by Bess McBride
“Can we go, Constance? I’m afraid he’ll reach his office and see us leaving from a window.”
“Yes, certainly, of course. I am very sorry about this, Ellie. I should have had the driver find another shop.” She rose from the table.
Ellie rose on shaking knees and held onto the back of her chair. “No, no, that’s not your fault. But to see him so soon...” She wondered if her face was as pale as it felt. “I had hoped to be settled before I saw him next...if ever.”
Constance moved toward the door, and Ellie followed her outside. Ellie cringed when she saw that their carriage was down the road about a block. She felt exposed and vulnerable to the three-story building across the street with seemingly hundreds of windows, and she turned her back to the street to hide her face. She heard the clop of the horses’ hooves nearing, though the carriage’s progress seemed unbearably slow.
“The carriage is here, Ellie. Get in.” Ellie turned and climbed in, and Constance followed. The carriage started forward, and with a sigh of relief, Ellie peeked out to study the building where Robert worked. She gasped when she saw Robert standing on the sidewalk staring after their carriage, and she ducked her head back in to press back into the corner of her seat.
“He saw us, Constance. Oh, I can’t believe I had to stick my head out the window.” Ellie felt perfectly awful, her eyes threatened to release a torrent of tears.
“Are you sure? Ellie, I cannot tell you how sorry I am. What a silly decision on my part.”
“Yes, I’m sure he saw. He was standing in front of the bank watching the carriage.”
Constance peered out the window.
“I do not see him, Ellie.”
Ellie took another chance and stuck her head out the window again to look behind. Robert no longer stood on the sidewalk, but his carriage was in motion, and it moved in their direction!
Chapter Thirteen
Ellie pulled her head back in, banging her hat on the edge of the door. With wild eyes, she turned to Constance. “He’s right behind us! I-I think he’s following us. Can the driver speed up?” Visions of old western movies with masked desperados chasing racing stagecoaches as they careened wildly out of control popped into her mind.
Constance stared at Ellie with round eyes and shook her head slowly.
“Speed up? Do you mean go faster?”
Ellie gave her a fervent nod.
“We cannot go faster, Ellie. This is a city street. Robert is a gentleman. He would not follow us to the boarding house. That would be quite irregular for a man of his upbringing and stature.”
Ellie eyed her skeptically, remembering the only boyfriend she’d had in her teen years—a romance lasting one whole week, and how she’d followed him one night to another girl’s house. Had things really changed that much in a hundred years?
“Are you sure, Constance?”
Constance nodded firmly. “Yes. If Robert really wants to talk to you, I am sure he will contact me, and I will let you know. Remember, he thinks you are engaged. I do not see Robert as the sort of man who would interfere with such a promise.”
It was all Ellie could do not to peek outside the carriage again, but she resisted the compelling urge. Not to mention her head hurt where her hatpin must have pulled out hair when she’d smacked her hat on the carriage window.
The ride back to the rooming house seemed to take forever, and in between bouts of overwhelming anxiety, Ellie tried to understand the origin of her fear. Was she afraid to face Robert, to reaffirm that she was indeed engaged and not available? Lies, all lies. Was she afraid that with one look into his emerald green eyes she would fly into his arms and beg him to take her back? True. Was she afraid that he just wanted to have one last conversation with her, to tell her he despised her? All of the above were correct.
At long last, the carriage pulled up to the sweetly painted Victorian house fronted by rose bushes in riotous bloom, and Constance stepped out. Ellie kept her head inside but peeked through the window. She saw no other conveyances on the quiet, tree-lined street.
“Well, of all the nerve!” Constance muttered as she stared down the street.
“What?” Ellie froze, bent over awkwardly as she prepared to descend from the carriage.
“Wait right there. I am going to have a word with him.”
Ellie swallowed hard. Was it Robert? Her back began to hurt from the unnatural posture. Should she sit down or get out of the carriage? She couldn’t stand in her current ridiculous position any longer.
She cautiously stepped down and saw Robert’s carriage pulled up near some neighboring houses. He wasn’t visible, but Constance stood at the foot of his carriage seemingly in a heated discussion as she pointed to her own carriage and vehemently shook her head.
Unsure of what to do, Ellie threw one look at Robert’s driver, who watched Constance curiously, and then made a mad dash for the front door of the house. She closed the heavy teak door behind her and turned to peer out of the lovely leaded glass. Robert had now descended from his carriage, and he pointed to the house.
“Ellie! How was your day?”
Ellie whirled around to see Mrs. McGuire emerging from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a white apron.
“Oh, wonderful. We managed to do a lot of shopping.” She twisted around to look out the door once again.
“Where are your bags? Are they out in the carriage? Shall I help you carry them in?”
“No!” Ellie almost shrieked. She blushed at the startled look on Mrs. McGuire’s face. “No, thank you. Mrs. Green will help me with them. She is just talking to someone right now.”
Mrs. McGuire moved to the door to peer out. “Oh, I see. Is that...? Is that Mr. Robert Chamberlain?” she exclaimed. “Why, yes, it is! How wonderful! I think I’ll just go and say hello.”
Before Ellie knew what was happening, Mrs. McGuire had pulled open the door and stepped onto the porch to wave at Robert. Ellie slumped against the nearest wall. Had the world suddenly gone mad? How could Mrs. McGuire possibly know Robert?
She peered out again to see Mrs. McGuire approach the carriage. Robert and Constance turned, and then Robert shook Mrs. McGuire’s hand with his ready smile and a slight dip of his handsome head. Even from this distance Ellie could see that Mrs. McGuire was under his thrall. Wasn’t everybody? Ellie fumed.
In unison, all three turned toward the house. Ellie panicked. Robert was going to come in. What should she do? She eyed the staircase, wondering if she could drag her skirts up to the second floor in time to avoid a meeting. Without further thought, she grabbed a handful of material, bunched it up around her knees and took two steps.
“Ellie...Miss Standish. Mr. Chamberlain and Mrs. Green are staying to tea. Won’t you join us?” Mrs. McGuire sang out to her retreating back.
Ellie dropped her skirts and turned around on the stairs. She grasped the banister with a cold, clammy palm. Mrs. McGuire beamed, Constance eyed her with a mixture of apprehension and apology, and Robert watched her with a small enigmatic smile.
“Well, I was just about to—”
“Yes, Miss Standish, please join us,” Robert said smoothly. “You might not know, Mrs. McGuire, but Miss Standish is already a friend of my family.” He turned on the charm and flashed his captivating boyish dimples at Mrs. McGuire.
The older woman turned to Robert with rosy cheeks. “No, I did not know that. Though why would I? Ellie, Mr. Chamberlain is my banker. He helped me keep my house when my husband died. Please come down to tea, my dear.”
Ellie could do nothing but return to the ground floor. Mrs. McGuire showed them to the parlor with promises to return momentarily with refreshment.
Robert paused at the door and allowed Constance and Ellie to enter ahead of him. Constance seated herself on the lovely rose sofa. Ellie dropped down beside her, keeping her eyes on the dark blue and old rose oriental carpet, though she watched Robert in her peripheral vision. He walked over to the window and gazed out onto the street with his hands clasped be
hind his back. Ellie threw Constance a quick inquiring look, but Constance gave her head a small shake and an almost imperceptible shrug of her elegant shoulders.
Robert returned to stand by the fireplace. Out of the corner of her eye, Ellie watched him lean one arm on the mantle and stare down into the empty hearth. She fixed her eyes back on the carpeting, willing Mrs. McGuire to return as soon as possible.
“Well, ladies, I find myself at a loss for words.” A small mirthless chuckle followed Robert’s words.
Ellie’s eyes flew to his face. His eyes were those of a stranger, his smile polished but flat. He looked at Ellie without expression and then to Constance.
Ellie slid her eyes to Constance who stared at Robert with narrowed eyes and pink spots on her cheeks.
“Now, see here, Robert—” Constance began.
The door opened, and Mrs. McGuire entered with the tea service. Robert sprang forward to close the door behind her.
“Well, here we are. Isn’t this cozy?” the effervescent little woman asked as she set the tray down on the small coffee table in front of the sofa.
Ellie didn’t particularly think so, and Constance looked like she wished herself elsewhere. Robert’s face reanimated at Mrs. McGuire’s arrival.
She poured four cups of tea, handed them out with sugars or cream as her guests desired and seated herself in a high-backed, dark blue velvet chair. Robert took the seat beside her and across from the sofa. Ellie kept her eyes on her tea, seemingly intent on divining her future in the bottom of the cup.
“Well!” the happy hostess murmured. “Seattle is such a small world. Who could suspect we would all know each other?”
Ellie’s eyes flew to Robert, though he beamed at Mrs. McGuire. Who knew, indeed?
“I must say, Mrs. McGuire, that it was with some surprise that I found both Mrs. Green and Miss Standish here today. I just happened along the street and saw them descending from the carriage in front of your lovely home...and now here I am, having tea with a bevy of beautiful women. How fortunate can one man be?”
Mrs. McGuire tittered and blushed, while Ellie dropped her jaw at Robert’s blatant lie and flirtatious lines. She slid a look toward Constance whose lips twitched as she watched Robert.
“Oh, for goodness’ sake, Mr. Chamberlain, I am sure you must not include me in your bevy.” Mrs. McGuire delicately raised a small linen napkin to her face.
“Oh, but I do, Mrs. McGuire.”
Ellie gulped her tea and relaxed into her seat to watch Robert at his finest. Perhaps the two of them would chat the entire time, and she could escape without a word.
“Ellie, how do you come to know Mr. Chamberlain and his family? Do you bank with him?”
Her eyes flew to Robert who turned to watch her with the same half smile she could not interpret.
“Um...I...uh...met them on the train.”
“Oh, really! How nice!” Mrs. McGuire took a sip of tea. “I must tell you that when Mr. McGuire passed on, he left me in quite a pickle with the house. It was not paid for, and he left little insurance, so Mr. Chamberlain suggested I turn the house into a boarding establishment. He made all the arrangements for the bank to accept payments from the profits of the house. I consider him a most trusted financial advisor...and a dear friend.” She beamed and reached over to pat his hand as it rested on his knee.
Robert had the grace to blush.
“It was my pleasure, Mrs. McGuire. I must say you are doing a remarkable job.”
“Thank you.” She eyed him with a twist of her lips. “Although I should note that this is the first time Mr. Chamberlain has had time to accept my invitation to tea. He works very hard and has little time for socializing.”
Robert cast a quick, enigmatic glance at Ellie before he looked away to take a sip of tea.
“Yes, that is true, Mrs. McGuire,” Constance chimed in with an amused note in her voice. “In all the years I have known Robert, I do not think he has taken more than an hour or two at lunch. Now, I have seen him on several outings over the last few days. How nice of you to join us today, Robert.” She smiled innocently.
“Well, as I mentioned, I was in the neighborhood and...ah—”
“Yes, you did mention that. And what brings you to this neighborhood, Mr. Chamberlain?” Ellie surprised herself most of all when she spoke. She hoped to tease him as Constance had, to watch the adorable color on his grave face.
Robert’s eyes narrowed and he turned in her direction, staring hard at her. “Well, the truth is, Miss Standish, I thought I saw an old friend of mine with whom I had a misunderstanding. I heard that he became engaged recently, and I wanted to congratulate him and tell him we must let bygones be bygones.” High color stained his cheeks and he tightened his lips. “But alas, I could not catch up to him. Now, perhaps I will never get a chance to talk to him again.”
Tears sprang to Ellie’s eyes, and she ran a hand over her face as if she had a headache. From the side, she saw Constance throw a mortified glance her way.
“I miss my friend,” Robert added in a quiet note.
“Oh, my dear Mr. Chamberlain, what a sad story. Is there no hope of reconciliation? Do you know where he lives? Can you drop him a note?”
Robert shook his head. “No, Mrs. McGuire, I do not know where he lives. I am afraid there is no hope of reconciliation. It seems he is lost to me forever.”
Ellie couldn’t hold back a sob, and she jumped up. “Excuse me. I have such a headache.” She stumbled toward the exit, but Robert jumped up to open the door for her. He turned his back to the room and brushed tender fingers against the side of her face as she passed.
“Ellie.”
She heard him whisper her name, but she turned away as she grabbed her skirts and flew up the stairs to her room. Heedless of the pain, she dragged off her hat, threw herself on the bed and buried her face in her pillow, sobbing and sobbing like she had never cried before. Within ten minutes, a small tap on the door heralded the arrival of Constance. She came in at Ellie’s response and sat down on the edge of the bed. Ellie wiped her face on the back of her sleeve and turned on her side, pulling her knees up in a modified fetal position.
“Ellie, do you really have a headache? I am so sorry you feel poorly.”
Ellie nodded, wishing for nothing more than the over-the-counter pain reliever sitting in her medicine cabinet at home.
Constance peered sympathetically at Ellie’s face. “You have been crying. Robert’s story was quite a ploy to make you feel bad, was it not?”
Ellie rubbed her head against the pillow and nodded. “I guess I deserve it. I should have had the courage to tell him in person that I was leaving, but I wasn’t sure if I could leave once I saw him.”
“I understand,” Constance murmured. “Robert and the driver brought in your bags. They are downstairs.”
“Is he gone?” Ellie sniffed.
Constance nodded. “Yes. He made his excuses as soon as you left.”
“Mrs. McGuire really loves him, doesn’t she?”
“Many people do. He is known to be a very generous and kind man.”
Ellie pushed herself up into a sitting position. She held her pillow to her chest and rested her face against it.
“Why hasn’t he married before now, Constance?”
Constance blushed. “I do not know. You know, of course, that I hoped he would ask me after my husband died. But that did not happen, and I know now it never will.”
Ellie nuzzled the edge of her pillow.
“He told me that he hadn’t found a woman who could put up with him yet, and then he said he had never fallen in love.” She looked at Constance. “How is it possible to be in one’s thirties and never have fallen in love?” At her words, she saw Kyle’s face. Had she ever really been in love with him?
Constance stared out the window above Ellie’s bed. “I do not know. I fell in love at eighteen with the most wonderful young man...my husband.” She sighed. “Robert works a great deal. He has always worked h
ard to support his family. His parents died when Melinda was young, and he took over parental duties. I do not think he ever had many opportunities to gad about town as a young bachelor might.”
“But the train trip. He seemed so relaxed. And all those young women?”
Constance scoffed. “Girls! I know for certain that Robert is not interested in young girls. Those are Melinda’s friends, and while his grandmother would prefer he choose someone that young for...em...the purposes of bearing a large, healthy family, he is not attracted to young, simpering girls.”
“Are you certain you and he...?” It galled Ellie to ask, but if she had to give him up to someone, she preferred it be Constance.
Constance flushed and shook her head. No, I am certain I am not the woman for him. At any rate, I have met someone who seems interested in me.”
Ellie dropped her pillow. “Who?” she asked with wide eyes.
“A certain Mr. Malcolm Stidwell. Perhaps you met him? At the dinner party the other night?” Constance took on a girlish coyness that brought a sparkle to her dark eyes.
Ellie grinned. “The handsome man with the silver hair.”
“Yes, silver hair.”
Ellie leaned forward to give Constance an unexpected hug. “Oh, good for you, Constance!”
“Well, we will see. I do not know how we will get along, but I am to go to the park with him tomorrow.”
“Fabulous!” Ellie leaned back and surveyed Constance, whose cheeks burned bright.
“As you say, fabulous!” Constance eyed Ellie thoughtfully. “Ellie, you should come with us. Please say you will.”
“Oh, Constance, I can’t. I mean...it’s your first date. How would that look? You don’t want me there.”
