Jace swallowed hard.
“So… Your wedding is soon,” he said in his desperation to change the subject.
Crisis averted. Her tear-stained face filled with excitement. “Two weeks from Sunday.” She prattled on about the wedding with enthusiasm until the cheery tone of her voice faded. “I know Maddie had reservations about attending.”
“Sound reservations.”
She lowered her eyes. “Unfortunately that’s true. But I honestly believe it will be good for Maddie to be there. My fiancé, Lester, agrees.”
“I’m guessing that convincing his family proved more difficult?”
“They blame Maddie for the accident. She was driving the wagon that day—and she was skilled at it—but she and the girls were traveling a difficult path. Anyone could have lost control of those horses in the rain and on such steep ground. Sadly, Lester’s uncle has more grief than reason when it comes to this subject. Elizabeth was his greatest joy, you see, and he had long ago deemed Maddie a bad influence on the rest of us.”
Jace narrowed his eyes. “And why was that?”
“From the time we were little, it was always the same thing: Pastor Hogle would accuse Maddie’s grandfather of allowing her too many freedoms and the two men would have angry words. Later on, the pastor thought Mads was fresh—and too familiar with men. And while she was certainly the most flirtatious of the Fair Five, she was always a good and decent girl underneath. No one knows that better than I do.” Amelia shrugged. “So, in the end, I just threatened to elope if the Hogles didn’t comply with my demands.”
“I see,” Jace said.
“Of course, this caused quite the family ruckus. I’d never tell Mads about it, though I’ve a feeling she suspects as much.”
Jace had to agree. “After meeting Pastor Hogle, I admire your fortitude.”
“The man can be intimidating, but he doesn’t frighten me. Some of his parishioners, however… Well, they are another story.” She shook her head. “Pastor Hogle’s influence has had a terrifying effect on a few of them, I’m afraid. I’m just glad you are man enough to stand up to him and the rest.” She frowned. “Unlike Daniel who—” Her hand shot to her mouth. “Forgive me.”
“Maddie spoke of their broken engagement.”
“Yes. That coward abandoned her when she needed him most.” She lowered her eyes. “As did I, I suppose.”
“You were in England?”
“Yes. I wanted to return when we received news of the accident, but my father thought it best we remain abroad.” She shook her head sadly. “I will always regret deserting Maddie that way.”
“But you’ve remained her friend, despite the distance.” Jace soothed.
“Despite anything. Always.” She smiled. “Attending the wedding is a big step for her. Of course, not as big a step as becoming engaged, but she needs to face these fools just the same.” Her smile faded. “She was the belle of the ball before the accident. Everyone loved her. It’s all so unfair.” She blinked away her thoughts of the past. “No matter. Brighter days are ahead! She has you now, and I’m so thankful for that.”
The door opened, and Maddie stepped into the room.
“Surprise!” Amelia shouted.
Maddie’s eyes flashed wide. “Amelia?”
Amelia flung herself into Maddie’s arms, embracing her tightly. Jace watched the emotional reunion of what remained of the town’s Fair Five. Jace had no true friends to speak of, certainly none he had known since childhood. Colleagues, patients, and random lovers. Over the years, he hadn’t thought he had either time or desire for more. He now realized he may have been wrong, and a hollow void opened inside him as he stood there watching the two women hold each other. Maddie had lost some of her dearest companions, but he’d never had any at all.
Chapter 10
Amelia hugged Maddie so tight she could barely breathe. The familiar strawberry scent of her hair hadn’t changed.
“Enough, Amelia.” Laughing, she broke free of Amelia’s embrace.
“But I’m so happy to see you, Mads.” Tears shone in her big blue eyes.
Maddie swallowed hard, feeling guilty for the way she’d spoken of her friend to Jace just yesterday.
“I’m happy, too.”
“I’ve met your Doctor Merrick,” Amelia said, winking at Jace. “And I must say, he works awfully fast. I’m so pleased for you both. Not to mention utterly stunned. The first thing I heard when I stepped from the carriage was that you’re engaged to the town’s new doctor. How did this happen?”
“Very suddenly,” Jace tossed in.
Maddie frowned, feeling guilty for having withheld the truth from her friend. But she couldn’t chance disclosing the sham to Amelia in a letter. A matter such as this required a face-to-face confession. And the sooner the better.
“Amelia, I must speak with you regarding our engagement.”
“Well, of course you must. I want to know everything.”
Maddie glanced to Jace, who shrugged in return. It was obvious he’d be no help.
Amelia took Maddie by the hand. “You can tell me all about it on the way to the dress shop. The other girls are meeting us there.”
“Now?” Maddie asked.
“I’m sorry for the lack of notice. I went to your house first. But the dresses have arrived earlier than anticipated, and Mrs. March wants to fit them right away. She’s set aside the entire morning for us.” She turned to Jace. “You don’t mind, do you?”
“Not at all. I’m sure you two have a lot to talk about.”
Maddie ignored his veiled remark. Summoning the courage to confess her lie, she left the office with Amelia, and they walked toward the dress shop. “There are four of you in the bridal party. Lester’s sisters, Gertrude and Dolly, of course, and my friend Caroline.”
“I look forward to meeting Caroline,” Maddie offered truthfully. But she felt nothing but dread at the thought of reuniting with Gertrude and Dolly, whom she’d known for years.
“And Cousin Philip and Cousin David have arrived from Boston. They’re in the bridal party, too. Philip will be so happy to see you.” She nudged Maddie’s shoulder. “You remember how smitten he was with you when we were girls?”
Maddie laughed. “Yes, I remember.”
“Poor Philip. He was so disappointed to hear you’re spoken for.”
“Amelia—”
“So, how did you and Doctor Merrick meet, anyway?”
“Quite by chance,” Maddie answered. “And in the nick of time.”
“Oh?”
“Amelia, I must tell you something, and you must promise to keep my secret.”
Amelia tilted her head, regarding her closely. “Of course.”
“Jace and I are not engaged.” Maddie released the breath she’d been holding.
Amelia stopped in her tracks. “I don’t understand.”
“It’s a ruse. I met Daniel and Miss Brewer by chance a few weeks ago. Oh Amelia, he was so smug and awful to me, I couldn’t bear it—he all but snickered into his elbow when he confronted me about finding an escort for the wedding. So I had to tell him that I was engaged. And since I had no fiancé at the time, I made one up. In the form of Jace Merrick.”
Amelia considered this for a long moment, during which Maddie wanted to shrivel into her shoes.
“And Doctor Merrick agreed?”
“Yes.” Maddie nodded.
The glow in Amelia’s cheeks dimmed like an expended candle. Her disappointment made Maddie feel ill.
“Oh, Mads,” she said quietly. “I don’t think I quite realized how miserable things have been for you.” She shook her head. “I suppose I wouldn’t allow myself to think too deeply on it.”
“So you understand my reasons for the lie?”
Amelia nodded. “Yes.”
“I’m so relieved. But you must promise to keep the secret. You mustn’t even tell Lester.”
“I owe you my silence.�
�� Amelia’s small smile warmed Maddie’s heart. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here for you.”
Maddie swallowed hard, feeling guilty again for the way she’d spoken of Amelia to Jace.
“I’ve missed you, Amelia.”
“I’ve missed you, too.” Tears welled in her eyes. “I miss them, Mads.”
“So do I.” She and Amelia had written little of the accident and their lost friends in their letters to one another. Given the physical distance between them, it was natural to maintain a superficial tone in correspondence. But now that they were together again, there were many more intimate things Maddie wanted to say. Today, however, was not the day for depressing talk. It was a day for celebration.
“Enough of this now,” she said with a fluff of her skirts. “We have shopping to do.”
They chatted all the way to the dress shop. The miles they’d spent apart closed quickly, and it felt like old times. The young man seated on the bench outside the door stood as they approached.
“Miss Strope,” he said with a tip of his hat.
Amelia’s cordial reply lacked her usual warmth.
“Matthew.” She extended her arm. “This is my good friend Madeline Sutter.”
His thin mouth tightened as he turned to Maddie. The chill of his icy eyes ran up and down the length of her.
“I know who she is.” He pulled his gaze from Maddie. “The girls are waiting inside,” he said, returning to his seat.
Amelia led her up the few stairs toward the door. “Don’t mind him.”
The directive was easier said than done. Maddie was used to receiving rude treatment, but there’d been something hinging on sinister in the way Matthew had looked at her. “I’ve seen him before,” Maddie said. “Who is he?”
Amelia led Maddie to a secluded spot behind a tall display of spooled ribbons.
“Matthew Webster. Faithful parishioner to Pastor Hogle. He drifted into town a few years ago, penniless and heartbroken after being jilted by his girlfriend in Albany. Pastor took him under his wing. He resides in a room behind the church now.”
The pastor’s treatment of Maddie made it difficult to conceive of his capacity to extend such charity to anyone.
“I see,” she said. But she did not.
“Since then Matthew has formed quite a fondness for Dolly.”
Maddie blinked.
“Dolly? But she’s only, what, fifteen years old?”
“Sixteen,” Amelia said. “Matthew is a good seven years older, but I’m told Pastor Hogle approves. Dolly’s appearance matters not a whit to Matthew, and because of this, I’m trying hard to warm up to him. However, his behavior is…somewhat unsettling.”
“Unsettling?”
“He escorts Dolly everywhere. Barely lets her out of his sight. Honestly, I don’t know how she can tolerate it.”
Maddie agreed this sounded a bit odd.
“The pastor is grooming him to be a man of the church.” Amelia sighed.
Maddie glanced back at the man perched like a stone gargoyle outside the door. For some reason, this news bothered her most. She shook off thoughts of Matthew as she and Amelia approached the Hogle sisters. Gertrude frowned at Maddie before whispering something in her younger sister’s ear.
Mrs. March bubbled with smiles and small talk, catering to Amelia and her bridesmaids as though she were fitting gowns for the Queen of England. With the exception of Maddie, of course, she bent over backward to accommodate the wedding party. Maddie was used to brusque treatment from the dressmaker, so she paid little heed to the woman’s obvious slights.
Dodging Gertrude’s palpable contempt proved more difficult. Lester’s eldest sister was not pleased to be in Maddie’s company and was not afraid to telegraph her displeasure at every opportunity. In contrast, Lester’s younger sister, Dolly, didn’t even offer a glance in Maddie’s direction. The child was so focused on hiding the large birthmark on her cheek that she nearly disappeared into the wallpaper.
Maddie hadn’t seen Dolly in ages, but the wine-colored stain on the girl’s face hadn’t faded with time. Dolly had grown in years and in self-consciousness. She kept her head low, her hair like a curtain, hanging over her cheek.
Thankfully, Amelia’s friend, Caroline Weiss, provided real solace in what might have been an awkward afternoon. Her pleasing demeanor and good humor made her easy to like. Caroline resided in Albany and seemed unaware of the gossip surrounding Maddie’s past. Maddie hoped to befriend the girl while she could. Pathetic, yes. But it was worth a try.
It had been a long time since Maddie had been in the company of other young women, and despite Gertrude’s sour attitude, she found herself enjoying the familiar chatter. Meanwhile, Mrs. March fitted them all with great efficiency. Each white dress would arrive the morning of the wedding, complete with the white slippers and gloves Amelia had selected. Instead of a garland of flowers, each bridesmaid would wear an elaborate white hat with a short veil and silk orange blossoms attached to the crown.
“You will be certain to remove the price tags from the hats before delivering them, won’t you, Mrs. March?” Maddie asked, unable to resist.
The woman’s mortified expression quickly turned defiant. “Of course,” she snapped.
Maddie gave the lady a syrupy smile before turning back to the mirror. After admiring her own reflection for a few moments, Maddie looked around at the progress the other girls were making. Dolly stood on a riser, while Mrs. March inserted pins at her hem. The dress fit like a glove to the young girl’s svelte figure.
“Lovely,” Maddie uttered.
“Oh, yes,” Caroline agreed.
Amelia nodded. “What do you think, Dolly?”
The girl glanced up in surprise.
“She knows nothing of fashion, Amelia.” Gertrude tugged the fabric at Dolly’s hips. “All those johnnycakes you eat are taking their toll.” Gertrude frowned, stepping back. “Your figure is all you have going for you, Dolly. You’d better take care to keep it.”
Dolly lowered her eyes.
“Her figure is perfection,” Maddie snapped.
Gertrude glared at her. Grumbling under her breath, she turned to admire a nearby display of bonnets, but it was Dolly’s small smile that affected Maddie more.
When their fittings were complete, Amelia suggested tea at her parents’ summer home on the lake. Dolly’s eyes sparked in favor of the idea. She glanced to her sister, but Gertrude was quick to refuse the invitation, stomping out that tiny flame. Dolly had no choice in the matter but to follow Gertrude to the door, where Matthew waited to usher them home.
“Are you certain you won’t join us?” Amelia asked Gertrude.
“The girls must get home,” Matthew interjected before Gertrude could respond.
“Very well, then,” Amelia uttered. She turned to Maddie and Caroline, and they started on their way.
Thankfully, Amelia’s parents were out visiting friends in Albany when the girls arrived. Maddie would have to face them eventually, but dealing with Gertrude and Dolly had been enough for one day. Entering the foyer of the large house, Maddie felt as if she were stepping back in time. The memories returned in a rush. The Fair Five fluttering through the house like birds let loose, the parties and teas, all the wonderful times they’d spent here together. She released a bittersweet sigh, glancing around. Evidence of the upcoming wedding was everywhere.
Large trestle tables held piles of beautifully wrapped wedding gifts. Outside, the gardeners were busy trimming hedges and readying the lush lawn for the pre-wedding festivities. The entire atmosphere was filled with anticipation of the joyous occasion—the wedding of the season.
A pang of sadness arced through her. Maddie would never experience the thrill of being a bride. The secret she kept was too great, too substantial to keep from a husband. The weight of it would be too much to carry through marriage.
Amelia led them to the patio. “Now remember, ladies, the picnic is one week fro
m tomorrow,” she said. “I hope the weather holds out.”
“You worry too much,” Caroline said. “The weather will be glorious for the picnic next week and for the wedding the following weekend.”
“From your lips to God’s ear,” Amelia said. “There will be a large tent for the lakeside ceremony at the hotel, just in case. It will be such fun! We’ve arranged rooms at the hotel for everyone.”
“Even the locals?” Maddie asked.
“Certainly. I want the entire bridal party at my disposal, day or night, all weekend long.” Amelia laughed. “Oh, Philip, there you are.” She waved her cousin into the room. “Come see Maddie.”
The tall man strode toward them, nodding to Caroline before stopping in front of Maddie.
“How good to see you again, Miss Sutter.” He beamed, gazing down at her with an intensity that spurred a blush to her cheeks.
“Philip is a banker in Boston now. Cousin David is here as well, though I’m not sure where.”
“He’ll be down soon,” Philip said. He turned back to Maddie. “You do remember me, don’t you, Miss Sutter?”
“Yes, of course. But you’ve changed considerably since we last met all those years ago.” She smiled.
Philip smiled too.
He had, indeed, grown considerably from the clumsy boy who had spent summers here. This man was well spoken and confident with warm brown eyes. He stood at Jace’s height, but was leaner, less muscular.
Philip had often served as an entertaining diversion in the absence of Daniel and the other local boys, who’d spent many of those long hot days hunting and fishing. Maddie had toyed with Philip’s affections back then, but it seemed he didn’t hold her girlish behavior against her.
“You’re even prettier than I remember,” he said.
Maddie would have laughed, but the sincerity in his compliment stopped her.
“I’ve thought of you often through the years.” He released her hand. “Your fiancé is a lucky man.”
“And you’re still a charmer.” She tossed her hair, enjoying the subtle flirtation. She’d never made an effort to know Philip years ago. He’d merely been a device to alleviate boredom, nothing more. Now her prickle of regret turned to shame. They’d all changed with the years, but Maddie had never felt it as much as she did these past weeks.
The Lady Who Lived Again Page 10
