Davenport House 4: Heiress Interrupted

by Marie Silk

  Contents

  Davenport House Books by Marie Silk

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  About the Author

  Davenport House Books by Marie Silk

  BOOK ONE

  Davenport House

  BOOK TWO

  Davenport House

  A New Chapter

  BOOK THREE

  Davenport House

  A Mother’s Love

  BOOK FOUR

  Davenport House

  Heiress Interrupted

  BOOK FIVE

  Davenport House

  For the Cause

  Chapter 1

  “Nellie, try this one.” Mrs. Whitmore handed her daughter another hat with seemingly endless frills.

  “Mother, this is outrageous,” Nellie replied, pulling at the excess of feathers and buttons.

  “It is the only way you will have the biggest hat in the parade,” her mother answered.

  Nellie rolled her eyes. The Easter Parade in New York City was an important event to most upper class families, but not to her. She would rather be doing anything than parading down the street in a hat that weighed as much as a lap dog.

  “I do not care if it is the biggest. I cannot wear this silly thing,” Nellie argued, much to the dismay of the store clerk. The clerk gingerly lifted the hat from Nellie’s grasp and placed it back among the display shelves.

  “You need to be noticed if you are to catch a husband,” Mrs. Whitmore reminded her. “You are not getting any younger. You must be noticed now, before it is too late.”

  “Why would it be too late?” Nellie asked curiously. Her mother was about to answer just as Mr. Whitmore emerged through the door of the hat shop.

  “Haven’t you ladies decided yet?” he huffed, looking over the dozen hats displayed near his daughter. Nellie shook her head and Mrs. Whitmore gave her husband a look. Mr. Whitmore turned to the clerk. “We will take all of them,” he muttered, eager to bring the shopping trip to an end. Nellie shook her head, knowing that she already owned more hats than she would ever wear. The clerk scurried away happily to collect enough hat boxes. Mr. Whitmore gave his wife a look that seemed to ask a question, but she shook her head in response.

  “What is it?” Nellie asked.

  “We will explain later, when we get back to the house,” her mother answered.

  The Easter Parade was in full swing the next afternoon. Ladies strutted through the street as expected with their showy hats and dresses. Some held ornate parasols and the spectators oohed and awed. Nellie shook her head as she pinned on the hat covered in flowers and other notions that her mother had finally chosen. She sighed at her reflection in the vanity mirror. “This is hideous,” she grimaced. “At least Mother will be happy.” Nellie joined the other ladies walking down the street and smiled at the people watching, who were busy judging among themselves who was the best dressed. Nellie could not help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. She wondered if her friend Mary would believe how silly everyone got about the Easter Parade. Mary Davenport lived in the countryside of Pennsylvania and did not often leave home for such events.

  When the parade was finally over, Nellie stretched her neck in relief, removing the heavy hat from her head. “Nellie!” her mother scolded. “We are not even back to the hotel yet.” Ladies were not considered fully dressed in public without their hats.

  Nellie groaned. “Can’t I go sit in the carriage until Father is through talking with those men?”

  “Wait a moment, there is someone I would like you to meet first. He is son to the Goldsteins, and he has expressed an interest in getting to know you,” Mrs. Whitmore said with a smile.

  “Which one is he?” Nellie asked. Mrs. Whitmore discreetly nodded her head in the direction of a man who was approaching them. When Nellie saw the man, she made a face at her mother, at which Mrs. Whitmore returned a stern look.

  “Mr. Goldstein, allow me to introduce my daughter, Nellie,” Mrs. Whitmore greeted.

  Simon Goldstein smiled wide at the attractive young lady in front of him. Nellie had a fair complexion framed in delicate blonde curls. She never had trouble gaining the attention of men, she simply did not care for the ones she met. “I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Whitmore,” Simon told her.

  Nellie forced a smile. “I am pleased to make your acquaintance,” she replied quietly.

  “Your hat is—elegant,” he stammered.

  Nellie could not help but laugh. Another stern look from her mother caused Nellie to turn to Simon and speak quickly. “Thank you. I was just leaving to wait in my father’s carriage. I must get out of the sun. Good day, Mr. Goldstein.” Nellie turned on her heel and left the sidewalk.

  “Forgive me, Mr. Goldstein. My daughter seems weary from the days’ events. Please visit us in Lancaster sometime when you have the chance,” Mrs. Whitmore apologized. Simon nodded and went on his way. Mrs. Whitmore arrived at the carriage where her daughter was waiting.

  “What was wrong with Mr. Goldstein?” she asked, sounding tired.

  Nellie shrugged. “He does not have the sort of face I like,” she answered, even though she did not have a good reason for disliking him.

  “Well, what sort of face do you like?” Mrs. Whitmore pleaded.

  Nellie smiled dreamily. “You have seen the stable boy at Davenport House. I like his face very much.”

  “You know that such an arrangement is terribly improper, and do not say this to your father. You know how it provokes him to hear you talk of the Davenport’s stable boy. Your father has not worked this hard to secure our future to see it all go to a servant who lives with horses.” Mrs. Whitmore looked exasperated of having this conversation with her daughter. She leaned back against the leather seat and closed her eyes, waiting for the carriage to take them home to Lancaster.

  It was weeks later while at their grand house that Mr. Whitmore summoned his daughter to the drawing room. He stood by the marble fireplace, leaning his elbow on the mantle with one arm while he held his pipe with the other. Nellie came to the room obediently and saw her mother reclined on a fainting couch. Mrs. Whitmore smiled when Nellie entered the room and Nellie smiled back. “What is this about?” she inquired.

  “You should sit down for this,” Mr. Whitmore suggested. Nellie seated herself next to her mother, who appeared unusually pale and wore a shawl around her shoulders.

  “Are you feeling ill, Mother?” Nellie asked in concern.

  “I am with child, Nellie,” Mrs. Whitmore answered softly.

  Nellie raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Oh, Mother, how wonderful! I adore babies.”

  “This changes things for you, Nellie,” her father continued in a business-like manner. “It is a family tradition for the eldest male to inherit entirely. Your mother and I have chosen to keep this tradition, if we indeed have a son.”

  “Do you mean to say that I will inherit nothing if the baby is a boy?” questioned Nellie.

  “You understand correctly. However, if we are to have another daughter, the fortune will be divided between the two of you equally,” her father answered.

  Nellie stared in bewilderment. She had never considered that she could lose her inheritance. It was a certainty that she had taken for granted her whole life. “But, how will I live?” Nellie asked.

  “This is why
we we wish to send you to London,” replied her father. “We hope to see you make a favorable match for which we will even supply a dowry. It is not the way that I would prefer it, but you insist that you are unable to find a husband in America. Your Aunt Lucinda has already lined up potential suitors who are sure to meet with my approval.”

  “You never approve of my choices,” Nellie pouted.

  Mr. Whitmore rolled his eyes. “If this is about that stable boy again, I will not hear another word of it. I do not even want you associating with the Davenports. That family is in the midst of a loathsome scandal.”

  “But Mary is my dearest friend,” Nellie protested. “She had nothing to do with the dreadful actions of her family.”

  “That family cost us five hundred dollars this year. My decision is final. Do not be so gloomy, Nellie. You will soon be sailing on the Lusitania and meeting new friends of desirable standing.”

  “But Mother should not take such a journey in her condition,” Nellie commented.

  “Your mother is not going. We are sending you with the Caswells as your chaperons,” her father explained.

  Nellie wrinkled her nose. “The Caswells are terribly boring. Can’t I travel with someone more fun?”

  “Do not even think of asking Mary Davenport,” her father said sternly, seeming to know what Nellie was thinking.

  “Mary is in mourning for her father,” Nellie reminded him. “But perhaps I might take another friend with me.”

  “So long as it is a well-behaved young lady whose family is not in the midst of scandal,” Mr. Whitmore muttered. “I will arrange for it. Do not forget to keep your mother’s condition a secret until your marriage is settled.”

  Nellie went back to her room and thought about who she could ask to accompany her. Many of the ladies Nellie’s age were either married and occupied with their wifely duties, or engaged and planning their weddings. Nellie was twenty years old and did not feel prepared to settle down into a stuffy house with a husband who could order her around. She sometimes thought that she would never marry at all, since she did not have the need before. Now that her inheritance was threatened, she realized she would have to begin thinking differently. She kept thinking of her friend Mary and how it had been too long since she had seen her last.

  “Gladys,” Nellie addressed her maid. “Order the car for me. I wish to visit a friend.”

  Nellie Whitmore arrived at Davenport House that day. She went to the sitting room with Mary and Abigail, who was Mary’s companion. Nellie was surprised to also see Clara with them in the sitting room, yet socializing without her usual maid’s uniform. That was when Mary explained to Nellie that Clara was recently discovered to be her half-sister. Clara was the daughter of the housekeeper and Mary’s father, who was Master of the house. After the death of their father, Mary recognized Clara by relieving her of maid duties and allowing her to move upstairs as a member of the family.

  Nellie’s eyes were wide as Mary relayed the details of this lesser known scandal of the Davenport family. Nellie would not mention such a thing to her father, who was already against her associating with them. She looked back and forth between the sisters. “Well! Who would have guessed it? You two don’t look a thing alike,” she laughed. “You are lucky. My family does not have any interesting secrets at all!” She decided not to mention that she was on the verge of losing her inheritance because of a new heir. She was grateful for this distraction from the things happening in her life. Nellie turned to her new friend. “Oh, poor Clara, you have had no proper debutante. I will make introductions for you. You must learn how to navigate society and you must do it quickly,” she said with a twinkle in her eye.

  Clara seemed elated. “Would you truly introduce me?”

  “Of course! It would be such fun! Oh dear, it may have to wait though. I have nearly forgotten that I am sailing for Liverpool in just over a week! I must think up a plan. In the meantime, let us take a walk to the stable—to see the horses of course.”

  They walked together toward the pasture where Nellie immediately spotted the handsome stable boy. “Good afternoon, Ladies,” Ethan greeted. “Will you be wanting to ride today?”

  “Oh, we are just taking a walk. Won’t you come with us?” coaxed Nellie. “It seems so long since I saw you last, Ethan. How have you been?”

  “Fine thank you, Miss Whitmore,” he replied as he joined the girls. They walked the perimeter around the fence and watched the horses graze in the pasture. Nellie talked with Mary about how empty her stable was, now that she had a motor car.

  “William said that he will buy an automobile next week for his medical practice,” Mary told her.

  “Oh yes, your new doctor. Have you fainted again while he is nearby, Mary?” Nellie teased. Mary turned red and looked away, confirming Nellie’s suspicion that Mary thought of him as more than a doctor or a friend.

  The conversation turned to horseback riding as they continued to watch the horses. When Clara admitted that she had never learned to ride, Nellie became excited about the things that she would introduce her new friend to. “There is much to see, Clara. I cannot wait to show you,” she chatted, feeling an idea come into her head. “Oh, I have just realized a perfect solution! You must come to New York and take the voyage to Liverpool with me! I will introduce you to London society, who will not have heard a thing about your past. You may even fall in love with a man of title there. They are wild about rich American girls. I can hardly keep them away. It is a splendid idea, you must come!”

  Clara was beaming. She had been wanting the chance to see the world away from Davenport House for years. Mary also seemed pleased for her. “What a grand opportunity for you leave and meet new people, Clara,” she remarked in awe. “What do you think?”

  “Nothing would make me happier!” Clara exclaimed. “But, did you not say that you are leaving next week? Do we have enough time to arrange it?”

  “Oh, I will handle that, don’t you worry. I will just telephone them to change my reservation. Honestly Mary, you are living in the Dark Ages out here with no automobile or telephone. Clara, you will love the Lusitania. It is gorgeous! The dining room is like a palace,” Nellie continued on about the beautiful ship.

  Clara could hardly contain her excitement. “I will need new dresses! Oh, I cannot believe it!”

  Nellie’s mind was bursting with ideas. “We will arrive in New York a day early so we can buy whatever you need there. If you like modern, you will fall in love with New York.”

  “I cannot wait,” grinned Clara, her heart nearly beating out of her chest.

  Later that evening when Nellie returned home, she explained to her father that she had found a traveling companion for the voyage. She left out the fact that Clara was now a Davenport.

  “What is her name?” asked Mr. Whitmore skeptically.

  “Clara Price,” answered Nellie. It was not completely a lie, since Clara’s surname had always been Price when she was a housemaid.

  “Price…Price…” her father mumbled, furrowing his brow as he tried to think which family the girl must belong to. He shot a look at Mrs. Whitmore, who shrugged her shoulders.

  “And how do you know this girl?” asked Mr. Whitmore.

  “She is an acquaintance of Mary,” Nellie answered quietly.

  “Is she a well-behaved sort of girl?”

  “Of course she is!” Nellie answered, feigning offense that her father would question it.

  “Very well, we will arrange for her to accompany you. So long as it is agreeable to her parents,” Mr. Whitmore added. “And I would like to meet this girl.”

  “I will inform her,” Nellie replied. She then bounced up the staircase in excitement, thinking that this voyage with the Caswells might not be so boring after all.

  She collected the advertisements from her parents that showcased the inside of the ship. There were luxurious suites for the first-class passengers, as well as a grand dining room serving ten-course meals. Nellie gazed at the picture
s dreamily and wondered what sort of men her Aunt Lucy had lined up for her in London—and more specifically, if any of them were handsome.

  The following week, Nellie went to Davenport House to meet with Clara about the upcoming voyage. Nellie and Clara were in the upstairs sitting room with Mary and Abigail. But Clara did not seem as enthusiastic about Nellie’s visit as she had the last time. Nellie passed around the pictures of the ship to the girls while she chatted about the Broadway play they would be seeing in New York the night before they left.

  Clara suddenly spoke up. “Nellie, I am terribly sorry, but I am afraid that I will not be able to accompany you after all.”

  Nellie’s mouth hung open in surprise. “I do not understand. Has something happened?” she asked.

  “My mother will not allow me to go. She has been sick with worry ever since I mentioned the voyage, and I do not wish for her to be tormented any further,” Clara explained.

  Nellie did not try to hide her disappointment. “This is dreadful,” she said with a pout. “I have already sent a telegram to Aunt Lucinda about my bringing a companion. I was looking forward to having the company. Oh, I do not want to spend six whole days alone.”

  Clara seemed to have a reply before Nellie had even reacted. “I did think of a solution just last night,” Clara told her confidently. “Abigail may accompany you in my place. She would make a marvelous companion for you, and she has never been outside of Pennsylvania.”

  There was an awkward moment where no one spoke. Nellie was happy to take Clara to London with her as a favor to Mary, but did not dream of stealing Mary’s companion away for the voyage. Nellie was aware that Mary loved Abigail and often spoke of how she could not do without her. She wondered if Abigail and Mary had already spoken of this arrangement before Nellie arrived. Otherwise, she could not think why Clara would suggest such a thing. “Well, I would be happy to have you, dear Abigail, but only if Mary can spare you,” Nellie replied.

  Mary seemed hesitant. “I will be quite busy with the estate while the new stable is being constructed. Abigail is free to go with you…if she wishes.”