t seem too far-fetched for her to discuss horse business with an out-of-town buyer.
At least she hoped it wouldn’t.
While she was at it, Dacey hoped she wouldn’t be condemned for stretching the truth. Everything she said was true, just not the implication that she was meeting with the buyer on behalf of Braxton.
Mr. Jones stared at her for a long moment before nodding his head then turning around to get her ticket.
“I also need to send a telegram.”
He gave her the price for the ticket and telegram. She dug the funds from her reticule after digging it out of her valise. She removed the correct amount of money then hung the reticule from her wrist. With the train ticket safely tucked into her coat pocket, she glanced at the big clock on the wall.
“Mr. Jones, would you mind if I left my valise here until the train arrives? I have a few errands to attend to before I leave town.”
“That’s fine. Give it to me and I’ll set it here behind the counter.”
Dacey handed over her few precious belongings and thanked the man. “I’ll be back before noon.”
“See that you are, or you’ll have a long walk to Hendersonville.”
She grinned and sailed out the door.
As she meandered along the street, once again looking in store windows, she thought of how frightened and unsure she’d been when she’d first arrived in town.
Now, she felt plagued by similar feelings, compounded by the regret of leaving Beatrice without a spoken word of thanks or a proper goodbye. Thoughts of Braxton made tears sting her eyes.
Purposely she ignored the pain taking up residence inside her chest in place of her heart. Falling in love with Braxton taught her a valuable lesson. One she wouldn’t forget or repeat.
When something seems too good to be true, it generally is.
Chapter Eleven
“Dacey! What a pleasant surprise!” Ellie Howell hurried around the counter to give her a hug as she entered the store. “What are you doing in town today?”
“Oh, I had a few errands to run.”
“I’m so glad you stopped by the store. Will you stay for a cup of tea?” Ellie asked with a hopeful gleam in her eye.
“I’d love a cup of tea, if you have time.”
“I do,” Ellie said, pulling Dacey over to the table where she’d sat and eaten a sandwich the day she first arrived in town.
Melancholy feelings swept over her, but she did her best to hide them with a bright smile.
As Ellie took a seat beside her and poured a cup of tea, Dacey breathed in the fragrant steam, cradling the cup in her hands and relishing the warmth it provided. “So, Ellie, what did you think of the ball last night?”
“I think it was the best one yet. Did you see Mrs. Ralston? She had the gown with…”
Dacey hid her grin behind her teacup as Ellie spent the next hour discussing her favorite gowns, hairstyles, food, and decorations from the previous evening’s festivities.
“Did you see my Ernie? Didn’t he look handsome?” Ellie beamed with pride as she mentioned her son.
Dacey decided a horrible flaw existed in local mothers, enabling them to see only the good in their offspring. Everyone in town except Ellie knew Ernie Howell was lazy and conniving, out to break as many hearts as possible.
Evidently, people in Asheville knew the truth about Braxton Douglas, too, even if they chose to ignore it.
Determined not to think about him, Dacey smiled at Ellie. “Ernie did look quite handsome. I saw him dancing with Miranda Beaudry. They made quite a striking couple.”
“Oh, gracious, I must have missed that. I hope he didn’t take an interest in that girl. She’s nothing but trouble.”
“Why do you say that, Ellie?” Dacey asked, suddenly very interested in Ellie’s opinions.
“She’d rather lie than tell the truth and she all but accused Braxton of compromising her virtue in a desperate attempt to force him into marriage.” Ellie leaned closer and lowered her voice to a whisper. “Even if he had, which no one believes, Miranda used that particular ploy before. The first boy she accused ran away from home to escape the horrible rumors, none of which was true. He hasn’t set foot in town since then, and that was five years ago.”
Startled by this revelation, Dacey began to wonder if perhaps Miranda had lied to her, attempting to stir up trouble.
Then a vision of the dark-haired beauty and her son came to mind. There had to be some truth to Miranda’s words. Nothing else explained the existence of the child who looked so much like Braxton.
Disheartened, Dacey glanced at the clock near the door and decided it was time to return to the depot. She rose to her feet and watched as Ellie stood.
“I wanted to thank you, Ellie, for your friendship and for being the first person to make me feel welcome in town.”
The woman gave her a warm hug. “You are an easy girl to like, Dacey Butler. Now, before you make me all teary-eyed, you best get on with your errands. I heard Beatrice mention something about taking you on a carriage ride this afternoon.”
“Yes, I suppose I better hurry on my way. I don’t want to miss out on any exciting plans.” Dacey tugged gloves onto her fingers and hugged Ellie again before she rushed out the door and wandered back through town to the depot.
When she entered the ticket office, Mr. Jones glanced up at her as he helped several customers at the counter.
Once the line cleared, she stepped up to the counter and he handed over her valise. “Are you sure you must make this trip today, Miss Butler?”
“Absolutely certain, Mr. Jones, but I thank you for your concern.”
He nodded his head and turned to the next customer.
Dacey took a seat on a hard wooden bench near the stove and soaked up the warmth. Absently, she wondered if she’d ever feel as warm and secure as she had at Bramble Hall. Even growing up on the ranch, she’d never experienced such a sense of belonging.
Desperate for a distraction, she picked up a discarded newspaper from the previous day and read the front page.
She noticed an advertisement for the Crystal Palace with a drawing of a beautiful lamp that guaranteed remarkable goods including crockery, lamps, household furnishings, and glassware.
An advertisement for the Bon Marche promised new novelties arrived daily that were both beautiful and cheap.
Dacey grinned at the choice of wording in the listing and continued perusing the page. An announcement for a furniture store inviting customers to come by to see their new stock caused her to reread it when she noticed a line promoting undertaking as a special feature. Disturbed by the morbid thoughts that generated, she looked outside as the train rolled into the station.
She stood and watched passengers disembark before the call came to board. She nodded once more to Mr. Jones then hurried to find a seat near a window. Although it wasn’t a long trip, she wanted to watch the landscape on her way to Hendersonville.
The train chugged away from the station on time, much to her relief. Every moment she spent in town, she worried that someone from Bramble Hall might appear and demand an explanation for her abrupt departure.
Dacey settled into her seat, mentally closing another chapter of her life. She would have to write Josephine, Della, India, and Chev
onne as soon as she acquired a new position and update her former roommates on what had transpired.
The train had traveled only a few miles when she glanced out the window and watched a rider approach on a fast moving horse. The man waved, trying to catch the engineer’s attention, then finally gave up. He rode the horse beside one of the cars ahead of Dacey. She saw him reach out to grasp the railing above a set of steps.
Afraid they were about to be the victims of a robbery, she joined others in the car as they tried to see if the man managed to board the train.
It didn’t take long until a hatless man opened the door to their car and studied the faces of the occupants.
Dacey sucked in a gulp of air when Braxton’s silvery gaze collided with hers. Purposeful, he marched down the aisle as she looked around for a means of escape. With none available, she wanted to squirm or hide beneath the seat when he stopped next to her.
His eyes held a mixture of hurt, anger, disappointment, and confusion as he sank down beside her.
“What are you doing?” she hissed, aware that every set of eyes in the train car stared at them.
“Apparently, I’m going with you to Hendersonville to talk to a horse buyer.” Braxton unhurriedly removed one leather glove then the other, stuffing them into his coat pocket. “At least that was the story Mr. Jones told me when I arrived at the depot.”
The reaction of her traitorous body to Braxton unsettled her. While her mouth watered at the familiar welcome scent of him, the heat of his presence penetrated her side, leaving her warm and languid. Her heart cheered that he’d sought her out.
Panic set in when she realized he must have come expecting payment for all his family had done for her since she arrived at Bramble Hall. With only a few dollars left to her name, there was no possibility she could pay him back, especially given the exorbitant amount of money his mother had spent on clothes and accessories for her.
The conductor rushed into the car and hurried over to Braxton. After he paid the fare for a ticket, the man left, grumbling about young lovers being the death of him.
Dacey: Bride of North Carolina (Amercan Mail-Order Bride 12) Page 10
